England has electronic records. They planned to implement an anonymised database for research - care.data (care dot data).

A previous version of that scheme, run under different rules, saw anonymous patient data being sold to insurance companies. (It's now a criminal offence to sell off the data.)

That stupid decision has led to delays.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26253440

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26239532

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26347026

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25919399

etc etc.