Single patient records will be at the heart of the government’s new strategy for the NHS in England, ministers say.

Currently, records are kept locally by the patient’s GP and any hospitals they visit.

Work to link the records is already underway and ministers say they will form part of a drive to improve efficiency in the NHS as part of its 10-year plan.

Campaigners have raised concerns about data security but ministers say they are “fully committed” to protecting confidential medical information.

It comes as the Government launches a new “national conversation” to inform a 10-year plan, due to be published in the spring.

One of the key themes of the plan will be to move from “analogue to digital” – and the single patient record will be a key part of this.

The government said this would speed up patient care, reduce repeated testing and medical errors.

Last year, a contract was awarded to the firm Palantir to create a database linking personal records held by local services.

With this, patients and those treating them will be able to get information about their health.

Campaign group MadeConfidential has warned that keeping even one such record would be “potential for abuse”.

But Stephen Kinnock defended the move, saying the Government was “fully committed” to protecting patient data.

He said safeguards providing “cast iron guarantees” on security would be set out in a new bill that would be tabled before Parliament to push the move forward.

As well as this, the NHS app will be further developed so that patients can use it to book regular appointments and check test results.

The hope is that patients will start using it in the same way that banking apps have revolutionized the way people bank.

The 10-year plan will also focus on taking care out of hospitals and into the community.

The government said local neighborhood health centres, where patients can access GPs, district nursing, physio and testing under one roof, will form part of it.

But he said he wants to hear from the public about their own ideas for change as part of the national conversation.

The grueling engagement exercise begins on Monday with the launch of the website Change.nhs.uk.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The NHS is going through the worst crisis in its history, but the NHS is broken, but it is not broken. Together we can heal.

“Whether you use the NHS or work in it, you see first-hand what’s good but also what’s not working. We need your ideas to help transform the NHS.”

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said she “warmly welcomes” the initiative.

He said: “For too long, many patients have felt that their voices have not been fully heard in shaping healthcare.

“This national conversation is an important step towards genuine patient partnerships and putting patients at the forefront of the development of the NHS.”