Ministers have suspended controversial arrangements under which the NHS shared patients’ details with the Home Office so it could trace people breaking immigration rules. In future, Home Office immigration staff would only be able to use the data-sharing mechanism to trace people who are being considered for deportation from Britain because they have committed a serious crime, James made clear to MPs. NHS staff only found out that she was expecting when she turned up at hospital already in labour. Critics warned that passing patients’ details on to the Home Office risked turning NHS staff into de facto immigration officers, was ruining patients’ relationships with NHS personnel and deterring some people from accessing NHS care. It led to the signing of the MOU between NHS Digital, the Home Office and the Department of Health.

Source: The Guardian May 09, 2018 15:46 UTC