From the Daily Mail, March 3, 2009:

Doctors have condemned a ‘Big Brother’ scheme to give the public sector and private companies much wider access to personal medical records.

Eight organisations, including the British Medical Association and the medical royal colleges, have protested against it.

They have written a letter to oppose a proposed law that would make it easier for the Government to share data.

They are demanding that medical records be exempt from provisions in Jack Straw’s Coroners and Justice Bill.

The signatories have asked for a meeting with the Justice Secretary and expressed ‘grave concerns’ about a clause of the Bill.

This clause appears to grant the Government unprecedented powers to access confidential medical records  -  and even share them with third parties.

Ministers would simply be able to sign an order, allowing their department to share data.

Read the rest.