SHARING INFORMATION …

PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY

Access to Medical Records and Data Protection Act Information.

We ask you for information so that you can receive proper care and treatment.

We keep this information, together with details of your care, because it may be needed if we see you again.

We may use some of this information for other reasons: for example, to help us protect the health of the public generally and to see that the NHS runs efficiently, and can account for its actions. Information may also be needed to help educate tomorrow’s clinical staff and to carry out medical and other health research for the benefit of everyone.

Sometimes the law requires us to pass on information: for example, to notify a birth.

The NHS Central Register for England & Wales contains basic personal details of all patients registered with a general practitioner. The Register does not contain clinical information.

You have a right of access to your health records

You may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS. So that we can all work together for your benefit we may need to share some information about you. We only ever use or pass on information about you if people have a genuine need for it in your and everyone’s interests. Whenever we can we shall remove details which identify you.

Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential.

If you agree, your relatives, friends and carers CAN be kept up to date with the progress of your treatment. Please ask for a consent form from reception.

 THE MAIN REASONS FOR WHICH YOUR INFORMATION MAY BE NEEDED ARE:

  •  giving you health care and treatment
  • looking after the health of the general public
  • managing and planning the NHS. For example:making sure that our services can meet patient needs in the future
    • the care they provide
    • auditing accounts
    • preparing statistics on NHS performance and activity (where steps will be taken to ensure you cannot be identified)
    • investigating complaints or legal claims
  • helping staff to review the care they provide to make sure it is of the highest standard
  • research approved by the Local Research Ethics Committee. (If anything to do with the research would involve you personally, you will be contacted to see if you are willing)

Who has access to my health records within the surgery:

All Doctors, Nurses, Practice Manager, Receptionists, Administration Staff, Midwife, Health Visitor, District Nurses, Counsellors, Medicines Management Team, Physiotherapists and Trainee Medical Students; all staff are bound by contracts of employment to maintain confidentiality.

EVERYONE WORKING FOR THE NHS HAS A LEGAL DUTY TO KEEP INFORMATION ABOUT YOU CONFIDENTIAL.

Further information is available in these sections below:

Summary Care Record

General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR)

Freedom of Information

Privacy Notice