Thread by @openDemocracy

🔴 We are joining forces with @Foxglovelegal to issue an urgent legal challenge over the government's plans to seize our GP data on 1 July.

We need your help to stop them: opendemocracy.net/en/ournhs/peti…

~ thread

Matt Hancock wants to take the patient records of everyone in England, and enter them all into one massive database.

He wants to make this data available to "third parties" – including private companies
opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocra…

This would mean incredibly sensitive data about all of us who use the NHS – including sexual and mental health – being pooled and shared.

The Health Secretary announced this plan quietly, via a single website, and set a deadline of 23 June for us to opt out

We are now challenging them.

Our legal letter to the government warns that, unless the health department pauses the GP data grab and seeks transparent patient consent, we will seek a court injunction to halt the scheme
opendemocracy.net/en/ournhs/lega…

The government has tried to do this once before, in 2014.

Back then, a huge public outcry forced them to abandon their scheme.

Let’s not let them get away with it this time either!

Sign our petition ⬇️
opendemocracy.net/en/ournhs/peti…

You can opt out.

@medConfidential explains how to: medconfidential.org/how-to-opt-out/

But the government should say exactly what they aim to do with people's health records - and who gets access

We’ve had no choice but to issue an urgent legal warning with five other claimants.

The coalition has also launched a crowdfunder to cover the cost risk of the legal claim ⬇️
crowdjustice.com/case/stop-the-…