Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2015 to Question 7541, how many representations he has received from (a) individuals and (b) groups (i) in favour of and (ii) against care.data in the last six months.

NHS England carried out an extensive listening exercise following the decision to pause the programme in February 2014. More than 3,000 people took part in over 180 local and regional meetings and events including patients, general practitioners (GPs), practice managers, patient groups and the research community. A range of views were expressed during this engagement and these have helped to shape the programme, including the addition of a phased approach to implementation starting with a pathfinder stage.

Since then the care.data programme has continued to engage with stakeholders with a particular focus on engagement in the pathfinder areas. This engagement has included working with GP practice staff, patient groups, Local Healthwatch and other voluntary sector organisations.