Information about you and how we use it

When you come to the surgery, information about you, your medical treatment and family background may be recorded, on paper and computer, to help us care for you. The information is part of your health record and will be kept in case we need to see you again.We hold demographic data (name, address, telephone numbers, date of birth, ethnic origin, family relationships, next of kin) and clinical data (diagnoses, family history, allergies and sensitivities, medication, consultation records, investigations, test results, referrals and letters to and from other NHS organisations about your care).

Members of the clinical teams looking after you may share your personal health information with each other. This team may include healthcare professionals and support staff. All NHS staff are bound by law and a strict code of confidentiality, and are monitored by the Surgery’s Caldicott Guardian (Dr. Yann Lefeuvre), who is responsible for ensuring patients’ confidentiality is respected. Your confidentiality is very important to us, and we have strict controls in place to protect your information.

Data will be retained only for as long as necessary to provide care for you. Our document retention policy is available by

Your information rights

• You have the right to know how we will use your personal information.
• You have the right to see your health record (your medical notes). This is known as Right of Subject Access.
• You have the right to object to us making use of your information.
• You can ask us to change or restrict the way we use your information and we have to agree if possible.
• You have the right to ask for your information to be changed, blocked or erased if it is incorrect.

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.

Accessing your Record

You have a right under the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 to request access to view or to obtain copies of what information the surgery holds about you and to have it amended should it be inaccurate

How your records are used to help you

Accurate, up-to-date information about you:

• helps staff to assess your health and care for you
• will help staff to treat you in future, in the surgery or elsewhere
• allows staff to monitor and if necessary investigate the care you have received
• How your records help us

Accurate, up-to-date information about you:

• helps us provide high quality care and meet all our patients’ needs
• helps us train healthcare professionals and support research and development
• is necessary for the surgery to be paid for your treatment
• supports audits of NHS services and accounts
• supports investigation of any incidents or issues that arise
• contributes to national NHS statistics.

Sharing your information

Sometimes we have to pass on information by law:

• to notify a birth or death
• when an infectious disease such as meningitis or measles may endanger the safety of others
• where a formal court order has been issued
• when sharing information with the police may prevent a serious crime, or prevent harm to you or other people.
• We may have to share information about you with non-NHS staff (for example Social Services): we will only do this if it is necessary, and if we need your consent we will ask you for it. The main NHS organisations which may need your information are Clinical Commissioning Groups, Commissioning Support Units, other NHS trusts, hospitals, other GP practices and ambulance services. If we have to share information about you, we will remove your personal details where possible

Statement of Intent

Summary Care Record (SCR)

Having a Summary Care Record can help by providing healthcare staff treating you with vital information from your health record. This will help the staff involved in your care make better and safer decisions about how best to treat you.

GP to GP record transfers

It is very important that you are registered with a doctor at all times. NHS England require practices to utilise the GP2GP facility for the transfer of patient records between practices when a patient registers or de-registers (not for temporary registration)

Data for other purposes

You have the right to object to your information being shared under the national data opt-out model. The national data opt-out model provides an easy way for you to opt-out of sharing information that identifies you being used or shared for medical research purposes and quality checking or audit purposes.

To opt-out of your identifiable information being shared for medical research or to find out more about your opt-out choices please ask a member of staff or go to NHS Digital’s website

Accessing Medical Records

The NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online. We know that people want to be able to access their health records. It can help you see test results faster. It also lets you read and review notes from your appointments in your own time. We’re now letting you see all the information within your health record automatically. If you are over 16 and have an online account, such as through the NHS App, NHS website, or another online primary care service, you will now be able to see all future notes and health records from your doctor (GP). Some people can already access this feature, this won’t change for you. This means that you will be able to see notes from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records. This only applies to records from your doctor (GP), not from hospitals or other specialists. You will only be able to see information from 01/11/2022. For most people, access will be automatic, and you won’t need to do anything. Your doctor (GP) may talk to you to discuss test results before you are able to see some of your information on the app. Your doctor (GP) may also talk to you before your full records access is given to make sure that having access is of benefit to you. There might be some sensitive information on your record, so you should talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

These changes only apply to people with online accounts. If you do not want an online account, you can still access your health records by requesting this information through reception. The changes also only apply to personal information about you. If you are a carer and would like to see information about someone you care for, speak to the reception staff. The NHS App, website, and other online services are all very secure, so no one is able to access your information except you. You’ll need to make sure you protect your login details. Don’t share your password with anyone as they will then have access to your personal information. If you do not want to see your health record, or if you would like more information about these changes, please speak to your GP or reception staff.

Complaints

In the event that your feel your GP Practice has not complied with the current data protection legislation, either in responding to your request or in our general processing of your personal information, you should raise your concerns in the first instance in writing to the Practice Manager at:

Royal Arsenal Medical Centre,
21 Arsenal Way,
London
SE18 6TE

If you remain dissatisfied with our response, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at:

Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Enquiry Line: 01625 545700 or online at www.ico.gov.uk.