Abstract
This paper explores the integration of big data in the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom and analyzes its positive impacts and inherent challenges from multiple perspectives. The article reviews the application background and development process of big data in this healthcare system, explains how data analysis improves patient prognosis through personalized diagnosis and treatment, and utilizes predictive models and resource optimization to enhance the operational efficiency of the institution. However, the implementation of big data in the medical field has also raised many ethical and legal issues, including the risk of data privacy leakage, information security vulnerabilities, and the strict compliance requirements brought by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Additionally, the imbalance of power among various stakeholders and algorithmic biases has further complicated the complexity of medical data ethical governance. By comparing the big data application models of the NHS with those of commercial entities such as Google and Qantas Airways, the article reveals the differences in industry applications: the medical industry is oriented towards public interests and data ethics, while the commercial sector focuses more on operational efficiency and user experience optimization. Furthermore, the article also reflects on the researcher’s own bias in position - influenced by privacy protection concepts and the background of the medical industry, the discussion tends to emphasize various risks associated with the application of big data. The research concludes that although big data has created significant value for the modern medical industry, the NHS must adopt a balanced development strategy, taking into account ethical norms and technological advantages, to en-sure the safe, fair, and sustainable development of medical services in the digital age.
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