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Sharing whilst caring: solidarity and public trust in a data-driven healthcare system

Abstract:
Background
In the UK, the solidaristic character of the NHS makes it one of the most trusted public institutions. In recent years, the introduction of data-driven technologies in healthcare has opened up the space for collaborations with private digital companies seeking access to patient data. However, these collaborations appear to challenge the public’s trust in the.

Main text
In this paper we explore how the opening of the healthcare sector to private digital companies challenges the existing social contract and the NHS’s solidaristic character, and impacts on public trust. We start by critically discussing different examples of partnerships between the NHS and private companies that collect and use data. We then analyse the relationship between trust and solidarity, and investigate how this relationship changes in the context of digital companies entering the healthcare system. Finally, we show ways for the NHS to maintain public trust by putting in place a solidarity grounded partnership model with companies seeking to access patient data. Such a model would need to serve collective interests through, for example, securing preferential access to goods and services, providing health benefits, and monitoring data access.

Conclusion
A solidarity grounded partnership model will help establish a social contract or licence that responds to the public’s expectations and to principles of a solidaristic healthcare system.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1186/s12910-020-00553-8

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Nuffield Department of Population Health
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-5714-3905



Publisher:
BioMed Central
Journal:
BMC Medical Ethics More from this journal
Volume:
21
Article number:
110
Publication date:
2020-11-03
Acceptance date:
2020-10-26
DOI:
ISSN:
1472-6939


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1139342
Local pid:
pubs:1139342
Deposit date:
2020-10-23

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