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Confidentiality
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Cancer registration data is used for a variety of public health surveillance and health protection functions so it is important to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information that is collected.
As data are often collected from several sources, we need to make sure that the information for each person is recorded correctly and that duplicate records are not added to the database. We may also need to add further details to a registration at a later date because we have received additional information.
We take our responsibility for the collection, processing and transfer of identifiable patient data very seriously. The steps we take to protect patient confidentiality are summarised below but please see our Security and Data Protection Policy and Security and Data Confidentiality Operational Procedures for further details. In due course, all policies will be superseded by appropriate Public Health England policies.
If you are concerned about your details being registered or any other issues regarding confidentiality, please contact the Registry by telephone on 0114 226 3560 or
.
The National Cancer Registration Service has legal support to collect data relating to cancer under Section 251 of the NHS Act 2006 (and formerly under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001).
Section 251 allows the Secretary of State for Health to make regulations to set aside the common law duty of confidentiality for medical purposes where it is not possible to use anonymised information and where seeking individual consent is not practicable. The regulations made under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002 (SI 1438) continue to have effect under Section 251.
Until April 2013, responsibility for administering powers under Section 251 lies with the National Information Governance Board for Health and Social Care (NIGB). This role being transferred from the Patient Information Advisory Group (PIAG) under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. From 1 April 2013, the NIGB's functions for monitoring and improving information governance practice will transfer to the Care Quality Commission www.cqc.org.uk, which is establishing a National Information Governance Committee to oversee this work. Information and support on the ‘section 251’ approval process has been transferred to the Health Research Authority (HRA) Confidentiality Advisory Group.
The support given to cancer registration under Section 251 is subject to annual review.