20 November 2008
NHS Connecting for Health (NHS CFH) is conducting a consultation on the
wider use of patient information [1] (see http://tinyurl.com/6l2goc).
The consultation relates to the so called "Secondary Uses Service
(SUS)" whereby every time you attend a hospital appointment your post
code, date of birth, GP details, consultant details, outpatient clinic,
inpatient admission, procedure, cost and whether you are to be followed
up is all sent by the hospital to BT. All these details will be stored
at the regional hosting centre and can be accessed by your local
Primary
Care Trust, Strategic Health Authority and the Department of Health via
the SUS database that BT now manage. Medical researchers are allowed
access to all this personal and clinical information.
Connecting for Health claims that most data in the SUS will be
anonymised but a document obtained from the Department
of Health under the Freedom of Information Act by Professor Ross
Anderson of Cambridge University shows that they will not be
anonymising this medical data [2].
The NHS confidentiality group [3] has already produced an opt out
letter to allow patients to opt out of the upload of Summary Care
Records to the NHS 'spine' (the central database that will be used to
store electronic patient records) and they are now working on an opt
out from
the Secondary Uses Service.
With the 'spine' effectively stalled this is one of the few
consultations
where sheer volume of negative response may have some effect - so
please do help us send a message to the government that our medical
records are private and should remain so.
Responses should be sent to Chrissy Brand (FREEPOST RRXB-TTRR-HJGB,
Tribal Consulting, Palatine Road, Manchester, M22 4DB) by 10th December.
--
NOTES:
[1] Details of the consultation are at
http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/systemsandservices/research/consultation
[2] The letter can be downloaded from
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/Papers/SUS-governance.pdf
[3] http://www.nhsconfidentiality.org
+ WATCH OUT FOR NO2ID LETTERS IN LOCAL PAPERS +
Look out for NO2ID letters in your local papers from next week on "ID
cards for foreign nationals". Local groups around the country have been
contacting local media to highlight the issues surrounding the first
phase of the government's ID scheme. If you see one of the letters then
write in to the paper and provoke more discussion. The local media is a
great place for us to get our message across.
+ NO2ID AND NO BORDERS PROTESTS AROUND THE COUNTRY +
Biometric ID cards will come into force for non-EU students and spouses
from 25th November and will be issued from offices in Birmingham,
Cardiff, Croydon, Glasgow, Liverpool, and Sheffield. NO2ID and No
Borders are planning to hold protests outside each of the offices on
that day. See the listings for London, Brighton & Hove, Manchester,
Glasgow and Leeds in the What's Next section below. No Borders South
Wales will also be protesting outside the Cardiff centre from 12 noon
on the 25th November.
See our forums for more information of protests:
http://forum.no2id.net/viewtopic.php?t=24837
+ NO2ID T-SHIRTS - THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT +
NO2ID T-shirts are a great present idea but to guarantee delivery
before
Christmas you should order now. T-shirts cost £12 and we have a stock
of
"Labour's Poll Tax" in all sizes (we won't be reprinting it so it
should be a collectors' item). In most sizes of the classic
www.NO2ID.net
design there is a choice of Black or White, but we won't
have new stock before Christmas and stocks are limited so please
specify whether we may substitute the other colour or not. Where we do
have stock we should be able to supply in time for Christmas if orders
reach us by end of November.
For an order form go to
http://www.no2id.net/getInvolved/no2id_merchandise_order_form.pdf
The size, influence and activity of NO2ID's local group network is
unique amongst single-issue campaigning and is growing all the time.
Groups raise awareness of the work of NO2ID, inform their local
politicians and journalists about the depth of the ID scheme and
provide us with our now main method of attracting new members and
supporters. Their work is vital and effective and enables us to
maintain a relatively high local media presence that many campaigning
groups envy. To see if there's a group in your area check our list at
http://www.no2id.net/localGroups/
Or, if you're interested in starting a group yourself, please contact
Matty on local.groups@no2id.net to
discuss what's involved and what we
have in place to support coordinators and their groups.
+ Brighton and Hove +
+ 25th November - Demonstration against first ID cards +
Tuesday, 25th November - meet on New Road at 12:20. Visual
demonstration to raise awareness that this is the day the first ID
cards will be issued! We will be doing two short stunts, at 12:30 and
13:00. We need as many people as possible to stand in a queue, where
you will eventually be either 'authorised' or not.
+ 25th November - Brighton and Hove NO2ID Meeting +
Tuesday, 25th November 7.30pm at the Brighton Peace and Environment
Centre, opposite the train station.We will also be going to the Battle
of Trafalgar afterwards if meetings aren't your thing.
+ Bristol +
+ 1st December - Screening of Taking Liberties +
Monday, 1st December at 8pm, showing of "Taking Liberties" at The Cube
with introduction by Dave Gould of Bristol NO2ID. Tickets £4/£3.
+ Cambridge +
+ 22nd November - NO2ID Cambridge Stall +
Saturday, 22nd November at 10am in the usual spot outside Cambridge
Guildhall. Location Map: (http://www.aardvarkmap.net/mape/T5LZATLS)
As
ever, volunteers to help very welcome - please email cambridge@no2id.net,
or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624 if you can make it.
+ 3rd December - Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting (1st Wednesday
of each month) +
Wednesday, 3rd December, 7.30pm at the Salisbury Arms, 76 Tenison Rd,
Cambridge CB1 2DW (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=cb1+2dw).
For more
details contact cambridge@no2id.net, or
text/call Andrew on 07710
469624.
+ Coventry +
+ 26th November - Coventry NO2ID group re-launch meeting (every third
Wednesday of the month thereafter) +
Wednesday, 26th November from 6.30pm at The Rocket, 103 Warwick Road,
Coventry, CV3 6AN. As one of the areas best-served with NO2ID members
the group has decided to form a new structure allowing maximum action
with minimum waffle. Everyone is welcome, newcomer or not, curious or
committed. Please bring a friend. Further details: Claire Boylan on
coventry@no2id.net
If you're unable to attend but are interested in the activity of the
group, please join the Coventry mailing list on:
http://lists.no2id.org/mailman/listinfo/no2id.coventry
+ Deptford +
+ 12th December - Deptford NO2ID Film Night - 'Taking Liberties' +
Friday, 12th December at the Deptford Arms, 52 Deptford High St,
London, SE8 4RT Tel: 0871 917 000. Deptford NO2ID is showing "Taking
Liberties", contact deptford@no2id.net for more info.
+ Dorking +
Following lots of street stalls, 2250 odd signatures collected on the
petition, a successful public meeting and a motion against ID Cards
passed by Mole Valley Council, we are looking forward and planning new
projects. We will continue with street stalls over the winter and are
looking to Surrey County Council also to pass a motion against ID Cards.
+ 2nd December - Dorking NO2ID Meeting (1st Tuesday of Month) +
Tuesday, 2nd December, 7.30pm at the Lincoln Arms (near Dorking
mainline
station). All welcome.
+ Edinburgh +
+ 26th November - Edinburgh NO2ID Meeting +
Wednesday, 26th November, 7.45pm in the Meeting Room, Quaker Meeting
House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL. At last we have found a
Labour MSP (Lord George Foulkes) willing to come and talk about ID
cards, surveillance and personal privacy. This is a public meeting -
all welcome.
Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh street stall
Every week, weather permitting, you will find our campaigning stall at
the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel. Do drop
by for a chat. New volunteers - please contact John (edinburgh@no2id.net),
and for more group information see http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/
+ Epsom +
Appeal for new group co-ordinator
We are a group of about 7 - but all rather busy. So we are appealing
for a group coordinator to come and organise us. Any offers? Please
contact epsom@no2id.net
+ Glasgow +
+ 25th November - Glasgow NO2ID Protest +
Tuesday, 25th November, 1:30pm at the Home Office immigration centre,
Festival Court, 200 Brand Street, Govan, Glasgow G51 1DH. NO2ID Glasgow
will be protesting the introduction of ID cards for foreigners. Other
anti-ID card groups will be protesting there from noon, see
http://scotland.indymedia.org/node/11686
+ 2nd December - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting (1st Tuesday of every month) +
Tuesday, 2nd December, 8pm at Mono, 12 King's Court, Townhead, Glasgow
G1 5RB. All welcome! Enquiries to Geraint: Glasgow@NO2ID.net
Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow street stall
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually
Buchanan Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please
contact Geraint if you would like to help: glasgow@no2id.net
+ Leeds +
+ 24th November - Leeds NO2ID Protest +
Monday, 24th November, 6pm at Dortmund Square, Outside St John's
Shopping Centre, Headrow, Leeds. In opposition to the scheme we invite
all individuals and groups opposed to ID cards to join us in Leeds City
Centre where we will be setting fire to a mock ID card. For more info
see http://yorkshireno2id.org/events/
+ 26th November - Leeds University Forum on ID Cards +
Wednesday, 26th November at 5pm in the Union. Speakers include James
Elsdon-Baker, NO2ID and Dr Carole McCartney, University of Leeds who
will talk about the introduction of ID cards and the DNA database
respectively. Followed by an open forum led by representatives from
Liberty@Leeds who are concerned that students will be among the first
affected by this costly scheme, with vulnerable foreign students first
in line. The event takes place in the same week as the government is to
introduce ID cards for non-EEA students and will be advertised by the
smashing of an ID card pinata at 1pm on the same day as the event
outside the Student Union. Questions and debate will follow the
speeches. All welcome, students and non-students.
+ Liverpool +
See "Manchester" below for 25th November Liverpool Immigration Centre
protest.
+ London +
+ 25th November - Opposing the Launch of ID Cards, London +
Tuesday, 25th November, 12-2pm at Lunar House, Croydon (40 Wellesley
Road Croydon, CR9 2BY). Picket/protest called by London NoBorders. The
UK is becoming a mass surveillance society, migrants are at the very
sharp end. We see the launch of ID cards for some migrants as a further
step to the general introduction of ID cards and the strengthening of
state control in the UK. By resisting the repression of migrants, we
defend the freedom of everyone!
+ Manchester +
Manchester NO2ID recently held a protest at Thales Information Systems'
Stockport office, highlighting the company's involvement in the UK
National Identity Scheme. The peaceful demonstration achieved some
recognition from local press.
Manchester NO2ID co-ordinator Dave Page appeared live on Channel M's
lunchtime news to discuss the rollout of ID cards for airside workers.
You can catch this clip at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=R4-hEEmN0x8
For updates and discussion, join the Manchester NO2ID mailing list at http://manchester.no2id.net/
+ 25th November - Liverpool Immigration Centre Protest +
Tuesday, 25th November, 12pm-1pm. Meet at Exchange Flags at 11pm, for a
demonstration between noon and 1pm at the Immigration Centre building
on Water Street. Supporters of Manchester NO2ID and Liverpool Defy-ID
will be protesting at the Immigration Services building in Liverpool on
the day ID cards are rolled out to non-EU students and spouses. If
possible please bring an A4 bit of card with an A4 barcode on it and
string to hang it round
your neck. The protest may well be filmed for an
upcoming documentary as part of the GCSE syllabus.
+ 13th December - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall +
Saturday, 13th December, from 2pm in St. Anne's Square, Manchester.
We'll be running a Saturday afternoon stall in St. Ann's Square to
raise awareness among the public and engage people in discussion about
the National Identity Register. We'll meet in the square itself at 2pm
to set up shop; feel free to join us to lend a hand or just chat. You
don't need any experience or equipment, just a bit of time to spare
and a friendly smile!
+ Oxford +
+ 21st November - NO2ID Oxford Student Event +
Friday, 21st November from 7:30pm in Lecture Room B, Worcester College.
This will be a joint event with the Oxford Libertarian Society and
Oxford Students for Liberty, but will be open to all so feel free
to come along and join in the discussions.
+ 29th November - Oxford NO2ID Street Stall +
Saturday, 29th November on Cornmarket Street from 11am for a couple of
hours.
+ 4th December - Oxford NO2ID Meeting +
Thursday, 4th December, 8pm at the Mitre on the High Street, Oxford.
See the website for more: http://no2id-oxford.org.uk/
+ Reading +
+ 22nd November - Reading NO2ID Street Stall +
Saturday, 22nd November between 12pm and 3pm on Reading High Street.
Contact reading@no2id.net for more info.
+ Shrewsbury +
+ 15th December - Shrewsbury NO2ID "dining club" (3rd Monday of the
month) +
Monday, 15th December, 7.15pm until about 9pm - we will be meeting at
the Armoury, Victoria Quay, Victoria Avenue, Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury
(see www.armoury-shrewsbury.co.uk).
Look for a table with NO2ID
leaflets scattered around it. Most of us will be eating, or just come
for a drink. The St Austin's Street car park behind the Armoury is free
of charge after 8pm.
+ Pilots blast ID proposal - Computer Weekly 19/11/08 +
The British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA), the airline pilot's
union, has opposed government plans to trial ID cards in the airline
industry. On Friday November 21, ministers are expected to publish
draft regulations to set up a trial requiring air side staff at
Manchester and London City airports to sign up for an ID card before
they can get security passes to work there.
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2008/11/19/233459/pilots-blast-id-proposal.htm
+ The fear of children - The Guardian website 19/11/08 +
The government has a near complete contempt for children's rights and
privacy. How else are we to explain the access to be granted to a
million people to the children's database ContactPoint, which launches
in January, or the 1 million children now on the Police National DNA
database. Official figures show that more than 100,000 children had
their DNA taken when they were under 13, and profiles of the more than
half a million were added to the database when they were aged between
13 and 15. As Helen Wallace of GeneWatch UK said, "The massive
expansion of the DNA database treats hundreds of thousands of young
people as suspects for life."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/henryporter/2008/nov/19/children-youngpeople
+ First self-inflicted identity donor cards to ship in late 2009 -
The Register 18/11/08 +
A "small number of citizens" will be issued ID cards in late 2009, says
the Home Office. These will be the throngs of people who can't wait for
ID cards discovered by Jacqui Smith earlier this month, when she said
she wanted to "find a way to allow those people who want a card sooner
to be able to pre-register their interest as early as the first few
months of next year." One trusts that Smith will be making sure that
all of the New Labour MPs who voted for the scheme will be putting
their names down for a personal (as if...) Identity Donor Card in Q1
2009.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/11/18/voluntary_idcard_rollout/
+ Vetting blunders label 12,000 innocent people as paedophiles,
violent thugs and thieves - Daily Mail 13/11/08 +
More than 12,200 innocent people have been branded criminals by
bungling police and Government officials, it has been revealed.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1085208/Vetting-blunders-label-12-000-innocent-people-paedophiles-violent-thugs-thieves.html
+ Passport interviews 'total waste of money' - Daily Mail 12/11/08 +
Face-to-face passport interviews were condemned as a 'total waste of
money' today after it emerged that they had still not uncovered any
bogus applicants
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1085021/Passport-interviews-total-waste-money.html
+ Passport fees to jump by a third to more than £100 to pay for
fingerprinting - Telegraph 7/11/08 +
The Home Secretary also revealed that the cost to taxpayers of new
identity cards will double from £30 to £60. The huge rises were
necessary to pay for taking facial readings and fingerprints for new
biometric passports and ID cards.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/3392283/Passport-fees-to-jump-by-a-third-to-more-than-100-to-pay-for-fingerprinting.html
+ People 'can't wait for ID cards' - BBC News online 7/11/08 +
Jacqui Smith says public demand means people will be able to
pre-register for an ID card within the next few months. The cards will
be available for all from 2012 but she said: "I regularly have people
coming up to me and saying they don't want to wait that long."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7712275.stm
+ Passport and ID card price hike laundered via private sector - The
Register 7/11/08 +
Biometric enrollment fees for passports and ID cards will cost
applicants £20-£40 on top of the basic price, estimates released by the
Home Office revealed yesterday. In a prospectus soliciting private
sector partners for enrollment, the Identity & Passport Service
said that the total market for these services is worth "between £120
million and £280 million per year."
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/11/07/ips_fo_prospectus/
+ Jacqui Smith prints seized by NO2ID in daring dabs grab - The
Register 6/11/08 +
The Home Secretary's fingerprints are missing, and being held by NO2ID
at an undisclosed location. Earlier today, NO2ID General Secretary Guy
Herbert told The Register, a water glass thought to have Jacqui Smith's
fingerprints on it was 'borrowed' from a Social Market Foundation event
where Smith was speaking.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/11/06/smith_dabs_grab/
(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - Editor(newsletter@no2id.net)
)
Publication details: © NO2ID 2010 - This document may be freely redistributed
in one-to-one communications or physical copies as long as it is reproduced
in its entirety including this notice. It may not be mass-mailed without
the prior permission of NO2ID.
Newsletter Archive
The NO2ID Campaign
Box 412
19-21 Crawford Street
London W1H 1PJ
enquiries@no2id.net
Tel: 07005 800 651
Press: click here
