The “Your Care Connected Data Sharing Agreement” (DSA) is a document that clearly defines the legal obligations and responsibilities of those involved in the exchange of patient information. This means that the importance of medical records can now be recovered by any licensed system (previously, access to providers with local data-sharing agreements, point-to-point agreements was limited). This provides access to patient records wherever they are, including in other practices or in the 111 COVID 19 Clinical Assessment Service (CCAS) and family physicians can see patient records outside their practice if they have to work remotely. Allows for safer, timely maintenance and flexibility to manage strained system capacity. As members of the NHS, we have a duty not only to protect our patient data, but also to share information where it is legal, safe and secure, in order to improve the direct management of our patients. Our ASD has been developed in this direction and we have worked with the LMC and the BMA to ensure that we protect the interests of all those responsible for processing (which is our practice in this case). We also consulted with the Information Commissioner`s Office, the Medical Defence Associations and the General Medical Council. Your advice and instructions have been reflected in the DSA and you can read Birmingham LMC`s response here. The Caldicott Guardian, appointed in your office, must verify, sign and return the DSA if your firm intends to share information about your connected patient. The signing of the DSA also allows us to send mail to your patients to alert them to your related care.

We will provide them with information clear enough to make an informed decision about whether service data should be shared when they visit one of the participating secondary services. The agreement is supported by the British Medical Association, the Royal College of GPs, the Information Commissioner and the National Data Guardian. The DSA is now ready to be distributed to firms after being audited and verified by independent legal experts appointed by Dr Robert Morley on behalf of Birmingham LMC. Lawyers specializing in information governance in primary procurement were convinced that the risk to information exchange practices on the Your Care Connected program was very low, with the potential benefits to our patients far outweighing this low risk.