The idea
The idea of a centralised NHS database of everyone's personal records is proving to be unpopular, difficult to implement & riven with security issues. Rather than continue down this route, why not issue each member of the public with their own password protected jumpdrive / memory stick (with a key ring perhaps for ease of carriage) containing their health records. It would then be up to the individual to look after them & take them along to appointments, where it could be plugged into the GP's / hospital's computer and viewed / updated accordingly. If the patient wished for their GP to keep a copy then it would be up to them.
This is a similar / neater (electronic) version of the current (paper based) system used for pregnant women. Then people will be in control of their own records & have them with them most of the time. Each memory stick would need to be password protected & have a unique identifier printed on the outside – then all you would need is a freepost address for the return of lost sticks and a (relatively small) database with the ID No & the address of it's owner but no other records.
Why is it important?
Allows individuals to control their privacy & their NHS medical records, whilst making them readily available to the medical authorities as required. Less security issues & cheaper to implement than a centralised database. Utitises relatively cheap & efficient technology. Requires relatively little maintenance once the system has been established.