Overview
The national data opt-out service allows patients to prevent their confidential information from being used for activities like research and planning. In EMIS Web, you must apply an opt-out filter whenever confidential patient data is extracted beyond direct care. If your practice fails to apply this filter, you risk inadvertently sharing data from patients who have chosen to opt out.
Key points
- Patients can set or change their national data opt-out at any time. Once an opt-out is registered, it may take up to 21 days to become active.
- The opt-out is not required for data that meets anonymity standards set by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
- In EMIS Web, you can remove opted-out patients from search results by selecting the Opt out option in Population Reporting.
- A clear audit trail is available in EMIS Web to show how you applied the opt-out for data disclosures that go beyond clinical care.
By applying the national data opt-out automatically to searches, you reduce the risk of sharing data from patients who choose not to participate in research or planning, improving privacy and trust.
