Patient confidentiality in NHS population screening programmes
Information about what personal information is used by the screening programmes and why. Includes your options, rights and how to find out more.
- From:
- NHS England
- Published
- 1 January 2015
- Last updated
-
1019OctoberJune20242026 — See all updates
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This publication explains how and why population screening programmes collect and process data. It covers:
how*Why we use your personal information
*Who is protectedresponsible andfor keptyour confidential
thepersonal information
*What usedinformation byis NHSused England (NHSE) to invite people tofor bescreening
*Your screened
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*Keeping informationyour usedpersonal byinformation NHSEsafe
*Using information to ensuremake sure screening is safe and effective
theworks screeningwell
*Using programmes and your rights
how long personal information isto kept
thelearn information shared by NHS organisations
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howservices
*Testing tonew findcomputer outsystems
*Using moreyour orinformation raisefor a concern
research
This*National publicationhealth wasregisters
*How previouslylong publishedinformation byis Publickept
*The Healthlaw England,and whichyour closedpersonal oninformation
*Your 30rights Septemberand 2021.getting help
Updates to this page
Published 1 January 2015
Last updated 1019 OctoberJune 2024
+ show2026
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Show all updates
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Update history
2026-06-19 16:34
Updated guidance including:• Updated legal basis description• Improved description of invitations and call/recall• Inclusion of additional data types• Clearer articulation of data uses• General clarity and consistency improvements
2024-10-10 16:36
Added clarification that publication was previously published by Public Health England.
2022-11-29 14:20
Information updated throughout to reflect the move of responsibilities from Public Health England (PHE) to NHS England.
Details
This publication explains how and why population screening programmes collect and process data. It covers:
how*Why we use your personal information
*Who is
protectedresponsibleandforkeptyourconfidentialthepersonal information*What
usedinformationbyisNHSusedEngland(NHSE)toforbescreening*Your
screenedthechoices*Keeping
informationyourusedpersonalbyinformationNHSEsafe*Using information to
ensuremake sure screening is safe andeffectivetheworksscreeningwell*Using
programmesandyourrightshowlongpersonalistokeptthelearninformationsharedbyNHSorganisationspopulationscreeningprogrammestheimprovelawhowservices*Testing
tonewfindcomputeroutsystems*Using
moreyourorinformationraiseforaconcern
This*National publicationhealth wasregisters
*How previouslylong publishedinformation byis Publickept
*The Healthlaw England,and whichyour closedpersonal oninformation
*Your 30rights Septemberand 2021.getting help
Updates to this page
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-06-19 16:34
Updated guidance including:• Updated legal basis description• Improved description of invitations and call/recall• Inclusion of additional data types• Clearer articulation of data uses• General clarity and consistency improvements
2024-10-10 16:36
Added clarification that publication was previously published by Public Health England.
2022-11-29 14:20
Information updated throughout to reflect the move of responsibilities from Public Health England (PHE) to NHS England.