The bill is a lengthy round-up of administrative measures needed to put into effect the NHS Plan, which the Labour government published in July 2000. Among other things, it changes the arrangements for funding long-term care and allows nurses to prescribe drugs. The controversial clause 67 opens by granting the Secretary of State for Health powers to prohibit the processing of health information for commercial purposes. Opponents say this clause gives the government alarmingly open-ended powers. These powers will also allow data matching between the NHS, police, social services and Home Office and the Benefits Agency.
Opponents say the measures go much further than necessary.
Policy Research on 13 March 2001. We simply don't know how these powers will be used in the future. The campaign to stop the clause includes the British Computer Society and professional bodies. Not everyone agrees. The issue here is not one of defending the rights of doctors and patients against the over-weaning authority of government.