You are right to highlight this survey. I am a former GP and health service researcher both for WHO and the precursor of NPfIT. I have worked with electronic patient records (EPR) since 1973 (when the very earliest GP systems were set up). EPRs are great. But there is absolutely no need to have a huge database with 200,000+ people having access to your data and mine. There are ways of making the information shareable, and have been for many years.

You should be aware that, whilst GP's own systems have been developed in order to look after individual patients, as well as to make possible epidemiological studies on their practices, the NPfIT database is primarily being developed in order to make PBR (Payment by Results) and other government initiatives work. These are all geared to privatise the NHS, and to let private companies such as Serco and Netcare run choice bits of the NHS. It is also necessary in order to extend the idea of a "market" in healthcare.

Dr P J Burton, Winchester, UK

'Not trying to be funny, but what do doctors know about data security?'

Well, we have maintained confidential patient records for many decades, without any of the breaches this incompetent Govt has become famous for. Will that do?

Graham Doll, Torridon, Scotland

Louis Blanc - Doctors are not being secretive about patients having access to their own records. They have that access now anyway. What we are concerned about is every Tom, Dick and Harry in the NHS (and probably beyond it) having access to your records (or indeed my records). The thing will leak like a sieve. Do you want everyone to know about your extra-marital affair, your STD, or any other piece of information you have imparted "Confidentially" to your GP? If you don't, you need to start making your voice heard NOW.

David, Daventry,

One of the most important duties of a doctor is to protect patient onfidentiality. I have no problem with patients accessing their notes. They are reasonably secure when held on a server in each individual practice. Notes are becoming less secure with PCTs (many administrators) having access to GP servers, and will be very insecure when all notes are on a National Server Farm where hundreds of thousands of people can acces them. They will be easily linkable potentially to tax records, police records etc and in the wrong hands could be used for a targeted smear campaign. The minister for health already has legal access to everyone's notes without their permission.WIth notes all on one site it will be even easier access.Do you want your records leaked to a national newspaper, or your medical details used in identity theft? Patients must be able to give informed consent rather than the government's approach of informed dissent regarding the potentially unsafe storage of medical records.

GP, Chichester,

Are we surprised?
We are required provide information to the State which ends up in a skip or is "lost in the post"! Most of what we do outside the house is recorded In the name of "security" and
"progress". We are one of the most "watched" countries on earth and now our electronic medical records are to be stored, centrally in an outmoded system and accessed by who exactly, for precisely what risk or benefit; with what safeguards?
It's an Orwellian vista likely to engender an even greater lack of trust than we have created in the last decade. People increasingly live behind closed doors and don't trust their neighbours. Now it seems they will have reason not to trust their doctors, who are telling us THEY ARE CONCERNED: so be afraid, be very afraid!
Such things "appear" under the guise of a well established democracy but ordinary people in this "Brave New World" are watching too!
Is 1984 finally here?
Well Mr Brown, are we going to be consulted?!!

Alison Hugh, Harpenden, UK

Not trying to be funny, but what do doctors know about data security?

Steven Beeching, Camberley, Surrey

Why are the doctors being secretive about patients having access electronically to their own records. What is so secretive about patients records that the doctors dont want us to see. I suspect NOTHING.
Why do doctors feel offended they were not consulted when the system was being designed. Well, this system is not 'rocket science'. Its just a recording system which can be designed on the back of a fag packet.

Louis Blanc, Walsall, UK

You look at GP's websites and see staffs' names plastered all over them - a fraudster could then find out peoples places of employment and use this in conjunction with other information they have about them - if doctors and nurses are not concerened about their own information, will they be that concerned about patients?

John, Surrey,

Also that the system itself isn't as good as some already in use, but they have to be dropped, because of the politics involved.

Health Professional, Manchester,

not to mention the publication of the personal details of 34,000 junior docotrs applying through the online national recruitment system in march 2007.

junior doctor, london,