Fair Processing Notice
How we use your personal information
In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we have implemented this fair processing notice to inform you, our patients, of the types of data we process about you. We also include within this notice the reasons for processing your data, the lawful basis that permits us to process it, how long we keep your data for and your rights regarding your data.This notice applies to current and former patients.
Data Protection Principles
Under GDPR, all personal data obtained and held by us must be processed according to a set of core principles. In accordance with these principles, we will ensure that:
– Processing is fair, lawful and transparent
– Data is collected for specific, explicit, and legitimate purposes
– Data collected is adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purposes of processing
– Data is kept accurate and up to date. Data which is found to be inaccurate will be rectified or erased without delay
– Data is not kept for longer than is necessary for its given purpose
– Data is processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of personal data including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage by using appropriate technical or organisation measures.
– We comply with the relevant GDPR procedures for international transferring of personal data.
This fair processing notice explains why the practice collects information about you and how that information may be used.
The health care professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have received previously (e.g. Hospital, GP Surgery, Walk-in clinic, etc.). These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.
NHS health records may be electronic, on paper or a mixture of both, and we use a combination of working practices and technology to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure. Records which this GP Practice holds about you may include the following information:
– Details about you, such as your address, legal representative, emergency contact details
– Any contact the surgery has had with you, such as appointments, clinic visits, emergency appointments, etc.
– Notes and reports about your health
– Details about your treatment and care
– Results of investigations such as laboratory tests, x-rays etc.
– Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you.
Your records will be retained in accordance with the NHS Code of Practice for Records Management.
To ensure you receive the best possible care, your records are used to facilitate the care you receive. Information held about you may be used to help protect the health of the public and to help us manage the NHS. Information may be used within the GP practice for clinical audit to monitor the quality of the service provided.
Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we do this, we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified.
Sometimes your information may be requested to be used for research purposes – the surgery will always gain your consent before releasing the information for this purpose.
How do we maintain the confidentiality of your records?
We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with:
– General Data Protection Regulation 2018
– Human Rights Act 1998
– Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
– Health and Social Care Act 2012
– NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Information Security
– Information: To Share or Not to Share Review
Every member of staff who works for the Practice or another NHS organisation has a legal obligation to keep information about you confidential.
We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to any 3rd party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. life or death situations), where the law requires information to be passed on for example Child/Adult Protection and Serious Criminal Activity.
Who are our partner organisations?
We may also have to share your information, subject to strict agreements on how it will be used, with the following organisations or receive information from the following organisations:-
NHS Trusts / Foundation Trusts
GPs
NHS Commissioning Support Units
Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists
Private Sector Providers
Voluntary Sector Providers
Ambulance Trusts
Clinical Commissioning Groups
Social Care Services
NHS Digital
Local Authorities
Education Services
Fire and Rescue Services
Police & Judicial Services
Other ‘data processors’ which you will be informed of.
You will be informed who your data will be shared with and in some cases asked for explicit consent for this to happen when this is required.
We may also use external companies to process personal information, such as for archiving purposes. These companies are bound by contractual agreements to ensure information is kept confidential and secure.
Access to personal information
You have a right under the Data Protection Act to request access to view or to obtain copies of what information the surgery holds about you and to have it amended should it be inaccurate. In order to request this, you need to do the following:
Your request must be made in writing to the GP – for information from the hospital you should write direct to them.
There may be a charge to have a printed copy of the information held about you.
We are required to respond to you within 30 days.
You will need to give adequate information (for example, full name, address, date of birth, NHS number and details of your request) so that your identity can be verified and your records located.
Objections / Complaints
Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed at the GP surgery, please contact the Practice Manager. If you are still unhappy following a review by the GP practice, you can then complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) via their website (www.ico.org.uk).
Change of Details
It is important that you tell the person treating you if any of your details such as your name or address have changed or if any of your details such as date of birth is incorrect in order for this to be amended. You have a responsibility to inform us of any changes so our records are accurate and up to date for you.
Notification
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires organisations to register a notification with the Information Commissioner to describe the purposes for which they process personal and sensitive information.
This information is publicly available on the Information Commissioner’s Office online at www.ico.gov.uk
The practice is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Who is the Data Controller?
The Data Controller, responsible for keeping your information secure and confidential is the Practice Manager.