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Home Office scraps scheme that used NHS data to track migrants
Monday 19th November 2018
Following the legal action by Migrants' Rights Network the UK Home Office has backed down from secret data-sharing deal.
Under the controversial "hostile environment" scheme the Home Office was using NHS data to track down patients believed to be breaching immigration rules. It has been decided that the NHS providers will no longer routinely give information about potential illegal immigrants to the Home Office.
The deal between the Department of Health, NHS Digital and the Home Office is being scrapped, as a consequence of a legal challenge brought by the Migrants' Rights Network.
The memorandum between the NHS Digital and the Home Office had attracted a lot of criticism from MPs, health and civil liberties organisations, which said it was an invasion of patients' confidentiality and could put immigrants' lives in danger because it made some fearful of seeking medical treatment for themselves or their children.
While before, the government has agreed to limit the use of most of the data-sharing arrangements, it has now been confirmed that this secret deal will be completely withdrawn.
"The right to privacy and access to healthcare is a right that many of us take for granted; sadly, this has not been the case of health services for migrants. We are delighted that the government is starting to dismantle the hostile environment by conceding that deterring people from accessing health services is cruel, inhumane and ultimately more costly," said Rita Chadha, the interim director of Migrants' Rights Network.
The memorandum allowed the Home Office to request access to non-clinical information, which included patients' last known address.
The Home Office, however, seems to be eager in using the NHS data. It has states that they "continue to work with NHS Digital on a new memorandum of understanding to enable us to make requests for non-medical information about those facing deportation action because they have committed serious crimes, or where information necessary to protect someone's welfare".
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