AwarenessHealth, money & the body
Medical records, used again
Health data “de-identified”, then re-linked, and shared or sold on.
Understand it
Medical and pharmacy records are increasingly shared for research, planning and commercial use, usually “de-identified”. But de-identification often fails once the data is joined to other datasets, and patients rarely get a clear choice. Your health history can travel further than the clinic that made it.
How to spot it
National and NHS data-sharing schemes publish how your records may be used - and how to opt out.
Close the gap
- Check your health service’s data-sharing and opt-out options. In England, use the National Data Opt-Out; in Scotland, Wales and NI there is no single national opt-out - raise it with your GP practice (NI has a regional one on the way).
- Opt out of secondary uses you are not comfortable with - it rarely affects your care.
- Be cautious with private health apps and pharmacies that on-share data.
- Ask any provider how your records are shared, and with whom.
What to do about it
Health data is sensitive and hard to claw back once it's shared. In the UK your main lever is the NHS National Data Opt-Out, which limits how your records are used beyond your direct care.