Confidentiality of your Records

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 the Data Protection Act 1998 (which is overseen by the Information Commissioner’s Office), Human Rights Act, the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality, and the NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Security. Every staff member who works for an NHS organisation has a legal obligation to maintain the confidentiality of patient information.

All of our staff, contractors and committee members receive appropriate and regular training to ensure they are aware of their personal responsibilities and have legal and contractual obligations to uphold confidentiality, enforceable through disciplinary procedures. Only a limited number of authorised staff have access to personal information where it is appropriate to their role and is strictly on a need-to-know basis.

We maintain our duty of confidentiality to you at all times. 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), or where the law requires information to be passed on.

 

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
  • Specialist Trusts
  • Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists
  • Private Sector Providers
  • Voluntary Sector Providers
  • Ambulance Trusts
  • Clinical Commissioning Groups
  • Social Care Services
  • Local Authorities
  • Education Services
  • Fire and Rescue Services
  • Police
  • Other ‘data processors’

 

Access to personal information

You have a right under the Data Protection Act 2018 to access/view information the practice holds about you, and to have it amended or removed should it be inaccurate. This is known as ‘the right of subject access’. If we do hold information about you we will:

  • give you a description of it
  • tell you why we are holding it
  • tell you who it could be disclosed to
  • let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form

If you would like to make a ‘subject access request’, please contact the practice manager in writing. There may be a charge for this service. Any changes to this notice will be published on our website and on the practice notice board.

 

The practice is registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 2018. The registration number is Z5807440 and can be viewed online in the public register at http://www.ico.org.uk/

The practice data protection officer is Rachael Nicholson .  If you wish to raise a concern about data protection please contact Rachael Nicholson Data Protection Officer at Scorex House, 1 Bolton Road, Bradford, BD1 4AS

 

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 such as date of birth is incorrect 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.

 

Notification

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires organisations to register a notification with the Information Commissioner to describe the purposes for which they process personal and sensitive information. 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).

 

Who is the Data Controller?

The Data Controller, responsible for keeping your information secure and confidential is Practice Manager. Any changes to this notice will be published on our website and displayed in prominent notices in the surgery.

The Partnership is registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 2018 Tong Medical Practice Z5807440 Our registration can be viewed on-line in the public register at www.ico.org.uk

 

Further information

Further information about the way in which the NHS uses personal information and your rights in that respect can be found in:

An independent review of information about patients is shared across the health and care system led by Dame Fiona Caldicott was conducted in 2012. The report, Information: To share or not to share? The Information Governance Review, be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-information-governance-review

 

NHS England – Better Data, Informed Commissioning, Driving Improved Outcomes: Clinical Data Sets provides further information about the data flowing within the NHS to support commissioning.

 

Please visit the NHS Digital website for further information about their work. Information about their responsibility for collecting data from across the health and social care system can be found.

 

The Information Commissioner’s Office is the Regulator for the Data Protection Act 1998 and offer independent advice and guidance on the law and personal data, including your rights and how to access your personal information. For further information please visit the www.ico.gov.uk

 

Primary Care Network

We are a member of BD4 plus Primary Care Network (PCN).  This means we will be working closely with a number of other Practices and health and care organisations to provide healthcare services to you. During the course of our work we may share your information with these Practices and health care organisations/professionals.  We will only share this information where it relates to your direct healthcare needs.  When we do this, we will always ensure that appropriate agreements are in place to protect your information and keep it safe and secure. This is also what the Law requires us to do.

If you would like to see the information the PCN holds about you please contact the Rachael Nicholson Data Protection Officer at Scorex House, 1 Bolton Road, Bradford, BD1 4AS

 

Daljeet Sharry-Khan – Data Protection Officer

Scorex House (West),

1 Bolton Road,

Bradford,

BD1 4AS

daljeet.sharry-khan@bradford.nhs.uk