NHS DIGITAL DATA SHARING OPT OUT
We would like to reassure our patients that the proposed extraction of GP data by NHS Digital does NOT include any patients registered with this practice or in NHS Scotland. NHS Digital provide services in England so are not able to access any data held in Scotland. You are not required to opt out as your data is already safe. We take patient confidentiality extremely seriously and safeguards are in place to protect this, including when data is used for research.
How Inchpark Surgery uses your information to provide you with healthcare
This practice keeps medical records confidential and complies with the General Data Protection Regulation.
We hold your medical record so that we can provide you with safe care and treatment.
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.
- 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 Emergency Care Summary. For more information see: http://www.ecs.scot.nhs.uk/advice-for-patients
- or alternatively speak to your practice.
- 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.
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 National Services Scotland, a national organisation which has legal responsibilities to collect NHS data. · More information can be found at: https://nhsnss.org/services/practitioner/data-protection/ and more contact information at https://nhsnss.org/contact-us/ |
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. · More information can be found at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/General-Practice/ or speak to the 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 see our local policies for more information: http://www.gov.scot/resource/0041/00411543.pdf |
We are required by law to provide you with the following information about how we handle your information.
Data Controller contact details | Inchpark Surgery, 10 Marmion Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 5QU Tel No: 0131 666 2121 |
Data Protection Officer contact details | Elaine Grandison, Practice Manager Tel No: 0131 666 2121 |
Purpose of the processing | · To give direct health or social care to individual patients. · For example, when a patient agrees to a referral for direct care, such as to a hospital, relevant information about the patient will be shared with the other healthcare staff to enable them to give appropriate advice, investigations, treatments and/or care. · To check and review the quality of care. (This is called audit and clinical governance). |
Lawful basis for processing | When using personal information our legal bases is that its use is necessary for::
Article 6(1)(c) – ‘Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation’;
Article 6(1)(e) ‘Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority…’; and Article 9(2)(h) ‘Providing health or social care treatment or managing health or social care systems or services’
Section 10(1)(c), 10(2) and Schedule 1 Part 1 (2) of the Data Protection Act 2018
On some occasions we may rely on another basis, which will usually be that the use is necessary: Article 9(2)(i) - ‘for reasons of public interest in the area of public health’; or Article 9(2)(g) -‘ for reasons of substantial interest for aims that are proportionate and respect people’s rights, for example research’; or Article 9(2)(c) - ‘in order to protect the vital interests of an individual’. Healthcare staff will also respect and comply with their obligations under the common law duty of confidence. |
Recipient or categories of recipients of the processed data | The data will be shared with: · healthcare professionals and staff in this surgery; · local hospitals; · out of hours services; · diagnostic and treatment centres; · or other organisations involved in the provision of direct care to individual patients. |
Rights to object | · You have the right to object to information being shared between those who are providing you with direct care. · This may affect the care you receive – please speak to the practice. · You are not able to object to your name, address and other demographic information being sent to NHS Digital. · This is necessary if you wish to be registered to receive NHS care. · You are not able to object when information is legitimately shared for safeguarding reasons. · In appropriate circumstances it is a legal and professional requirement to share information for safeguarding reasons. This is to protect people from harm. · The information will be shared with the local safeguarding service NHS Lothian Child Protection Team |
Right to access and correct | · You have the right to access your medical record and have any errors or mistakes corrected. Please speak to a member of staff or look at our ‘subject access request’ policy on the practice website.
- We are not aware of any circumstances in which you will have the right to delete correct information from your medical record; although you are free to obtain your own legal advice if you believe there is no lawful purpose for which we hold the information and contact us if you hold a different view.
|
Retention period | GP medical records will be kept in line with the law and national guidance. Information on how long records are kept can be found at: https://digital.nhs.uk/article/1202/Records-Management-Code-of-Practice-for-Health-and-Social-Care-2016 or speak to the practice. |
Right to complain | You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. If you wish to complain follow this link https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/ or call the helpline 0303 123 1113 |
Data we get from other organisations | We receive information about your health from other organisations who are involved in providing you with health and social care. For example, if you go to hospital for treatment or an operation the hospital will send us a letter to let us know what happens. This means your GP medical record is kept up-to date when you receive care from other parts of the health service. |