Privacy Notice
Who we are
St Andrews Surgery are here to provide patient-centred healthcare as providers of healthcare to you we hold records about your health. The Practice is the Data Controller of the information it holds about you and is responsible for keeping that secure and confidential.
Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed at the GP Practice, please contact the Data Protection Officer: Barry Jackson on 0300 002 0001 or e- mail to dpo@n3i.co.uk
How we use your personal information
This Privacy notice explains why the GP 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. NHS Trust, 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, if you have a carer or 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
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 in a fully anonymised format. However where identifiable information is required the surgery will always gain your consent before releasing the information for this purpose.
General Data Protection Regulation Legal Basis for processing your information in this way
Where it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority and it is for the purpose of medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems.
Objections / Complaints
Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed at the GP Practice, please contact the Data Protection Officer at the address detailed above.
You have a right to ask the following:
- Access to or obtain a copy of the information held about you (see Access to Personal Information below for how to request this)
- For your information to be corrected if it is factually incorrect
- Object to your information being processed in certain circumstances
If you are still unhappy following a review by the Practice you can then you can complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). www.ico.org.uk, casework@ico.org.uk, or telephone: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745
Other Purposes for which your information is processed
Risk Stratification
Risk stratification data tools are increasingly being used in the NHS to help determine a person’s risk of suffering a particular condition, preventing an unplanned or (re)admission and identifying a need for preventive intervention. Information about you is collected from a number of sources including NHS Trusts and from this GP Practice. A risk score is then arrived at through an analysis of your de-identified information using software managed by EMIS Web, and is only provided back to your GP as data controller in an identifiable form. Risk stratification enables your GP to focus on preventing ill health and not just the treatment of sickness. If necessary your GP may be able to offer you additional services. Please note that you have the right to opt out of your data being used in this way.
General Data Protection Regulation Legal Basis for processing your information in this way
The use of identifiable data for risk stratification has been approved by the Secretary of State, through the Confidentiality Advisory Group of the Health Research Authority (known as Section 251 approval). Further information on Section 251 can be obtained by clicking here. The reference number for the risk stratification approval is CAG7-04(a)/2013. This approval allows your GP, or staff within your GP Practice who are responsible for providing your care, to see information that identifies you, but the CCG staff will only be able to see information in a format that does not reveal your identity.
Opt out details
Patients and the public who decide they do not want their confidential patient information used for planning and research purposes will be able to set their national data opt-out choice online. We will provide a non-digital alternative for patients and the public who can't or don't want to use an online system. Individuals can change their mind anytime. Existing Type 2 opt-outs (the option for a patient to register with their GP, to prevent their confidential patient information leaving NHS Digital) will be converted to the new national data opt-out. Patients with type 2 opt-outs will be informed of this change individually
Medicines Management
The Practice may conduct Medicines Management Reviews of medications prescribed to its patients. This service performs a review of prescribed medications to ensure patients receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost effective treatments. This service is provided to practices within Hull through Hull Clinical Commissioning Group.
Improving Care Pathways
The Practice will at times employ staff from Hull Clinical Commissioning Group to undertake reviews of referrals and pathways of care for patients registered at the practice and compare these to referrals and pathways at other practices for the same diagnoses. These are then reviewed with an appropriately qualified clinician to ensure patients are able to access the most appropriate care for them, in the right place (possibly closer to home) and by the right person, first time.
General Data Protection Regulation Legal Basis for processing your information in this way
Where it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority and it is for the purpose of medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems.
Individuals Rights in respect of processing the above information
Access
Rectification
Object to the processing for this purpose
If you are happy for your data to be extracted and used for the purposes described in this privacy notice then you do not need to do anything. If you have any concerns about how your data is shared then please contact the practice.
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:
- Data Protection Legislation • Human Rights Act 1998 • Common Law Duty of Confidentiality • Health and Social Care Act 2012 • NHS Codes of Confidentiality, Information Security and Records Management • Information: To Share or Not to Share Review
Every member of staff who works for an 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 third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. life or death situations), where the law requires information to be passed on and / or in accordance with the new information sharing principle following Dame Fiona Caldicott’s information sharing review (Information to share or not to share) where “The duty to share information can be as important as the duty to protect patient confidentiality.” This means that health and social care professionals should have the confidence to share information in the best interests of their patients within the framework set out by the Caldicott principles. They should be supported by the policies of their employers, regulators and professional bodies.
Retention of Records
All NHS records are held in line with the Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2016
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;
- NHS Trusts / Foundation Trusts • GP’s • 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 • Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) • Local Authorities • Education Services • Fire and Rescue Services • Police & Judicial Services • Voluntary Sector Providers • Private Sector Providers
- Communication Services Providers
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 Legislation to request access to view or to obtain copies of what information the surgery holds about you and to have it amended where it is factually inaccurate. In order to request this, you need to do the following:
- Your request must be made directly to the GP Practice– for information from the hospital you should contact them directly. • We are required to respond to you within 1 calendar month, although this may be extended if the request is complex, but you should be informed of any delays. • You will need to give adequate information (for example full name, address, date of birth, NHS number and details of your request) in order that your records can be located efficiently.
NB: You may be asked for proof of identity so we know we are releasing your information to the correct person
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 are incorrect, such as date of birth 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.
This information is publicly available on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk
The practice is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).
Cookies
You can be assured that My Surgery Website does not use cookies to track your activity online.
6.1 My Surgery Website Limited does not set first party cookies on this website containing any personal data unless specifically instructed to do so by the user. For example, if a user requests to be remembered on a form then a cookie is set to retain the form data for next time.
6.2 The Web Site uses third-party Cookies to collect anonymous traffic data about your use of this website. This information is stored by Google and subject to their privacy policy, which can be viewed here: http://www.google.com/privacy.html. Google Analytics collects information such as pages you visit on this site, the browser and operating system you use and time spent viewing pages. The purpose of this information is to help us improve the site for future visitors. These cookies are not used to track you or your activity but if you do not wish these cookies to be stored on your computer, disable cookies in your browser settings.
6.3 You may delete Cookies at any time. See the help in your internet browser to find out how to delete your cookies.
This Privacy Notice is valid from March 2019
SCR coronavirus (COVID-19) Supplementary Privacy Notice
20 April 2020: Information for patients explaining how health and social care organisations may use your Summary Care Record information within the health and social care system to protect you and others during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Your information and responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)
The health and social care system is facing significant pressures due to the coronavirus outbreak. Health and care information is essential to deliver care to individuals, to support health and social care services and to protect public health. Information will also be vital in researching, monitoring, tracking and managing the outbreak. In the current emergency, it has become even more important to share health and care information across relevant organisations.
This notice describes how GPs and other health and social care organisations may use your information within the health and social care system to protect you and others during the Coranavirus (COVID-19) outbreak with regard to your Summary Care Record.
Summary Care Records
All patients registered with a GP have a Summary Care Record, unless they have chosen not to have one. The information held in your Summary Care Record gives registered and regulated healthcare professionals, away from your usual GP practice, access to information to provide you with safer care, reduce the risk of prescribing errors and improve your patient experience.
Your Summary Care Record contains basic (Core) information about allergies and medications and any reactions that you have had to medication in the past.
Some patients, including many with long term health conditions, previously have agreed to have Additional Information shared as part of their Summary Care Record. This Additional Information includes information about significant medical history (past and present), reasons for medications, care plan information and immunisations.
Change to information held in your Summary Care Record
In light of the current emergency, the Department of Health and Social Care has removed the requirement for a patient’s prior explicit consent to share Additional Information as part of the Summary Care Record.
This is because the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has issued a legal notice to healthcare bodies requiring them to share confidential patient information with other healthcare bodies where this is required to diagnose, control and prevent the spread of the virus and manage the pandemic. This includes sharing Additional Information through Summary Care Records, unless a patient objects to this.
If you have already expressed a preference to only have Core information shared in your Summary Care Record, or to opt-out completely of having a Summary Care Record, these preferences will continue to be respected and this change will not apply to you. For everyone else, the Summary Care Record will be updated to include the Additional Information. This change of requirement will be reviewed after the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Why we have made this change
In order to look after your health and care needs, health and social care bodies may share your confidential patient information contained in your Summary Care Record with clinical and non-clinical staff in other health and care organisations, for example hospitals, NHS 111 and out of hours organisations. These changes will improve the healthcare that you receive away from your usual GP practice.
Your rights in relation to your Summary Care Record
Regardless of your past decisions about your Summary Care Record preferences, you will still have the same options that you currently have in place to opt out of having a Summary Care Record, including the opportunity to opt-back in to having a Summary Care Record or opt back in to allow sharing of Additional Information.
You can exercise these rights by doing the following:
Choose to have a Summary Care Record with all information shared. This means that any authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals will be able to see a detailed Summary Care Record, including Core and Additional Information, if they need to provide you with direct care.
Choose to have a Summary Care Record with Core information only. This means that any authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals will be able to see limited information about allergies and medications in your Summary Care Record if they need to provide you with direct care.
Choose to opt-out of having a Summary Care Record altogether. This means that you do not want any information shared with other authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals involved in your direct care. You will not be able to change this preference at the time if you require direct care away from your GP practice. This means that no authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals will be able to see information held in your GP records if they need to provide you with direct care, including in an emergency.
This privacy notice supplements your GP practice's main privacy notice.
Changes to this privacy notice
This notice may be amended at any time, so please review it frequently. The date at the top of this page will be amended each time this notice is updated.
The Practice has appointed Barry Jackson to be their Data Protection Officer. He is employed by N3i and can be contacted through their service desk on phone: 0300 002 0001 or email: dpo@n3i.co.uk