To ask the Minister of Health for an update on work to ensure that patient electronic records may be shared across the UK, with reference to ongoing work on NHS Digital.

The scheme announced by the Department of Health and Social Care (responsible for healthcare in England) in conjunction with NHS Digital to collect health data in records from GP practices in England does not apply to information held in Northern Ireland. Therefore GP’s in Northern Ireland will not be participating in the scheme.

I can confirm that the Business Services Organisation manage the transfer of relevant GP records when patients move to or from another part of the UK and register for health care services in the new location.