Minutes of the National Data Guardian Panel Meeting, 13 May 2025
Published 28 July 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
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1. Attendees
1.1 Panel members
- Dr Nicola Byrne (chair)
- Dr Natalie Banner
- John Carvel
- Claire Delaney-Pope
- Dr Arjun Dhillon
- Dr George Fernie
- Dr Fiona Head
- Dr Jeffry Hogg
- Mr Adrian Marchbank
- Dr Jess Morley
- David Sharp
- Rob Shaw
- Jenny Westaway
- Professor James Wilson
1.2 Office of the National Data Guardian team
- Dr Vicky Chico
- Layla Heyes
- Rachael Merrison
1.3 Observer
Helen Dyer – Vice-chair UKCGC
2. 1. Welcome, apologies, and declarations of interest
National Data Guardian (NDG), Dr Nicola Byrne, chaired the meeting.
- Apologies were received from Maisie McKenzie and Professor Daniel Ray.
- Dr Nicola Byrne expressed her thanks for Dr Arjun Dhillon’s work on and outside the panel to mark his final meeting. Dr Dhillon spoke briefly, sharing his reflections on contributing to the panel and the work of the NDG.
- Dr Jeffry Hogg (Clinician Scientist, MSc AI Implementation (Healthcare) – programme lead) was welcomed to his first meeting as a panel member.
- No declarations of potential conflicts of interest were made.
3. 2. Minutes from previous meeting, actions, and decisions
Panel members accepted the minutes from its 18 March 2025 meeting. All actions were agreed to have been completed before this meeting.
4. 3. Key updates
Dr Vicky Chico led the key updates, summarising key ONDG activities since the last panel. Other ONDG members also contributed.
4.1 3.1. Single Patient Record
The panel discussed the recent ‘Request for Information’ issued by NHS England (NHSE) as a preliminary market consultation for the Single Patient Record (SPR).
Consideration was given to the best and most helpful ways for the NDG to engage with work on the SPR, given that NHSE is at an early stage of scoping the SPR, and a programme has not yet been established.
Panel members discussed the importance of lessons learned from previous initiatives. Discussions also focussed on the need to build into the procurement a measure related to suppliers’ capabilities in relation to earning public and professional trust, rather than focusing predominantly on the solution from a technical perspective.
Members felt that when designing the SPR, there should be early consultation with the professionals who will use the record to deliver care and the patients who will rely on it for the delivery of their care.
4.2 3.2. AI scribes guidance
Dr Vicky Chico provided a summary of work undertaken to inform NHS England’s (NHSE) ‘Guidance on the use of AI-enabled ambient scribing products in health and care settings’.
4.3 3.3. NDG research project: Reasonable Expectations
The office provided an update on the Reasonable Expectations project, outlining that we are awaiting the qualitative and quantitative research report from our supplier.
4.4 3.4. NDG position on the use of CPI for reflective practice
Dr Vicky Chico confirmed that the regulators and stakeholders she had engaged had expressed satisfaction with the NDG’s position statement on the use of CPI for reflective practice. This position sets out that regulated healthcare professionals engaging in reflective practice is essential to the delivery of safe, effective direct care. As such, they may, under tightly prescribed circumstances, access their confidential patient information they require to do this under the legal gateway ‘implied consent for direct care’. Led by NHS England’s Information Governance Policy team, we have co-drafted guidance for the NHS IG Portal based on this position statement. This guidance is pending formal approval and is expected to be published towards the end of summer 2025.
4.5 3.5. NHS England / DHSC’s large-scale public engagement programme
Jenny Westaway confirmed that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHSE will publish the next report, relating to the second stage of this programme, around June. Meanwhile, the programme team is currently analysing what it has heard from the public during the third stage of this project, which has examined views on opt-out.
4.6 3.6. ICO Anonymisation Guidance
An update was provided regarding the Information Commissioner’s Office’s Anonymisation Guidance, which has provided clarity on the effective anonymisation of personal data.
4.7 3.7. NDG website changes
Layla Heyes informed the panel that a website review is underway to enhance the level of information and signposting provided to individuals seeking the NDG’s advice and guidance.
4.8 3.8. NHSE/DHSC integration and office staffing
Rachael Merrison provided an update on the office’s staffing and confirmed that there were no significant updates from the integration team, but further information was expected this month.
5. 4. Any other business
Dr Natalie Banner raised the Foresight project, and the NDG confirmed that the office has not, to date, been engaged in discussions about the project.
No further points were raised.