At the moment, the NHS collects a large amount of data about us when we are a patient including name, address, prescription details, and information about care and diagnosis.

As a matter of routine, this is shared unless you automatically opt out because the NHS says it helps it provide the best possible care and treatment.

The information is also brought together by health bodies so they can get in contact with people who need extra support.

Examples could include data being used to reach out and support vulnerable people in the event of flooding or targeting home improvements at people with particular health issues.

It would be time-consuming and difficult to get individual consent, and so the NHS has to get permission from the Government about whether they can use this information without consent on a project-by-project basis.

Now health leaders in Norfolk and Waveney, and Peterborough and Cambridgeshire want to make sure people are aware of how their data is shared in these circumstances and how they should be consulted about this.

Healthwatch teams in both areas are gathering people’s views about data use in order to find out how this consultation is happening and if it should be improved.