In spite of privacy concerns and delays with a similar project in England, The Times reports that a £44 million electronic data system intended to make the NHS paper-free has been launched by the Scottish government. The British Medical Association in Scotland has said that while there are advantages to the electronic system, there is serious concern across the UK about confidentiality and access to online records, the report states. According to the privacy advocate group Big Brother Watch, as many as 140,000 non-medical staff can access patient files in England, and those files will become even easier to access through the new NHS database.
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