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An enhanced right to data: how do we establish stronger rights for individuals, businesses and other actors to obtain, use and re-use data from public service providers?
How do we establish stronger rights for individuals, businesses and other actors to obtain, use and re-use data from public service providers?
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Questions
Comments (4)
Free and with no right to
Free and with no right to charge for resale of data itself.
No problem with charging for analysis or products that depend on data. Viz vehicle routing - free maps, free traffic data but solving the travellling salesman problem is still expensive.
Loss of revenue stream
unlimited re-use is a bad idea - I used to deal with one company that EIRed all stopping-up orders - added them to a database and charged other companies for access - UK gov would have been better off letting them use that data on an annual license
Stronger rights for individuals to obtain and re-use data
I am co-director of PAERS Ltd. We make it possible for 60% of GP practices to offer their patients online free secure access to their own GP record. However very few practices switch the system on because they fear a range of consequences. Their phantasies are not bourne out in reality, but the way the system currently operates, they get little chance of finding out. They just say "no", even when patients ask them for access. There is no pressure to offer online access. Of course, there is a legal requirement for access to the paper record, but there is a charge and a delay, and this process is often a prelude to a complaint.
The current arrangements mean that GPs see access as a route to complaints. The current system does not encourage the use by the practice or the patient of their own data to help improve their own health or manage any health conditions better.
OPen data concepts do not need to be embedded in ICT contracts, but in GP contracts. We would like to see:
- GP practices being obliged to offer online access if the patient requests it and if the practice is enabled to do so.
- GP practices having an obligation to offer all their patients online access if the practice is enabled to do so.
- an NHS standard that makes online access part of routine good practice
- similar accessibility to local authority, education, legal, housing personal records.
There mayy be similar issues in relation to hospital records. However, they are in a more primitive state, in the sense that few are electronic, so online access is more difficult. However, test results are usually held electronically - patients having access to their horpital test results woudl also be significantly improve safety and efficiency.
Experience and research data show that enabling access by GP practices takes little extra time and almost certainly saves it, if the system is used most effectively.
In addition, we support the govt's approach to enabling the use of data on primary and secondary care performance. We agree that this is likely to improve patient care.
An independent body such as the ICO is required, but its powers need to be enhanced towards supporting the individual's (in the case of the NHS, the patient's) needs.
Introduce a "Technology Charter" for all civil servants
I couldn't agree with you more.
What is needed is a cultural change right across our society, not just in Government - in our schools, our hospitals, our airports, our rail network, our infrastructure. A cultural change involving a deeper understanding of the value that can be derived from technology.
How about a "Technology Charter" for all public servants? - be they central government civil servants, doctors, dentists, teachers, local council staff or even staff at PPPs/outsourced government services.
It would be a set of principles for all those employed by the state, a 'Hippocratic Oath' for the information age including e.g. a tendency towards making data on citizens accessible to them, towards employing open-source solutions, and an attitude of collaboration with developers, academics and think tanks on technology implementation issues in the public sector.
Central HR in Government (Civil Service Career Gateway etc) could roll out new hiring guidelines that require new hires to demonstrate understanding of the importance of technology and open data in delivering public services.
Such agreements on a charter and hiring guidelines could be agreed separately with each group of public sector workers e.g. doctors via the BMA. And the training that public sector professionals go through should be upgraded to incorporate learning about technology and how it can improve outcomes for citizens while at the same time reducing costs and ensuring fiscal stability.
Cabinet Office e-government 'evangelists' could roll this out across govt departments using videos, websites and apps.