A scheme to share patients' medical records has been slammed as "reckless" as it prepares to launch in Wirral.

The Wirral Digital Care Record will give health professionals and selected council personnel access to patient data "at the touch of a button."

Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group says it "will allow quicker access to important data and enhance the care provided to patients."

It claims the care record is a "new, totally confidential record shared by the NHS and Wirral Council that will provide health and social care information in one secure place."

But MedConfidential, a group lobbying to protect patient confidentiality, believes the move is "highly controversial."

MedConfidential co-ordinator Phil Booth told the Globe: "There are many of these schemes - although it’s not common for data to be shared with the council.

"That tends to be something that’s highly controversial given services provided by councils.

"Sharing data between GPs and hospitals can have advantages.

"Wirral seems to have added the council too - which is recklessly different.

"The examples in the statement seem designed to reassure and hope no one would notice all the council services that are covered.

"If you live in council accommodation, have children who go to school, or receive other council services, in a time of pressure and strain, what protections are there against low level staff using the most sensitive medical information against people?"

Patients will be told they can "opt-out" of the scheme if they so wish - but this has been criticised by the lobby group as "not good enough."

A statement from CCG announcing the data-share said: "Information is already shared between NHS organisations.

"However having a single consistent record will allow quicker access to important data and enhance the care provided to patients.

"Having up-to-date information securely available to health practitioners at the touch of a button will mean less chance of information being duplicated or lost, fewer delays in getting the right treatment and an improved patient experience."

It goes on: "For example if a patient visits the Emergency Department at Arrowe Park Hospital and is allergic to penicillin the information from their GP record could be accessed immediately from the Wirral Care Record."

Included in the statement is this from Dr Sue Wells, local GP and medical director the commissioning group: "As a GP, I’m delighted that the Wirral Care Record will soon be launched.

“We’ve spoken to lots of local people about our plans over the last six months, and I’ve been really encouraged by how overwhelmingly supportive they are of the idea of a single, up-to-date, digital care record shared by all care professionals across Wirral.

“It’s a very positive and important moment for health and well-being in Wirral.

"And because it will only ever be accessed by care staff involved in your care, you can be more reassured than ever before that your records and data are secure and confidential.”

The first phase of the project is launching this September and will include patient data held by GP practices and Wirral Hospital Foundation Trust in a single record.

Community health data - such as that held by district nurses - from Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust, and mental health data from Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, as well as data relating to social care packages a patient may have access to from Wirral Council will be a part of the record by early next year.

Everyone in Wirral will have a digital care record if their GP practice is participating.

More information about it will be distributed to households in Wirral next Monday.

Anyone who doesn't want their records included in the system can do so by submitting an opt-out "request."

Mr Booth added: "What the architects of these new schemes see only as ‘data’ patients see as highly personal information about themselves. It’s about the things they may choose not to tell even their closest friends and family.

"Respect for patients’ dignity – and the law – demands that they know exactly what’s going on and are given real choices before their medical details are used in any way.

"It’s not good enough for strangers to say: 'We will take your information and use it as we see fit – unless you tell us not to.'

"Nor is it good enough to say: 'But we have good intentions.'

"The question should be: 'Please may we use some of your information?'

"If this doesn’t happen, patients can no longer be sure that what they tell their GP is private.

"They will lose trust in their doctors and decide there are some things it’s best to keep quiet about.

"And how does that help anyone?"

To opt out visit  healthywirral.org.uk/ or call 0151 541 5440.

It's not the first time Wirral authorities have been embroiled in a row over medical data sharing - Every adult in Wirral is to be unwittingly signed up to a privately-run telephone health advice line by the local Primary Care Trust