Doctors' leaders urge ministers to halt the development of a medical records database for patients in England.

The personal medical records of tens of thousands of people were lost by the NHS the Department of Health has confirmed.

The personal medical records of tens of thousands of people have been lost by the NHS in a series of grave data security leaks. Between January and April this year, 140 security breaches were reported within the NHS – more than the total number from inside central Government and all local authorities combined.

The British Medical Association has attacked plans which could give researchers and private companies access to NHS medical records without patients' consent.

Patients would have control of their own medical records with the help of Google or Microsoft under a Tory government while plans for a central database will be scrapped.

Patients would be able to read their own medical records online and add questions about their treatment for doctors and consultants under Tory health plans.

A Conservative government would give patients online access to their medical records and greater control of them through private-sector products such as Google Health, the party said

Under Government plans, NHS patients will be able to download medical history and view their appointments free of charge.

More from the Telegraph: The confidential medical records of millions of NHS patients could be handed over to private companies under controversial plans being drawn up by ministers. The Government is considering giving firms access to a massive computer database which will contain the records of almost every man, woman and child in England. The information is a goldmine for private companies, who...

Records could be made available online with Google or Microsoft under Conservative plans.