Mr. Muiris O'Connor:

Deputy O'Connell raised a number of issues which are really relevant. At the outset she pointed to the disconnect between information sources and the inability to recognise that the same individual is being referred to. The individual health identifier which was originally part of this legislation, was taken out and enacted separately in 2014. We are now commencing the establishment of a base register for the individual health identifier. That will be a key building block in moving towards electronic health records and in creating the necessary connections. In that way, the pharmacist will recognise that a client is the same individual the GP or hospital is treating.

The issue of data privacy and consent in the context of electronic health records is one that will require considerable further engagement. It will be part of broader health information policy as we move towards electronic health records. A group of European data protection experts believe that in the context of electronic health records, consent is a democratic imperative. We are minded to ensure that as electronic health records progress, consent will be allowed for.