What is CAS?
CAS is a database of people living in Scotland who have sickle cell disease or thalassaemia. Information is entered into the database with the aim of improving treatment and services and to help professionals better support their patients.
Any information SPAH uses for planning services does not identify individual patients.
Patient information
The impact of obtaining explicit written consent from patients to allow the Network to collect patient data was reviewed, and a report was submitted to National Services Scotland (NSS) Data Protection Lead and NHS Scotland’s Central Legal Office. The endorsed the proposal to remove the requirement for networks to obtain explicit consent.
This approach was further endorsed by the NSS Medical Director and Caldicott Guardian and the NSS Senior Information Risk Officer (SIRO). This now means that the Network has legal basis to collect patient data for the purpose of quality improvement and audit without explicit consent.
This leaflet about CAS provides further information.