Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | NHS fraud busters hit confidentiality snag

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | NHS fraud busters hit confidentiality snag
This article form the Guardian highlights potential (occasional) problems which may be caused if the NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (CFSMS) wishes to access patient records and therefvore gets to see confidential information. This is already allowed for patient records but, because GPs are independant contractors rather than employees of the NHS no right currently exists for them to access these records.
This controversy highlights the ongoing tension between an individuals right to privacy and the "great good of society".