How can we trust a health secretary who trashes commitments on our data, asks our tech and data lead Duncan McCann

Plans to introduce a single patient record across the NHS in England will be discussed in Parliament for the first time on Monday. The system aims to integrate GP, hospital, and social care data, allowing patients to avoid repeatedly giving their medical history. Emergency departments will be able to access complete patient records, including medications and allergies, which could help prevent misdiagnoses and reduce unnecessary A&E visits by an estimated 20,000 patients annually. Paramedics and carers will also benefit from real-time access to patients' treatment information. The record will be accessible via the NHS App, with rollout expected from 2027. While some regions already have limited data sharing, this initiative seeks consistency nationwide. Doctors have cited cases where lack of record access caused delays or cancellations of critical procedures. Pregnant women currently must recall their full medical history at first appointments due to inaccessible records. GPs may save time by retrieving information more efficiently. Health Secretary James Murray emphasised the importance of joining up services, citing his own positive experience with NHS care. However, the British Medical Association has expressed concerns over data security and patient confidentiality, stressing the need for clear GP oversight. The proposal is part of the NHS Modernisation Bill, which also includes the abolition of NHS England and Healthwatch to streamline bureaucracy and redirect resources to frontline services.

The pilot will see GP practices look at patient records to identify those most at risk

As of February 2026, one in four GPs had still not enabled GP Connect’s ‘update record’ functionality, which allows pharmacies to add consultation information to patient records, an exclusive…