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Your information, what you need to know
(If you want to speak to us about your data, please see our ‘contact’ page)
This notice describes why we collect information about you, how your information will be used and your rights in respect of your data.
Why we collect information about you
Your records are used to ensure you get the best possible care. Your information helps them to make the best decisions about your care and helps provide you with proactive advice and guidance. Important information is also collected to help us to remind you about specific treatment which you might need, such as health checks, immunisations for children and reminders for screening appointments. We work with other NHS services to co-ordinate these.
Information held about you may be used to help protect the health of the public and to help us to improve NHS services. Information may be used within the GP practice to monitor the quality of the service provided (known as ‘clinical audit’).
What data do we collect and receive about you?
Records are stored electronically and on paper and include personal details about you such as your address, carers, legal representatives, emergency contact details, as well as:
- Any appointments, visits, emergency appointments
- Notes and reports about your health
- Details about your diagnosis, treatment and care
- Details about any medication you are taking
- Results of investigations such as laboratory tests, x-rays
- Relevant information from health and care professionals, relatives or carers
We also receive information from other organisations that are caring for you that we hold in your record. This will include letters and test results.
How we use your information: For providing your care
Prescriptions
Where you have agreed we will send information on your prescriptions to pharmacies, either by electronic systems or by paper.
Test requests and results
Where we undertake tests on you, such as blood tests, we will send the sample and details of the tests we are requesting to the most appropriate pathology laboratory. The data shared with the laboratory will include your NHS number, name, the type of test requested and any health information relevant to doing the test and producing the result or report. We will receive the test results back from the laboratory electronically and these will be stored in your patient record.
Extended services and out of hours
We work closely with neighbouring practices and ‘out of hours’ providers including NHS 111 to ensure that if you need care from a doctor outside of normal hours that they have access to your records when needed to give you the best possible care. This may be delivered over the phone or via video consultation as appropriate. Services may be run by ‘GP Federations’ and ‘Primary Care Networks’.
Patient referrals
With your agreement, your GP or Nurse may refer you to other services not provided by the practice, or they may work with other services to provide your care in the practice. Information will be shared by letters, emails and shared record systems.
Once you have been seen, the other care agency will tell us about the treatment they have provided for you and any support which your GP needs to provide. This information is then included in your record. Referrals can be to lots of different services, such as smoking cessation services, social prescribers, voluntary services and other health and care agencies, as appropriate, for your care.
Hospital, Community or Social Care Services
Sometimes the staff caring for you need to share some of your information with others who are also supporting you. This could include hospital or community-based specialists, nurses, health visitors, therapists or social care services. Information will be shared to organisations where you receive care, whether that is local or further away, if you need specialist care or emergency care in another.
Shared computer systems
Health and Social care services are developing shared systems to share data efficiently and quickly. It is important for anyone treating you to be able to access your shared record so that they have all the information they need to care for you. This will be during your routine appointments and also in urgent situations such as going to A&E, calling 111 or going to an Out of hours appointment. It is also quicker for staff to access a shared record than to try to contact other staff by phone or email.
Only authorised staff can access the systems and the information they see is carefully checked so that it relates to their job. Systems do not share all your data, just data which services have agreed is necessary to include.
Clinical Digital Tools
We also use a range of digital tools to support improved patient care. These digital tools may relate to very specific conditions and use of them supports diagnosis, clinical decision making, prescribing and management of a condition. Often these digital tools are developed and managed by third parties who are contracted by the NHS for the provision of this very specific work to ensure best patient care. Your information may be shared with these organisations where it is relevant to your care.
Safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults
If we have significant concerns or hear about an individual child or vulnerable adult being at risk of harm, we may share relevant information with other organisations, such as local authorities and the Police, involved in ensuring their safety.
Ensuring medicines work well
We work with the local Medicines Management team of the Clinical Commissioning Group to help get the best out of medicines for patients and ensure they are effective in managing conditions. This generally uses anonymous data, but occasionally they will assist in reviews of medication for patients with complex needs. Doctors may also seek advice and guidance on prescribing queries.
Identifying health risks
Systems known as ‘risk stratification tools’ are used to help determine a person’s risk of suffering particular conditions and enable us to focus on preventing ill health before it develops. Information in these systems comes from a number of sources, such as hospitals and the practice. This can help us identify and offer you additional services to improve your health.
Population Health Management
Health and care services work together as ‘Integrated Care Systems (ICS)’ and share data for the following reasons:
- Understanding the health and care needs of the care system’s population, including health inequalities
- Provide support to where it will have the most impact
- Identify early actions to keep people well, not only focusing on people in direct contact with services but, looking to join up care across different partners.
Multi-disciplinary team meetings
For some long-term conditions, such as diabetes, the practice participates in meetings with staff from other agencies involved in providing care, to help plan the best way to provide care to patients with these conditions.
National Services (including screening programmes)
There are some national services like National Diabetes Audit and the National Cancer Screening Programmes that collect and keep information from across the NHS. This is how the NHS knows when to contact you about services like cervical, breast or bowel cancer screening.
Data may also be shared on anyone who contracts a ‘communicable disease’, such as Covid 19, in order to manage public health and safety.
How we use your information: beyond providing your care
The information collected about you when you use our services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance to help with:
- improving the quality and standards of care
- research into the development of new treatments
- preventing illness and diseases
- monitoring safety
- planning new services
- public health screening
- assisting the Care Quality Commission with any investigations
- investigating fraud
Wherever possible data used for these purposes is anonymised so that you cannot be identified. If information cannot be completely anonymous, then this may only take place when the law allows the information to be used. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations.
Statutory disclosures
Sometimes we are duty bound by laws to disclose information to organisations such as the Care Quality Commission, the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency, the General Medical Council, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Counter Fraud services. In these circumstances we will always try to inform you before we are required to disclose, and we only disclose the minimum information that the law requires us to do so.
Objecting to the of use of data for purposes beyond your care
The NHS Constitution states, ‘You have a right to request that your personal and confidential information is not used beyond your own care and treatment and to have your objections considered’. For further information please visit the Department of Health website
National data opt-out
The national data opt-out enables patients to opt-out from the use of their personal confidential data for research or planning purposes. To find out more or to register to opt out, please visit the NHS website
If you have any concerns about use of your data not covered by the National Data Opt out, please contact the practice.
How long do we hold information for?
Records are kept for the lifetime of the patient. If you move to a new practice, your record will be transferred. If the practice you have left need to access your record, for example to deal with a historic complaint, they will let you know. When information has been identified for destruction or deletion it will be disposed of using approved confidential disposal procedures.
Your rights
Data Protection laws give you a number of rights, including access to your data, correction, erasure, objection and restriction of use of your data. Details on how to request access to your data are set out below. If you have any concerns about the accuracy and use of your records, please contact us.
Right of Access to your information (Subject Access Request)
You have the right to have a copy of the information we hold about you. There are some safeguards regarding what you will have access to, and you may find information has been removed for the following reasons.
- Where your doctor has decided that some information may cause significant harm to you or someone else
- Where the information is about someone else (third party) and is confidential to them
You can make a request by asking or writing to the practice. We may ask you to complete a form so that we have a record of your request. You will need to provide proof of identity.
If you would like to access your GP record online, please contact the surgery to request this.
Lawful basis for processing
The use of personal data for providing care is supported under the following Article 6 and 9 conditions of the GDPR:
- Article 6(1)(e) ‘…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) ‘necessary for the purposes of preventative or occupational medicine for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services...”
Change of Details
It is important that you tell us as soon as you can if any of your details such as your name or address, email address or mobile number have changed. This is to make sure no information about you is sent to an old address.
Mobile telephone number
If you provide us with your mobile phone number, we may use this to send you text reminders about your appointments or other health screening information. Please let us know if you do not wish to receive text reminders on your mobile.
Email address
Where you have provided us with your email address, we will use this to send you information relating to your health and the services we provide. If you do not wish to receive communications by email, please let us know.
Any changes to this notice will be published on our website and in a prominent area at the Practice.
Data Protection Officer
Should you have any questions or concerns about your data, please contact our Data Protection Officer Kevin Caldwell via email or telephone on 01935 384000
Right to complain
If you have concerns or are unhappy about any of our services, please contact the Practice in writing to:
Practice Manager
Milborne Port Surgery
Gainsborough
Milborne Port
Sherborne
Dorset
DT9 5FH
For independent advice about data protection, privacy and data-sharing issues, you can contact the Information Commissioner, full details can be found on their website
How Milborne Port 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 Summary Care Record. For more information see the NHS England website 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 Digital, a national organisation which has legal responsibilities to collect NHS data.
- More information can be found on the NHS England website or the phone number for general enquires at NHS Digital is 0300 303 5678.
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.
- For more information please 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.
- For more information please speak to the practice.
We are required by law to provide you with the following information about how we handle your information.
Data Controller contact details
Milborne Port Surgery, Gainsborough, Milborne Port, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5FH
Data Protection Officer contact details
Somerset Primary Healthcare Ltd c/o Burnham & Berrow Medical Centre Love Lane Burnham on Sea Somerset TA8 1EU Email: sphadmin@nhs.net
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
These purposes are supported under the following sections of the GDPR:
- Article 6(1)(e) ‘…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) ‘necessary for the purposes of preventative or occupational medicine for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services...”
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.
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.
- 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 on the NHS England website 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 please visit the ICO website 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.