Recommendation 12

DHSC acknowledged that there are advantages with NHS data systems—such as having large amounts of data—and disadvantages, for example challenges in connecting and using legacy systems.24 We asked NHS Digital what would help to identify patients earlier. NHS Digital told us this would require a technical solution, faster access to GP data would help, while ensuring that the general practice which collects the data is comfortable with how it will be used. NHS Digital also suggested that government invest in the digitisation of hospital records, noting that primary care data has been digitised, and is now a richer source of information than hospital data.25 Local variation in the extent to which people were added to the Shielded Patient List