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Our policy
- We hold your medical records so that we can provide you with safe care and treatment.
- We keep your medical records confidential and comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (Data Protection Act 2018).
- We will also use your information so that this practice can check and review the quality of the care we provide. This helps us to improve our services to you.
- We will share relevant information from your medical record with other health or social care staff or organisations when they provide you with care. For example, your GP will share information when they refer you to a specialist in a hospital. Or your GP will send details about your prescription to your chosen pharmacy.
Health and care professionals may look at confidential patient information about the care they gave you to understand and learn from their work. This is called ‘reflective practice’ and is done to help staff to provide better and safer care. Only regulated health or social care professionals who cared for you are allowed to access your information for this reason.
Healthcare staff working in A&E and out of hours care will also have access to your information. For example, it is important that staff who are treating you in an emergency know if you have any allergic reactions. This will involve the use of your Individual Health Record. For more information visit the NHS Digital website or alternatively speak to us.
You have the right to object to information being shared for your own care. Please speak to the practice if you wish to object. You also have the right to have any mistakes or errors corrected so if you notice information on your record which you feel is inaccurate, or is not about you, please contact the surgery as soon as possible by using either:
Other important information about how your information is used to provide you with healthcare:
Registering for NHS care
- All patients who receive NHS care are registered on a national database.
- This database holds your name, address, date of birth and NHS Number but it does not hold information about the care you receive.
- The database is held by NHS Digital, a national organisation which has legal responsibilities to collect NHS data.
- More information can be found at NHS Digital or the phone number for general enquiries at NHS Digital is 0300 303 5678
Identifying patients who might be at risk of certain diseases
Your medical records will be searched by a computer programme so that we can identify patients who might be at high risk from certain diseases such as heart disease or unplanned admissions to hospital.
This means we can offer patients additional care or support as early as possible.
This process will involve linking information from your GP record with information from other health or social care services you have used.
Information which identifies you will only be seen by this practice.
Safeguarding
Sometimes we need to share information so that other people, including healthcare staff, children, or others with safeguarding needs, are protected from risk of harm.
These circumstances are rare.
We do not need your consent or agreement to do this.
Please read our Privacy Notice for further information about how we handle your information
How the NHS keeps your data safe
Your health information is important for your care and for improving NHS services. Here’s what you need to know:
Why is your data used?
- To make sure you get the right treatment and care.
- To improve health services and support research that benefits everyone.
What are the risks?
- No system is completely risk-free, but the NHS uses strong security measures to protect your data.
- Main concerns include privacy, loss of control, and cyber attacks. The NHS works hard to reduce these risks.
Your choices
- For your direct care, NHS staff can access your information without asking each time – this is called implied consent.
- You can choose whether your confidential information is used for research or planning by using the National Data Opt-Out.
Who can access your data?
- Mostly NHS staff involved in your care.
- Researchers may access data for approved studies, but strict rules apply.
- Private companies can only use data for public benefit and under legal agreements.
Your rights
- You can view your GP records online or through the NHS App.
- Your data is protected by law and cannot be shared with employers or police without your consent (except in very rare cases).
How is data kept secure?
- Digital records are safer than paper because they can be encrypted and access is controlled.
- NHS organisations follow strict guidelines called Caldicott Principles to keep your information confidential.
Why does this matter?
- Without data, care could be delayed or unsafe.
- Using data responsibly helps save lives and improve health for everyone.
For more details, visit Understanding Patient Data or use the contact page to speak to the management team.