NHS Digital has developed a Data Uses Register to provide information on how patient data is being used.
It said the interactive tool makes it easier to see which organisations access data, the purposes for which they are permitted to use it and the expected benefits.
NHS Digital interim CEO Simon Bolton said: “The new Data Uses Register is an important improvement to make our data sharing agreements more transparent and user-friendly.
“We take our responsibility as the guardians of NHS data very seriously and we are committed to being transparent so that people can see exactly who their data has been shared with and why.”
Organisations using the data may be public sector bodies, charities or commercial organisations. They must all have a legal basis and legitimate need to use the data, which will only be used for health and care planning and research purposes.
Covid-19 response
The release register shows the data that NHS Digital has provided, both as part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the many other uses of patient data that support health and social care.
This includes developing insights to design new NHS services for patients, improving the performance, effectiveness or efficiency of existing services, supporting NHS organisations by creating new tools and products to improve care, creating new treatments and supporting the NHS and local authorities in planning services.
The organisation has also published a review of the impact of data released through the Data Access Request Service to provide further information on how data is used.
Image from iStock,Briana Jackson
