PERSONAL PUBLIC Service (PPS) numbers will not be used to carry health information about patients, a senior official at the Department of Health has said.
A new system for identifying individual patients across all levels of the healthcare system will be introduced under the upcoming Health Information Bill.
The Individual Health Identifier is designed to enhance patient safety through the use of a unique number which would identify patients and access necessary medical information about them.
The information could be attached to existing PPS numbers. However, Peter Lennon, assistant principal officer with the department, told a Royal College of Physicians of Ireland conference yesterday that concerns had been raised in relation to data protection. The Bill, which will be the legislative base for the use of personal health information, was to be published next month but that will not now happen until September, Mr Lennon said.
