CONTROVERSIAL proposals to create a database of patients’ records being trialled in Blackburn are “unachievable”, it was claimed.

The government’s Major Projects Authority says the care.data programme needs improvements, including a plan to “clarify, agree and communicate the programme scope”, “appoint a full-time Senior Responsible Owner”, and to “approve explicit go/no go criteria”.

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Although the MPA noted that efforts were under way to address the issues, the report was critical of NHS England and care.data, which was relaunched this month.

The Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is due to send out the “fair processing” forms – the documents that members of the public have to sign to opt out of the scheme.

Blackburn, along with Somerset, West Hampshire and Leeds, is a guinea pig for a plan to connect data from GPs, hospitals and other medical centres.

NHS England says an anonymised patient records system is necessary to garner a complete picture of health and social care.

But critics claim the scheme is also being used to allow businesses to profit from personal data and that instructions to opt out have been ignored by health groups.

Concerns have been raised about the lack of publicity over security.