Anonymising a substance misuse file means removing data that names the person. The common-law duty of confidence and UK GDPR Art. 9 protect this care with strict limits on re-disclosure. anonym.plus runs on your own device, and the text stays usable after the swap.
When this applies
A clinic wants to study treatment trends. The raw files name people, dates, and referral sources. Each detail must be hidden before any analysis.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file in anonym.plus on your own device.
- Local OCR reads scanned referral forms too.
- It flags names, dates, and referral sources.
- Review each flag and protect clinical terms.
- Replace each tag with a label, or remove it.
- Save the clean output. The source never leaves your machine.
What you need to provide
- The file (PDF, DOCX, TXT, or scan).
- An operator: Replace, Redact, or Mask.
- Optional: a key map for re-linking.
Patient data entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Person | PERSON | Marcus Hale → [CLIENT_1] |
| Admit date | DATE_TIME | Admitted 19/02/2026 → [DATE] |
| Referrer | ORGANIZATION | Northside Magistrates’ Court → [REFERRER] |
| Phone | PHONE_NUMBER | +44 7911 200144 → [PHONE] |
| NHS number | NHS_NUMBER | NHS 321 654 9870 → [NHS_NO] |
| Record ID | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | Chart 33841 → [MRN] |
Compliance achieved
- Removes identifiers in substance misuse data under the common-law duty of confidence & UK GDPR Art. 9.
- Offline by design, so no cloud processor agreement is needed.
- Source files stay sealed with AES-256-GCM.
- Assessed against ICO Anonymisation Code / UK GDPR Recital 26.
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Limitations & cautions
The common-law duty of confidence limits how substance misuse data may flow to third parties. The tool strips named identifiers. You still control who receives the output and confirm no rare detail can trace it back to one client.
Frequently asked questions
Does UK law cover all substance misuse care?
The common-law duty of confidence applies to all NHS and private clinical records. UK GDPR Art. 9 adds a special-category layer for health data. Treat every substance misuse file as highly sensitive under both frameworks.
Can I keep a way to re-link cases?
Yes, with care. Save the key map separately and away from the shared copy. Anyone with the clean file alone cannot reverse the swap.
Is this an upload service?
No. The app is local. Files are processed on your machine and never sent away.