What is a privacy notice?

A privacy notice is a document which helps your doctor’s surgery tell you how it uses information (also known as personal data) it has about you, such as your name, address, date of birth and all the notes the doctor or nurse make about you when you come to see us. It also tells you how we make sure your information is kept safe.

Why do we need one?

We want to make sure your personal data is safe and looked after, and that everybody at the Practice is following the laws which keep your information secure.  These laws are called the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).

Why do we collect information about you?

We help to look after your health.  To do this, we collect and keep information about you such as your name, address and telephone number so that we know how we can contact you, the name of the person who will generally bring you to your appointments.  Each time you visit, we will write down what you tell us, what your family shares about you, things we tell you and any medicines or treatments we give you; that way we can look back at what we have done to make sure we are treating you in the best way.

What do we do with it and how we keep it safe?

We keep the information we collect about you.  This information is called your Health Record.  Anyone involved in your care at the Practice can see what has been collected. This helps us make the right decisions about your care when you are poorly. We might need to share this information with others, such as a hospital so the doctors and nurses there also have access to your information to treat you and help us keep you healthy.

We undergo training every year to make sure we know how to look after your data. Staff are only allowed to look at your information if they are involved in your care and must keep all your information safe. We are only allowed to give your information to authorised people.

Who do we share your data with?

We may share the information we record about you with others involved in your care.  We routinely share information with school nurses, but not directly with school unless it is important for them to know. We might need to share this information with other medical teams, such as hospitals, if you need to be seen by a special doctor or sent for an X-ray.
Your parents/guardians should get a copy of any letters sent by your doctor about your care. Some of you may decide that you do not want information being shared with your parents/guardians, we advise you to speak with a member of our team if you have any questions about this.
If you have a social worker, we will share it with them too. That way they are kept up to date on what we are doing for you.
We may have to share information with the police, the courts and other organisations and people who may have a legal right to see your information.
If you tell us something that makes us worried about your safety or the safety of someone else you know, we might have to share this with other people outside of the practice – even if you don’t want us to. This is part of our job to keep you and others safe.
Sometimes our surgery might be asked to take part in medical research that might help you or other people in the future. We will always ask you or your parent(s) or adult with parental responsibility if we can share your data.

What if you don’t want to share?

You can tell us that you don’t want to share your information. It is called ‘opting out’ and every patient has a right to do so. You can choose to opt out of sharing your confidential information for research and planning, it is called National Data Opt Out. There may still be times when your information is used, for example when there is risk to your health or the health of other people.

How long do we keep your information for?

We will keep a copy of your information in our Practice for as long as you are registered as a patient. If you leave the Practice, we will make sure that a copy of any information we hold about you is passed to your new GP so they can continue with your care. The practice must follow the NHS Records Management Code of Practice 2021.  This is a document that tells us how long we can keep records for. Once the records have been kept for the time needed, they will be safely deleted/ destroyed.

 

 

 

Can I have a copy of my medical records?

Yes. You or your parent/guardian need to contact us to specify what information you would like to access. This could include a particular part of your medical record, an X-ray, or a report. If your parent/guardian is making the request on your behalf, we will verify their identity to ensure that we share your information appropriately, and obtain your consent, if necessary.

 

What are your rights over your personal data?

You have the following rights over your data we hold:

·        You can see what information we have on you. Other people can ask on your behalf, however we will check they are who they say they are to make sure we are not sharing your information with anyone who should not see it. ·        If there is anything incorrect in your record, you or someone on your behalf can ask us to correct it, including finding any missing information.  However, the law says we cannot remove it, even if you ask us to. ·        If we have asked for permission to share your information with someone, you or someone on your behalf can tell us that you have changed your mind.  As soon as we are told, we will not share the information. ·        If you would like to talk to us about not sharing your information, even if this means you do not want us to share your information with your parent(s) or adult with parental responsibility, please let us know. We will be happy to help.

What if you have a question or if you are not happy with how we process your data?

If you have a question or if you are not happy about the way your information is managed, you can either email us on cmicb-cheshire.greatsuttonpr@nhs.net visit the Practice or call us on 0151 339 3126 and speak to a member of our staff who will be happy to talk to you and answer any questions or worries you might have . We will do our best to help you. You can also ask your parent or adults with parental responsibility to speak to us on your behalf.  If you are still not happy after speaking with us, you can contact the Data Protection Officer (DPO) by email at dpo.healthcare@nhs.net or you can telephone the DPO team on 07946 593082.

If you are still not happy with the advice you have received you can contact an organisation called Information Commissioner’s Office (IC0) by visiting www.ico.org.uk and select ‘Raising Concern’ or call them on 03031231133.

 

The doctors, nurses and administrative staff at this surgery share a commitment to provide you with the highest standard of medical care. In particular:

• Patients have the right to be treated courteously.
• Patients have a right to confidentiality.
• Doctors and nurses will begin surgery at the appropriate time. Any delay will be due to a medical necessity. When there is a prolonged delay, patients have the right to be informed and to make an alternative appointment if they wish.
• Patients have the right to information about their own health, particularly the illness and its treatment, the alternative forms of treatment and the likely outcome of the illness.
• The practice will advise patients of the steps they can take to promote good health and to avoid illness e.g. smoking cessation, exercise, immunisation etc. and advice on self-help with minor illnesses.
• The practice will inform patients of services available by means of its booklet, notice boards, leaflets and newsletter.
• Patients with urgent medical conditions will be given priority and will be seen as soon as possible, even when this means a delay to booked appointments.
• New patients will be offered an appointment with the practice nurse or doctor.
• Patients aged 75 and over who have not attended the surgery within 12 months are welcome to attend for a general consultation and will be offered appropriate health checks. This may take place in the patient’s home if their medical condition requires it.
• Patients will be referred to a consultant/hospital acceptable to them when their GP thinks it is necessary.
• Patients will have easy access to the practice complaints procedure.
• Acute prescriptions will be completed with minimum delay.
• Repeat prescriptions will be available within 48 hours.
• Patients may choose whether or not to take part in training.

With these rights come responsibilities, and for patients this means:

• Treat us with the same courtesy and respect that you expect to receive. We will not tolerate rudeness or abuse of any kind towards our staff, or violence towards anyone in the surgery or to our property.
• Attend appointments on time or give the practice adequate notice that you wish to cancel  –  lateness or non-attendance inconveniences other patients and wastes appointments.
• An appointment is for one person only.
• Patients should make every effort to attend the surgery to make best use of nursing and medical time and ask for a home visit only if too ill to attend surgery. Lack of transport is not a reason to request a visit.
• Repeat prescriptions should be ordered in plenty of time.
• Calls to the emergency GP service out of hours should only be made if there is real urgency and attendances at the local A&E department made only for accidents and emergencies.
• Patients should inform the practice if they change address or telephone number and please remember to include a postcode. It is also important for those receiving treatment at a hospital to inform them of the same changes so that our records match when we communicate with them.
• Please do not try to pressure staff or doctors into issuing inappropriate medications or repeat prescriptions.

On 25th May 2018 the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect. To view our privacy notice, please click the links below:

• GP Privacy Notice – Patients
• GP Privacy Notice – Children & Young People
• GP Privacy Notice – Staff
• COVID-19 Privacy Policy
• Supplementary Privacy Notice COVID19
• Practice Privacy Notice To Patients
• Data Protection & Security Policy

You can be assured that anything you discuss with any member of the surgery staff, whether doctor, nurse or receptionist, will remain confidential. Even if you are under 16, nothing will be said to anyone, including parents, other family members, care workers or teachers, without your permission. The only reason why we might want to consider passing on confidential information without your permission would be to protect either you or someone else from serious harm. In this situation, we would always try to discuss this with you first.

If you have any worries or queries about confidentiality, please ask a member of staff.

If you would like to discuss matters of a confidential nature, either with our receptionists or a member of the dispensary team, we have a side room available in reception for this purpose.

We need to hold personal information about you on our computer systems and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs, and your doctor is responsible for their accuracy and safe-keeping. Please help to keep your record up to date by informing us of any changes to your circumstances.

Doctors and staff in the practice have access to your medical records to enable them to do their jobs. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both legal and contractual duty to keep your details private.

All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss.

In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented, or in the case of public health issues. In other circumstance you may be required to give written consent before information is released – such as for medical reports for insurance, solicitors etc.

To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone or fax unless we are sure that we are talking to you. Information will not be disclosed to family, friends or spouses unless we have prior written consent, and we do not, leave messages with others.

You have a right to see your records if you wish. Please ask at reception if you would like further details about our patient information leaflet. An appointment may be required. In some circumstances a fee may be payable.

Our building is accessible to those with mobility or other impairments and is clearly signed where facilities exist.  Please advise our reception staff should you experience any difficulty or need assistance.

We will always respect your privacy, dignity and your religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable – these will only be carried out with your express agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish.

You may also request a chaperone when making the appointment or on arrival at the surgery (please let the receptionist know) or at any time during the consultation.

The following IT systems are in use at the practice:

• Referral Management (using NHS numbers in referrals)
• Electronic Appointment Booking (the facility to book routine appointments online and, similarly, to cancel appointments
• Online booking of repeat prescriptions
• Summary Care Record (uploading details of your current medication and allergies to the national “spine” so that these are available for doctors involved in your care elsewhere)
• GP to GP transfers (the electronic transfer of records from practice to practice when you re-register
• Patient Access to records (the facility to view your medical records online).

If you are not already registered for online access and would like to be please complete our online form.

If you would like access to your medical records enabled or would like to opt out of the local or national summary care record, please contact reception.

This practice is committed to preserving, as far as is practical, the security of data used by our information systems. This means that we will take all reasonable actions to;

Maintain the Confidentiality of all data within the practice by:

• Ensuring that only authorised persons can gain access to our systems
• Not disclosing information to anyone who has no right to see it

Maintain the integrity of all data within the practice by:

• Taking care over input
• Ensuring that all changes are reported and monitored
• Checking that the correct record is on the screen before updating
• Reporting all apparent errors and ensuring that they are resolved

Maintain the availability of all data by:

• Ensuring that all equipment is protected from intruders
• Ensuring that backups are taken at regular, predetermined intervals
• Ensuring that contingency is provided for possible failure or equipment theft and that any such contingency plans are tested and kept up to date

Additionally we will take all reasonable measures to comply with our legal responsibilities under:

• The Data Protection Act (2018)
• The Health and Safety at Work Act (1992)
• The Access to Health Records Act (1990)

Private Work Fees