Ministers have rejected a call from MPs to immediately suspend the disclosure of confidential NHS patient data to the Home Office despite evidence it is deterring migrants in England from seeking medical help. The data is used to trace potential immigration offenders.
A joint letter from Home Office and health ministers to the chair of the Commons health select committee notes that 1,297 requests for non-clinical details of patients, including home addresses, were made in the past three months by immigration officials trying to trace individuals with whom they had lost contact. Dr Sarah Wollaston, the health committee chair, called for the suspension of the memorandum of understanding between the Home Office and NHS Digital after hearing evidence from doctors and patient groups that undocumented migrants, including pregnant women, were too afraid to go to a doctor for fear their details would be passed to immigration enforcement. The inference is the sharing data with the Home Office for immigration purposes jeopardises the lives of individuals and endangers public health.
Doctors are concerned that while patient information is being shared, they will be unable to assure patients that their right to confidentiality is being upheld. The ministers claim they are respecting patient confidentiality by not allowing the disclosure of medical information. The ministers’ letter states they do not consider that, on the present state of the evidence, there is warrant for a significant change of approach or specifically terminating the MoU and ending the important public interest function it serves.
