Sign inThe General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came in to force in May 2018 superseding the current 1998 Data Protection Act.
Under the new regulation it is required to explain to patients what personal data is held about them and how it is collected and processed.
How we obtain your information
We can obtain data from two main sources: information you provide to us and information collected from other sources.
Information provided by you starts with what you give us on your registration form when you register with the practice. This includes name, date of birth, address, phone numbers, email address and next of kin details. Information from other sources also starts at registration, by registering with the practice you consent to your medical records from your previous surgery being sent to us. This is essential for us in order to provide you with the correct and personal care and medical treatment.
How we use you information
In order to provide for your care we need to collect and keep information about you. It is used to:
- Make sure your care is safe and effective
- provide a basis for all health decisions and medical treatment made by care professionals for and with you
- make appointments for you, generate prescriptions and electronically file hospital / clinic letters
- work effectively with others providing your care
- send you text notifications with appointment reminders, seasonal health information, changes to services (You can opt out of text reminders – please call the surgery if you do not wish to receive any of these)
- May also be used for investigating internally concerns, complaints or legal claims
- Training and education
- Preparing statistics of NHS performance and activity
Disclosure of information
We will keep information confidential and may only share this with other NHS organisations and partner agencies who are also providing health care services to you. For example
- NHS hospitals, e.g. may give your phone number to a hospital who are possibly trying to contact you about an appointment
- Dentist, optician, pharmacies
- private providers (such as care homes, private hospitals or hospices)
- ambulance services
- out of hours medical services
- NHS Scotland
- solicitors or insurance companies – only with a signed mandate from the patient
Your information is kept electronically in the surgery as long as you are a patient here. If you leave the practice all your records will be forwarded on to your new practice. The only information retained is on the clinical system, including consultations, prescribing information, immunisations and history. All of which will be archived.
