St Andrews Medical Centre has a legal duty to explain how we use any personal information we collect about you, as a registered patient at the practice. Staff at this practice maintain records about your health and the treatment you receive in electronic and paper format.
Coronavirus has led to increased demand on general practices, including an increasing number of requests to provide patient data to inform planning/support vital research on the outcomes for patients of the virus.
To support the response to the coronavirus outbreak, NHS Digital has been legally directed to collect and analyse healthcare information about patients, including from their GP record.
For further information please see link below:
digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/gpes-data-for-pandemic-planning-and-research
General practices have a legal duty to be transparent under GDPR about the data they are sharing with NHSD and therefore need to update their transparency notices to include details.
NHSD has provided a narrative:
This practice is supporting vital coronavirus (COVID-19) planning and research by sharing your data with NHS Digital. For more information about this see the General Practice Transparency Notice for GPES Data for Pandemic Planning and Research (COVID-19).
What information do we collect about you?
We will collect information such as personal details, including name, address, next of kin, records of appointments, visits, telephone calls, your health records, treatment and medications, test results, X-rays etc. and any other relevant information to enable us to deliver effective medical care.
How we will use your information
Your data is collected for the purpose of providing direct patient care. However, we can disclose this information if it is required by law, if you give consent or if it is justified in the public interest. The practice may be requested to support research. However, we will always gain your consent before sharing your information with medical research databases, such as the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and QResearch or others when the law allows.
In order to comply with its legal obligations, this practice may send data to NHS Digital when directed by the Secretary of State for Health under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Additionally, this practice contributes to national clinical audits and will send the data that is required by NHS Digital when the law allows. This may include demographic data, such as date of birth, and information about your health which is recorded in coded form; for example, the clinical code for diabetes or high blood pressure.
Processing your information in this way and obtaining your consent ensures that we comply with Articles 6(1)(c), 6(1)(e) and 9(2)(h) of the GDPR.
Maintaining confidentiality and accessing your records
We are committed to maintaining confidentiality and protecting the information we hold about you. We adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Security, as well as guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). You have a right to access the information we hold about you, and if you would like to access this information, you will need to complete a Subject Access Request (SAR). Please ask at reception for a SAR form and you will be given further information. Furthermore, should you identify any inaccuracies, you have a right to have inaccurate data corrected.
Risk stratification
Risk stratification is a mechanism used to identify and subsequently manage those patients deemed as being at high risk of requiring urgent or emergency care. Usually, this includes patients with long-term conditions, e.g. cancer. Your information is collected by a number of sources, including St Andrews Medical Centre; this information is processed electronically and given a risk score which is relayed to your GP who can then decide on any necessary actions to ensure that you receive the most appropriate care.
Invoice Validation
Your information may be shared, if you have received treatment, to determine which Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is responsible for paying for your treatment. This information may include your name, address and treatment date. All of this information is held securely and confidentially; it will not be used for any other purpose or shared with any third parties.
Opt-outs
You have a right to object to your information being shared. Should you wish to opt out of data collection, please contact a member of staff who will be able to explain how you can opt-out and prevent the sharing of your information; this is done by registering a Type 1 opt-out, preventing your information from being shared outside this practice.
Retention periods
In accordance with the NHS Codes of Practice for Records Management, your healthcare records will be retained for 10 years after death, or for 10 years after a patient emigrates.
What to do if you have any questions
Should you have any questions about our privacy policy or the information we hold about you, you can:
- Contact the practice’s data controller via email at standrewsmc.ooh@nhs.net. GP practices are data controllers for the data they hold about their patients
- Write to the data controller at St Andrews Medical Centre, 30 Russell Street, Eccles, M30 0NU
- Ask to speak to the practice manager Clare Lancaster or the Admin Service Manager Dianne Wenmouth
Complaints
In the unlikely event that you are unhappy with any element of our data-processing methods, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the ICO. For further details, visit ico.org.uk and select ‘Raising a concern’.
Changes to our privacy policy
We regularly review our privacy policy and any updates will be published on our website, in our newsletter and on posters to reflect the changes. This policy is to be reviewed 01/05/2019.
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
If you have any questions about any of the above information, please contact the practice.