Appendix: Risks from personal data exposure and how harms can be mitigated

Below are examples of potentially harmful impacts to people, organisations and society, and mitigating actions that could be taken.

Wellbeing/ safety/ autonomy

Stakeholder impacted

Individuals

Type of risk

Wellbeing/ safety/ autonomy

Potentially harmful impact(s)

• Denied service based on health data

• Discriminated against or stigmatised

• Publicly exposed/ attacked

Potential mitigating actions

• Validate data input

• Data anonymisation

• Use synthetic data

Data breach

Stakeholder impacted

Your organisation

Type of risk

Data breach

Potentially harmful impact(s)

Fined for non-compliance with laws or regulations

Potential mitigating actions

• Data minimisation

• Validate data input

• Strong data governance framework (see the play ‘how to implement a data governance framework’)

Brand reputation and loss of trust

Stakeholder impacted

Your organisation

Type of risk

Brand reputation and loss of trust, eg through sharing personal data when you shouldn’t

Potentially harmful impact(s)

• Individuals unwilling to share data with you in future or participate in your health data activities

• Reduced willingness of partners to work with you

Potential mitigating actions

• Data minimisation

• Data anonymisation

• Use synthetic data

Inequitable value distribution

Stakeholder impacted

Communities, eg vulnerable groups facing health burden

Type of risk

Inequitable value distribution

Potentially harmful impact(s)

Widening of health inequalities

Potential mitigating actions

• Data minimisation

• Data anonymisation

• Use synthetic data