Why we collect your information
The practice aims to provide you with the highest quality healthcare. To do this we must keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided or plan to provide to you.
These records may include:
- Your basic details such as address, date of birth, next of kin, contact details
- Details and records about your treatment and care
- Blood test results and X-rays etc.
- We also keep information from people who care for you and know you well, such as health professionals and relatives
It is good practice for people in the NHS who provide your care to:
- Discuss and agree with you what they are going to record about you
- Show you what they have recorded about you, if you ask
We are required to store your information in identifiable form for as long as is necessary under special rules that are set out by NHS England; this is called NHS Records Management Code of Practice.
How we use your information
The people who care for you use your information to create your health record and to:
- Be able to make good decisions about your health and treatment
- Make sure your care is safe and effective
- To enable you and other health care professionals to help make decisions about your care
We may need to use your records to:
- Look after the health of the general public
- Make sure that our services can meet patient needs in the future
- Prepare statistics on NHS performance and activity (where steps will be taken to ensure you cannot be identified)
- Investigate concerns, complaints or legal claims
- Help staff to review the care they provide to make sure it is of the highest standards
- Train and educate staff
- Approved research—You will always be asked to provide consent to take part in research
- Undertake medication reviews to ensure you receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost effective treatment
Your rights – national data opt-out
You have can choose to opt out of sharing your confidential patient information for research and planning. There may still be times when your confidential patient information is used, for example during an epidemic where there may be a risk to your health or the health of others. You can also still choose to consent to take part in research.
If you wish to opt out of sharing your information for research and planning, you can do this securely online at: www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters. You may also choose not to share your information with other health providers. Please contact your GP surgery to discuss how you can do this.
How we keep your records confidential
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. We have a duty to:
- Maintain full and accurate records of the care we provide to you
- Keep records about you confidential, secure and accurate
- Provide information in a format that is accessible to you (i.e., in large type if you are partially sighted).
We will not share information that identifies you for any reason, unless:
- You ask us to do so
- We ask, and you give us specific permission
- We must do this by law
- We have special permission for health or research purposes or
- We have special permission because the interests of the public are thought to be of greater importance than your confidentiality
Who we share your information with
We may share information with the following main partner organisations:
- NHS Trusts (i.e. Hospitals)
- Ambulance Service
- Social Services
- Community Services such as district nurses, rehabilitation services etc
- Out of Hours services such as 111
- NHS England
- Our Commissioners
We may also share your information, with your consent and subject to strict sharing protocols about how it will be used, with:
- Education Services
- Local Authorities
- Voluntary Sector Providers
- Private Sector
Anyone who receives information from us also has a legal duty to keep it confidential!
If you are unhappy about the way the GP practice uses your information please speak to the practice manager. You can contact them by submitting a contact the practice form.
You also have the right to complain to the UK Supervisory Authority as below:
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe house
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone
01625 545745
Website
www.ico.org.uk
The law
You have a right to privacy under the General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
The practice needs your personal, sensitive and confidential data in order to perform our statutory health duties.
The lawful basis for this falls under:
- Article 6, (e) of the GDPR – in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller
- Article 9, (h) of the GDPR—for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care, or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services
You have the right to ask for a copy of all records about you.
- Your request should be made to the GP practice
- We are required to respond to you within one month
- You will need to give adequate information (for example full name, address, date of birth, NHS number etc)
To access your record please contact the practice. If you think anything is inaccurate or incorrect, please inform the practice as soon as possible. For other rights about the use of your information please see our website.
The Practice Data Protection Officer is Sharon Forrester-Wild, contact dpo.healthcare@nhs.net or 01270 275217.