Collecting GP data - advice for the public
Why NHS Digital need your data
Patient data is used every day to improve healthcare services through planning and research in England, helping to find better treatments and improve patient care.
It helps to decide what new health and care services are required in a local area, informs clinical guidance and policy, and supports researching and developing cures for serious illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
For example, GP data collected as part of the COVID response is being used by the University of Oxford RECOVERY trial, which is looking to find ways to improve the treatment for people with COVID-19.
Why a new system is needed
Patient data is already being collected to improve health and care services. NHS Digital has collected patient data from general practices using a service called the General Practice Extraction Service (GPES). This system is over 10 years old and now needs to be replaced.
NHS Digital has engaged with doctors, patients, data and governance experts to design a new and improved system to collect data from general practice that:
- reduces work for GPs so they have more time to focus on patient care
- explains clearly how data is used to help patients feel confident and informed
- means data is collected, stored and accessed in a secure and consistent way
Find out more
You can find out more about how NHS Digital keep your data secure, why it is important to collect data, what will and will not be collected, and how you can opt out of your data being shared.
Read more on collecting GP data
Read more on General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR)
