Application of Blockchain to a Real-Life Use Case: NHS Data Security

This report analyzes the application of blockchain technology to address data security and patient data management challenges faced by the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. The report begins by contextualizing the problem, highlighting the NHS's need to protect sensitive patient information stored in various formats, including electronic health records. It then discusses various approaches to the problem, emphasizing the benefits of blockchain in terms of data security, privacy, and consumer data access. The core of the report focuses on the application of blockchain concepts, such as immutable ledgers and smart contracts, to create a secure and decentralized system for managing patient data. The report provides an appropriate analysis and assessment of blockchain solutions, including reduced costs, shared and trusted transactions, and improved data analytics. Finally, the report concludes with an appraisal of the proposed blockchain solution, emphasizing its potential to enhance data security, improve patient access to their records, and streamline healthcare processes within the NHS. The report provides valuable insights into how blockchain can revolutionize healthcare data management and security.

The Application of
Blockchain to a Real-Life Use
Case

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ................................................................................................................................3
Contextualisation of the problem..............................................................................................3
Discussion of various approaches to the problem.....................................................................4
Application of Blockchain concepts.........................................................................................7
Appropriate analysis and assessment of Blockchain solutions.................................................8
Appraisal of your solution.........................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Blockchain is defined as an immutable ledge which is helpful in logging data entries in
a manner which is decentralised. This technology is emerging and proven to be boom in various
sectors under which data of customer can be secured using cryptography and secured network.
Blockchain technology is associated with data-driven domain in which health domain in
associated (Mettler, 2016) . This report is prepared in order to examine problem faced by NHS
in respect of managing and protecting personal information of their patients. Along with a
prominent solution aligned with Blockchain is given in this report so that NHS may deal with
arising problem in early manner.
MAIN BODY
Contextualisation of the problem
The problem faced by NHS is related with protecting and managing personal
information of their patients. NHS is a publically funded healthcare system established in UK,
so they are having huge set of reports of their customers. These reports include handwritten
notes, electronic records, lab test reports, text and emails conversations with patients and many
more. Healthcare is an industry which is directly depending upon their patients and they
provide such goods and services through which people’s health can be maintained. By using
prominent and emerging technology in healthcare sector transparency can be maintained and
data availability can be enhanced for customer. This report is made for the objective of
examining problem faced by NHS in managing and protecting personal data of their clients and
this the organisation is willing to deal with this complexity and meet expectation of their
patients. Blockchain is the technology which can be used by them in order to maximise benefits
for their patients and secure personal data of them. This would provide easy access to their
patients in order to access their data and reports without worrying about any threat of malware
and cyber stalkers. With the help of Blockchain technology concerns raised by patients can be
treated in better way which leads in generation of security and decentralised system. There are
some benefits which can be attained by healthcare when they make use of Blockchain in
maintaining patient's records and the same are elaborated as under:

Data and analytics: Healthcare organisations are having discrete range of data and variability
of systems. This may lead in collection of unstructured data and formulation of complexities in
order to manage the same. In this regard by advancing technology and adopting data analytics
processing of customer data can be easier and this is going to help NHS in managing portfolio
of their patients (Dhillon, Metcalf and Hoope, 2017).
Consumer data access: In this context in the sector of healthcare data storage is necessary as
medical history of a patient pay essential role in diagnosis of any disease prevailing to them. On
the other hand this history is highly confidential so required to be kept by organisation to them
only and not to be shared with any insurance company or any other. The major objective of
adopting Blockchain within NHS is to secure data of their patients so that to avoid any threat of
hackers and to provide security to personal data of patients.
Privacy and security: One of the major concerns of NHS is to provide security to their patients
regarding hassle-free stay for their personal data. Cyber security is the emerging trend which is
required to be followed and by taking assistance of Blockchain healthcare organisation may
acquire high end security in their working as in context of NHS they are facing problem of
securing and managing personal data, so this technology can be proved as highly beneficial for
them (Jamil and et. al., 2019).
Discussion of various approaches to the problem
In modern health care system digital methods are widely used as organisations are
willing to work in centralised manner. In order to provide access to patients regarding their
information reports and diagnose in effective manner along with avoiding chances of data
leakage and security threat. By undertaking centralised system control of their data can be given
to patients that may be helpful in dealing with complex problems in easy manner. On the other
hand Blockchain technology may lead in healthcare to minimise time of patients for accessing
their data and records as well. This will enable them to integrate health sector with solving
problem of industry as well. Firstly for NHS what's important is that they understand scope of
Blockchain for their problem in which they can implement the technology in order to deal with
problems. In order to integrate Blockchain within healthcare problem of NHS it is to be
properly examined and this is seen that data of patients are crucial and significant within every
stage of treatment of patients.

Figure 1 Process of managing health records
In the method of Blockchain mechanism health records of patients are stored using public key
and that can be accessed by patients by accessing their unique ID. Only in the case of matching
of unique ID , data of patients can be accessed which creates high level of confidentiality. This
Blockchain mechanism could lead in avoiding non-identifiable transactions which helps the
institution and patients to protect their data in order to provide high end security for the records
of customers. Smart contracts are self-executor in nature. This is an agreement between two
parties and this establishes a prominent code of agreement without any involvement of third
party (Peters and et. al., 2017).

Figure 2 Mechanism of Blockchain
Blockchain could be the most prominent solution to deal with security threat and to
manage efficacy within maintaining records in well-defined manner. Blockchain provides easy
access to real time data which helps NHS to maintain data of individual without inviting any
kind of threat and managing security as well. As the organisation NHS is facing problem of
losing control over data management of customer so this is a prominent challenge which is
required to be dealt by them as by this they may enhance security measures in data storage.
Blockchain helps patients to get access to their personal data and attain control over its sharing
limitation. In sector of healthcare the major problem is associated with leakage of data by
involvement of hackers and malware which can be easily solved by Blockchain interface.
Several advantages of this system are elaborated below:
Reduces cost and complexities: Blockchain leads in tracing health related problem
with ease that are being faced by patients . As data is stored on centralised platform and can be
accessed by combining ID and unique password. This provides high end security and
accessibility to data of patients which enable them to track health related issues on early stage
so that can be cured as well (Dang and et. al., 2019).
Shared and trusted transactions: Data associated with parties are highly sensitive and
authentic. This technology is having high impact over managing data of customer with
establishing secured and sustainable network as well. This helps in increasing trust of patients

as they feel product and services provided by NHS are free from any discrimination and safety
error as well (Miraz and AlI, 2018).
Application of Blockchain concepts
Blockchain is highly beneficial for healthcare industry as this enables their customer to
access data in easy manner. There are various security breaches which are creating threat in
minds of customer as in context of leakage of their personal data. In this context this technology
is having high end benefits in relation with keeping personal data of their patients in prominent
manner. Security issues are major for NHS as this may lead them to face decreased goodwill
and decreasing market share as well. So the company is introducing E-health record system
which is based on Blockchain and it will help them in minimising rigidity and providing easy
accessibility to patients. This is imperative to secure personal data of patients as this is
confidential and crucial at the same time , so Blockchain is a technology which helps NHS to
track their patients by encrypting the same with keys whose access is held only with patients.
This technology is laced with high end numeric system that could lead NHS to deal with their
problem and providing their customer high end security. This system provides evidence when
any information of patients is being altered by someone, this could lead in proper diagnosis of
problem. There are various security threats such as breakage of firewall, attack of cyber hacker
and many more, so by applying Blockchain technology this is harder for attacker to steal data in
such an easy manner like before. Under this system a patient’s card is given to patients which is
the key to access their records and data. Besides this the system may lead the patient to initiate
their treatment at any corner of the world as data is stored on centralised platform which can be
accessed by any of the doctors which creates convenience for patients to initiate their treatment
in any corner of the word where they wish to.
This technology eradicates involvement of third party due to which transparency can be
maintained and easy access to records and reports can be made by patients. Estonia is the
country which has initiated to start Blockchain technology in their functions due to which this
could be easier for them and doctors to access records of patients. Estonia is regarded as central
plank for applying e-health strategies in their country. Blockchain uses technology of
cryptography which secures the transaction from end to end basis and provides secured network
to every habitant for keeping their records in safe manner. Under this mechanism data is not

stored over Blockchain rather this technology helps e-health record system to provide high end
security which will provide safety measures to patients. NHS is using this technology to
manage records and personal data of patients and to manage the same so that easy accessibility
can be given to patients (Puthal, and et. al., 2018).
Appropriate analysis and assessment of Blockchain solutions
There are various problems within healthcare industry but the prominent one is to deal
with security and management of patient’s data and reports. On the other hand the accessibility
of data for patients is required as this enables them to start their treatment at any place at global
periphery. By inhaling smart contact system which is based on Blockchain NHS may provide
easiness to their patients so as to access desired records and empathy to store data in secured
manner.
Blockchain technology is proven as digital revolution for healthcare in recent years as
this technology is identifying potential of this aspect in order to solve problem of the industry.
Blockchain initiates utilities for patients, doctors, and healthcare institutes by which access to
patient’s records can be performed in easy manner and this will lead in managing medical
security and transparency as well. On the basis of real time records monitoring and controlling
of records can be performed in direct manner. Besides this technology enables healthcare
institution to restrict access to unauthorised party or team. By taking help of this system data
can be managed and complex medical procedures can be streamlined in easy manner.
Blockchain is the set of combined blocks in which transactions are connected by
overlapping of previous one. So this could be enforced in order to exchange data in multi-
organisational manner so as to provide ease to various organisations in their research work and
providing access to data in early along with easy manner. By taking advantage of electronic
data health related queries can be sorted which provides data security and data sharing in
accessible manner (Close and et. al., 2016).
The smart contact system could lead NHS to meet their objectives and understand need
of healthcare industry. In order to address problem of data security Blockchain management
system needs to be implemented by NHS as this will help them to secure data of their patients
which is money in current time. Under this full participation is needed and in order to attain

high edge success. Technology of Blockchain is new for meeting solution but at the same time
the technology is highly relative. By adopting smart contact system which is associated with
Blockchain mechanism NHS can solve their challenge of providing security to personal data of
their customer.
Appraisal of your solution
In this report usage of blockchain in healthcare is being enumerated and their
advantages are highlighted. In healthcare industry problem related to storing and securing
personal data of patients are faced and blockchain is the prominent solution through which this
problem can be solved in easy manner. According to me this technology is undoubtedly dealing
with keeping of records in clear manner through which easy access can be provided to
authorised party. In medical terms institutions are facing problem in dealing with records of
patients and maintaining them as well. In this respect Blockchain technology is providing
centralised system in which patient can access to their data and doctors can enquire about
relevant disease in direct manner without involvement of third party. Estonia is the country
which is immensely using digitalisation in their healthcare system through which the country is
emerging highly and using prominent technology so that to acquire high end proficiency.
Estonian E-health portal is providing greater involvement in which medical records can be
controlled by them by addressing various issues. This is helping the sector to deal with various
challenges and providing ease in such a way that future of the industry can be improved. As
Blockchain is an emerging concept so this is highly recommended to NHS that they reinstate
working within this technology as they are willing to support personal data of their patients and
providing them ease to access the same (Lu, 2018).
CONCLUSION
From the above report this can be summarised that in healthcare introduction of
technology is highly significant as the industry is performing their functions in order to provide
ease to their customer so by using emerging technology high end benefits can be given to them.
In order to secure and manage personal data of patients, healthcare industry is coming up with
an emerging solution which is smart contact system and the technology is based on Blockchain
mechanism. Under Blockchain mechanism data is secured from end to end encryption and can

be accessed by authorised party or person. This provides centralised working through which
patients can access to their data and reports from any corner of the world. This is highly
beneficial in order to consult to any doctor present in global periphery which helps the patients
to deal with their disease in more appropriate manner.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Close and et. al., 2016. A Prescription for Blockchain in Health Care.
Dang and et. al., 2019. A survey on internet of things and cloud computing for
healthcare. Electronics. 8(7). p.768.
Dhillon, V., Metcalf, D. and Hooper, M., 2017. Blockchain in health care. In Blockchain
Enabled Applications (pp. 125-138). Apress, Berkeley, CA.
Jamil and et. al., 2019. A novel medical blockchain model for drug supply chain integrity
management in a smart hospital. Electronics. 8(5). p.505.
Lu, Y., 2018. Blockchain: A survey on functions, applications and open issues. Journal of
Industrial Integration and Management. 3(04). p.1850015.
Mettler, M., 2016, September. Blockchain technology in healthcare: The revolution starts here.
In 2016 IEEE 18th international conference on e-health networking, applications and
services (Healthcom) (pp. 1-3). IEEE.
Miraz, M.H. and Ali, M., 2018. Applications of blockchain technology beyond
cryptocurrency. arXiv preprint arXiv:1801.03528.
Peters and et. al., 2017. Blockchain technology in health care: A primer for surgeons. Bulletin
of the American College of Surgeons, 12, pp.1-5.
Puthal, and et. al., 2018. Everything you wanted to know about the blockchain: Its promise,
components, processes, and problems. IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine, 7(4),
pp.6-14.