Health records should be protected like bank details, says BCS

The BCS and NHS say that people should be prepared to protect their online medical records in the same way they look after their banking details.

In preparation for GP medical records to be online two years from now, the NHS and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT have published a guide to help citizens keep their information safe.

Patients will be able to access their own health records electronically and book appointments with GPs online by 2015, the Department of Health has said. The joint NHS and BCS advice is designed to help people to protect their personal details as stringently as they do their banking details.

“These records contain potentially sensitive personal information, so it’s important that individuals know how to keep them safe. Everyone should take the same care with their health and social care records as they do if they use online banking,” said the BCS.

The guidance document, Keeping your online health and social care records safe and secure, advises on sharing electronic records, creating and securing passwords, as well as good practice online to protect information on computers and mobiles.