NHS Connecting for Health launched a 12-week consultation on the 17 September to allow the public and healthcare professionals to have their say on the use of patient data for research purposes and for managing and planning care.

The sharing of patient information can help improve the well-being of the population through medical research, disease surveillance, screening, needs assessment and preventative activities. The NHS Care Records Service offers new opportunities in this field, with the electronic collection of clinical and patient data.

The public, patients and other interested parties are being invited to provide input on the way that the NHS uses their health information by going to the online consultation at www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/susconsultation. The consultation and will aim to gather as wide a range of views and opinions as possible. The results of the consultation will be used to shape how information held in the NHS Care Records Service is used other than for the purpose of providing direct care to patients. A series of workshops across England are also planned.