Invitation: care.data Advisory Group Open Meeting

The NHS in England already has some of the best information and data systems in the world. However, they are currently missing information for most of the care provided outside of hospital. For example, they would like to know the average time taken - in every area of the country - between someone seeing their GP with bowel symptoms, to being diagnosed with colon cancer at the hospital. In order to know this, they need to link GP and hospital data

Purpose of care.data programme

The intention of the care.data programme - which identifies conditions but not people - is that the NHS will find out about the quality of care being provided in all GP practices, and how well GP practices and hospitals are working together to provide joined-up care for patients.

care.data Advisory Group

The "care.data Advisory Group" is considering the questions and concerns being raised by patients, the public, health professionals, NHS staff and others - and advising NHS England and the Health and Care Information Centre on possible solutions and amendments to the care.data programme. Any agreed suggestions will need to be signed off by the Advisory Group before being implemented.

Attending the open meeting

Building on initial discussions in July, NHS England are hosting a further meeting in London on the 6 September. The discussion will be used to shape the advisory group's response and guidance on the future of care.data and the wider data sharing agenda.

The care.data Advisory Group Open Meeting will take place on Saturday 6 September 2014, 10.30am (10am registration) to 2pm, including a light lunch at Coin Street Community Builders, Coin Street neighbourhood centre, 108 Stamford Street, South Bank, London SE1 9NH