Your information - what you need to know

Why we collect Information about you

Your doctor and other health professionals caring for you keep records about your health and any treatment and care you receive from the NHS. These help ensure that receive the best possible care from us. The may be written down or held on computer. The records may include:

• Basic details about you e.g. name, address, next of kin
• Contacts we have had with you, such as clinic visits
• Notes and reports about your health and any treatment you have received
• Details and records about the treatment and care you receive
• Results of investigations - e.g. X-rays and blood tests
• Relevant information from other health professionals, or those who care for you and know you well

How your records are used to help you

Your records are used to guide professionals in the care you receive to ensure that:

• Your doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional involved in your care has accurate and up-to-date information to assess your health and decide what care you need Full information is available if you see another doctor, or are referred to a specialist or another part of the NHS
• There is a good basis for assessing the type and quality of care you have received
• Your concerns can be properly investigated if you need to complain

How your records are used to help the NHS

• Assess the needs of the general population
• Make sure our services can meet patient needs in the future
• Review the care we provide to ensure it is of the highest standard
• Teach and train healthcare professionals
• Conduct internal research and development
• Audit NHS accounts and services
• Prepare statistics on NHS performance
• Investigate complaints, legal claims or untoward incidents

Some of this information will be held centrally, but where this is used for statistical purposes stringent measures are taken to ensure patients cannot be identified. Anonymous statistical information may also be passed to organisations with a legitimate interest. Here it is not possible to use anonymised information; personally identifiable information may be used for essential NHS purposes. These may include research and auditing services. This will only be done with your consent, unless the law requires the information to be passed on to improve public health.

How we keep your information confidential

Everyone working in the NHS has al legal duty to keep information about you confidential.

You may be receiving care from other organisations as well as the NHS (e.g. Social Services). We may need to share some information about you so that we can all work together for your benefit. 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 a third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the health and safety of others is at risk or where the law requires the information to be passed on.

Anyone who receives information about you has a legal duty to keep it confidential. We are required by law to report certain information to the appropriate authorities. This is only provided after formal permission has been given by a qualified health professional. Occasions when we must pass on information include:

• Notification of births
• Where we encounter infectious diseases which may endanger the safety of others such as meningitis or measles (but not HIV/AIDS)
• Where a formal court order has been issued.

Who are our partner organisations?

• Health Authorities/ Primary Care Trusts
• NHS Trusts
• Ambulance Services

Your information may also, subject to strict agreements describing how it will be used, be shared with - Social Services, Education Services, Local Authorities, Voluntary Sector providers, Private Sector providers

How you can get access to your own health records

The Data Protection Act 1998, which came into force on 1/3/2000, allows you to find out what information about you is held on computer and in certain manual records. This is known as 'right of subject access'. It applies to your health records.

If you want to see them you should make a written request to the NHS organisations where you are being, or have been, treated. You are entitled to receive a copy but should note that a charge will usually be made. You should be aware that in certain circumstances your right to see some details in your health records may be limited in your own interest or for other reasons.

Further information

If you would like to know more about how we use your information or if, for any reason, you do not wish to have your information used in any of the ways describes above please speak to the healthcare professionals concerned with your care. You can also contact the NHS organisation, such as the hospital, where you are being treated.

The Alresford Surgery, Patient Information Policy 16/1/02007

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