How do you even use the NHS without trusting them with your medical data?
When you're referred on for elective care you can chose the hospital based on the same criteria.
You don't get much choice over emergency treatment, nor over mental health treatment.
I get the impression that people here think that you have one medical record that is available across all the NHS, but that's not correct. You have a bunch of different records in different places and they're not available to each other.
If you need medical services, you have to give them some data. If there were similarly priced alternatives, trust would be a factor in the decision where to go. If there's only one, it's not - unless you count not seeking medical attention as an alternative.
What I would be worried about is how on earth anyone could actually evaluate the actual privacy of multiple competing suppliers - of course they will all claim that privacy is important.
And what about emergencies - where even if you have private healthcare you will be taken to an NHS hospital.
NHS Improvement (now NHS England and NHS Improvement until they get a new name) provide support around information governance: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ig/
NHS Digital provide support about data security and governance: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/looking-after-in...
Every health organisation has to have a Caldicott Guardian - this is a senior manager with responsibility for keeping data confidential: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/uk-caldicott-guardian-c...
All trusts should have non-executive directors, and part of their role is to hold the trust to account around information governance. In a Foundation Trust the NEDs will be jointly and corporately responsible for those decisions.
NHS Staff who want to become leaders can get leadership training with the NHS Leadership academy. That will include information governance as part of an NHS board. https://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012...
The Professional Standards Organisation's "standards for members of NHS boards and clinical commissioning group governing bodies in England" mentions confidentiality, albeit only briefly: https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/docs/default-source...
> Respecting patients’ rights to consent, privacy and confidentiality, and access to information, while enabling the legitimate sharing of information between care teams and professionals for the purposes of a patient’s direct care
I have nothing against the NHS, in fact I'm very much for it, but for non-essential items they can keep you waiting and I can't afford to have a lot of time away from my business.
Not that I'd trust my insurance company or health provider any more or less with my data than the NHS or their contractors, of course. It's not really something I've ever considered.
They broadcats vibes of warm-and-snuggly, puppies and kittens and smiling children but when the time comes they are predatory because it's they exist only for $$$. It becomes very clear at the end that they literally don't care about you.
In my case I accept that I was naive, but it's possible you may run into something similar. I imagine cancer can be expensive to treat and it's not rare - do you think £1200 amortised over a period would cover the cost?
"Hi, I've got cancer, and I've come to claim"
"Oh yes, here's your insurance policy! It says Advanced Cancer Cover"
"Quite"
"So do you have Advanced Cancer?"
"Well no but-"
"Then you're not covered. Have some of our FREE paracetamol for £12.50"
I'm being facetious but do check your small print.
That's partly because they don't really do primary care, and anything difficult or complicated will be sent straight back to the public system.