The National Data Guardian for Health and Social Care, Dr Nicola Byrne, has written to James Frith MP, the Minister for Health Innovation, concerning public and professional trust in the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP).
The letter draws on research, public and professional views, independent scrutiny, and ongoing engagement with the FDP programme. It advises giving substantial weight to public and professional trust when evaluating suppliers of systems involving health and care data.
The advice also stresses the need for decisions to be supported by clear, objective evidence of benefits and limitations, communicated transparently, and within a culture open to challenge. Concerns about interoperability, vendor lock-in, and data sovereignty, including the consideration of open standards and open-source technology, should also be addressed.
While strongly supporting the FDP programme's ambitions to improve health and care through better data use, the National Data Guardian's advice aims to inform future decisions and does not recommend a particular contractual outcome.