LOCAL MP Peter Luff has opted out of a new government-led medical record database that would contain details of 50 million people.
The MP for Mid-Worcestershire claims that the database, nicknamed the Spine', is open to massive abuse and is a fundamental attack on people's right to privacy.
He said: "The collection of so much sensitive information in one place is plain daft and open to massive abuse, and unless individuals specifically opt-out of the scheme the government will assume consent has been given."
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In a letter to his doctor Mr Luff outlined his reasons for his opposition to it, citing the government's bungling manner that has led to two national scandals regarding lost data, as well as it being a huge waste of money.
"This £12bn IT programme will be the biggest civilian computer project in the world, and I believe this to be a colossal waste of money - money that would be better spent on the cash-strapped NHS.
"Additionally, in light of the seemingly endless data losses by the government in the last three months I have grave reservations about how these medical records will be kept confidential.
"At the Annual Representatives Meeting in 2007 it was resolved that British Medical Association members should not cooperate with the proposed centralised storage of all medical records due to concerns about security and confidentiality.
"I find the government's obsession with hoarding personal data remarkable, and think the money could be better spent."
Gordon Matthews, the Green candidate for Mid-Worcestershire, agreed: "Given the government's record on data handling, and their loss of it on more than one occasion, I'm not comfortable with this idea either."
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