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Creating a new NHS England: Health Education England, NHS Digital and NHS England have merged. More about the merger.

Looking after your data

NHS Digital collects, processes, and works with your health data. We protect patient data, keep it secure, and only use it for authorised purposes.

Sharing your data saves lives

Sharing your data saves lives

The data we collect, process and securely share helps save lives every day. Find out more about how and why we use data to make a difference.

How your data is used

The data we collect
NHS Digital is the national body responsible for collecting, processing, and using data from across the NHS and social care. Each part of the NHS that you use holds its own records about you.
Doctor wearing glasses, sat at a computer in a hospital

Control how we use your data
We process a lot of data for your direct care and we also use data in a secure and confidential way for research, planning, and managing the NHS more effectively. You can choose for your data not to be used in this way.

Who gets access to your data

The NHS only shares patient data where there is a strong and valid reason to do so. We never sell data for commercial purposes. We publish full details of everyone who gets our data.

Who gets the data

Find out what information we have

We do not hold your medical record - you can see your medical record by asking your GP, using GP online services, or through the NHS App. You can ask to see what information we do hold about you by making a subject access request.

Subject access requests