healthmedicinet

It boasts that “uniquely” they were able to combine these details with
information from credit ratings agencies, such as Experian, which record the
lifestyle habits of milllions of consumers.

The calculations were used to advise companies how to refine their premiums,
resulting in increased premiums for most customers below the age of 50,
according to the report dated last March.

The 274-page report describes the NHS Hospital Episode Statistics as a
“valuable data source in developing pricing assumptions for ‘critical
illness’ cover.”

It says that by combining hospital data with socio-economic profiles, experts
were able to better calculate the likelihood of conditions, with “amazingly”
clear forecasts possible for certain diseases, in particular lung cancer.

Phil Booth, from privacy campaign group medConfidential, said: “The language
in the document is extraordinary; this isn’t about patients, this is about
exploiting a market. Of course any commercial organisation will focus on
making a profit – the question is why is the NHS prepared to hand this data
over?”

He added: “We have been categorically told that it would be illegal for GP
data to be handed over to insurers, yet already all this hospital data has
been extracted. It blows out of the water the idea that patients’ privacy is
being protected.”

Last week Tim Kelsey, director for patients and information at NHS England,
said it will be “a criminal offence” for any information entered into the
new giant database, which will combine GP and hospital records, to be sold
for insurance purposes. However, a database which only contains hospital
records remains a separate entity, with its own rules allowing greater
access to third parties.

There has been a growing backlash against the scheme with family doctors and
privacy campaigners raising fears that data could be misused.

Those behind the £50?million data-sharing plan say it will improve healthcare
and help medical research.

Last week NHS officials announced a six-month delay to the plans, to address
concerns and improve publicity. Speaking after the delay was announced, Mr
Kelsey said the database needed to go ahead because it was “vital” to
improving Britain’s cancer survival rates.

Tomorrow, the Commons health select committee is due to question NHS officials
leading the scheme and to hear concerns from privacy campaigners.

In the report based on hospital data, actuaries used the information as the
basis for detailed calculations about the incidence of common health
conditions.

It describes a falling market in ‘critical illness’ insurance cover, with
sales dropping by almost half in a decade, and suggests estimates of
prevalence for major conditions including Alzheimer’s disease are likely to
be significantly underestimated, because they are based on the hospital
figures, when most care is provided outside hospitals.