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Oxford GP Dr Gordon Gancz has never been, by his own admission, one to seek the limelight.
But this year he became one of the key players in getting the Government to back down over plans for care.data.
His plan to exempt all his patients from the scheme, which would have shared patient record data inside and outside the NHS, led to him being threatened by managers with termination of his contract.
But his stand propelled him onto the front page of the Daily Mail and interviewed by the BBC and ITV.
It was his bravery that – in part – led to NHS England delaying the scheme for six months.
Dr Gancz is characteristically sanguine about his achievement but warns: ‘We got the plan withdrawn, but they are marshalling their forces to try and bring it back. Everyone is so against it, no one thinks this should be an opt-out system.’
He says he understands why GPs are afraid to take a stand, especially with threats that they could lose their contract.
But if Dr Gancz has anything to do with it GPs may well have the final say on this one.
Related articles:
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Parts of care.data should be ‘opt-in’ only, says NHS England director