Access to medical information and medical records is subject to the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Code of Practice Sept 2000. The practice operates a strict code of confidentiality and is committed to the security of patient records. If you have any questions please ask.
Record Sharing / Electronic Patient Record
Sharing Your GP Record
Caring by sharing – supporting your healthcare at all times
Many people think their GP Record is available to all healthcare professionals involved in their care; but this is not always the case. It is very common that each healthcare professional you see keeps a separate record. This can mean important information may not be communicated between health services as well as it could be.
Delivery of your care would be supported by information about you being shared with other health organisations. Across Nottinghamshire we are introducing a local GP Record sharing model which will allow us to make relevant medical information from your GP Record available to other healthcare professionals at the point of need when they are providing care for you.
You will always be asked for your explicit consent before a healthcare professional accesses your GP Record. If you say “No” they will not be able to see your medical information. If however you are unconscious for example in an emergency situation a healthcare professional may access your GP Record without permission if it is deemed in your best interest to provide emergency direct care.
Examples of organisations that may access your GP health information include Out of Hours Teams, Walk in Centres, Hospitals /A&E Departments and Community Healthcare Teams.
Sharing your GP record in this way is designed to ensure that the healthcare professionals looking after you have the most relevant up to date information to enable them to provide you with the most appropriate care. It may also mean that you won’t have unnecessary tests, have to repeat information or be given drugs that you may be allergic to.
If you wish to only make certain parts of your GP record available and not all of it then you can ask for sections of your GP Record to be marked as ‘Private’. Private information will never be shared unless it is required by law or you give permission.
We would encourage everyone to make their GP Record available in case they need to be seen in an emergency or Out of Hours.
If you have certain health conditions or go to hospital a lot then you should definitely make your record available.
https://vimeo.com/124915322
GP Extraction System – Care.Data
The way that data is used in the NHS to plan healthcare is changing. From autumn 2013, data will be taken securely from practice IT systems so that the NHS can plan and improve services for all patients. You’re free to opt out, just give us a call and let us know.
To find out more about this change you can get more information from:
- Visiting the NHS Choices website at: www.nhs.uk/caredata
- Asking a member of staff at your GP practice for a leaflet
- Call a dedicated patient information line on: 0300 456 3531 This line also offers translation and text phone services.
More details about how the NHS look after confidential information and how it may be used can be found on the website at: www.hscic.gov.uk/patientconf
General Practice Privacy Notice – summary version
How we use your information
This privacy notice explains why the GP Practice collects information about you, and how that information may be used.
As data controllers, GPs have fair processing responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998. This means ensuring that your personal data are handled in ways that are transparent and that you would reasonably expect. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 changes the way that confidential data are processed it is important that you are made aware of these changes, understand that you can object to certain uses, and how to do so.
The health care professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and treatment. These records may be electronic, paper, or both and various measures are employed to ensure the security of your records. The information contained in the records is used for your direct care and kept confidential. However, we may be required to disclose your personal information if it is required by law, is justified in the public interest, or you consent for the use for other purposes.
Other reasons why your data may be disclosed are for use for statistical purposes where the information will not be able to identify you, or for research purposes for which your consent will be requested. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 the Health and Social Care Information Centre can request personal confidential information from your GP practice without asking for your consent first.
Your data may also be shared with other healthcare professionals who provide you with care through local integrated care services. Your permission to share your data between the services will be requested, although refusing permission may impact your care. If this is the case your doctor will be able to explain how this could affect your care.
Your GP is encouraged to use a process called Risk Stratification to identify patients who may require additional care due to long term conditions. The information is used to help support patient care and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.
If you do not want your data used for these purposes you may object by contacting the practice who will explain how you can prevent your data being used in this way.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use data collected lawfully in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, Human Rights Act, the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality, and the NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Security. The only staff who have access to your data are those with a legitimate reason to do so, and is controlled by multiple levels of security.
The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you the right to view or access information that the GP Practice holds about you. This is known as ‘the right of subject access’. Under this right you are entitled to have a description of the information, explanation of why it is held, who it could be disclosed to, and you are entitled to a copy of the information. If you would like to make a ‘subject access request’, please contact the practice manager in writing.
If you would like further information about how your information is used by the GP Practice, please contact the practice manager, or view the Fair Processing Notice on the practice notice board or the practice website.
The practice is registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998 – the registration number is and can be viewed online in the public register at www.ICO.gov.uk