• Comments or suggestions can be forwarded to our “Comments and Suggestion” email Box, which is [email protected]  – alternatively we have a paper based Comments and Suggestions Box in the reception area.

• Please note that these Comments and Suggestion Boxes (email and paper based) are for general comments, suggestions and compliments only. Please do not use the Comments and Suggestion Boxes to forward any personal medical or clinical enquiries. The email is only viewed every 2-3 weeks by clerical staff and individual responses to comments are not routinely made. Requests for prescriptions, home visits and appointments via this email will not be acted upon.

• The emails and paper based comments will be retrieved once or twice each month and will be taken to our practice meeting for discussion by the whole primary care team.

• The aim of our Comments and Suggestion Boxes is to allow patients and their relatives to pass on their views and ideas to us easily. Due to time restraints we will not be able to reply to individual comments, however, any good ideas or common suggestions will be dealt with. We will issue an annual audit of the contents of both Comments and Suggestion Boxes and any actions taken.

• The Comments and Suggestion Boxes are not suitable for placing formal complaints as they are not accessed frequently enough and they are not directly overseen by our complaints manager. If you have a formal complaint which requires an individual response or action, please contact our Practice Manager.

COVID-19 Privacy Notice

(This Privacy Notice is to run alongside our standard Practice Privacy Notice)

Due to the unprecedented challenges that the NHS and we, WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE face due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, there is a greater need for public bodies to require additional collection and sharing of personal data to protect against serious threats to public health.

In order to look after your healthcare needs in the most efficient way we, WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE may therefore need to share your personal information, including medical records, with staff from other GP Practices including Practices within our Primary Care Network, as well as other health organisations (ie Clinical Commissioning Groups, Commissioning Support Units, Local authorities etc.) and bodies engaged in disease surveillance for the purposes of research, protecting public health, providing healthcare services to the public and monitoring and managing the Covid-19 outbreak and incidents of exposure.

The Secretary of State has served notice under Regulation 3(4) of the Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002 (COPI) to require organisations to process confidential patient information in the manner set out below for purposes set out in Regulation 3(1) of COPI.

Purpose of this Notice

The purpose of this Notice is to require organisations such as WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE to process confidential patient information for the purposes set out in Regulation 3(1) of COPI to support the Secretary of State’s response to Covid-19 (Covid-19 Purpose). “Processing” for these purposes is defined in Regulation 3(2) and includes dissemination of confidential patient information to persons and organisations permitted to process confidential patient information under Regulation 3(3) of COPI. This Notice is necessary to require organisations such as WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE to lawfully and efficiently process confidential patient information as set out in Regulation 3(2) of COPI for purposes defined in regulation 3(1)

Requirement to Process Confidential Patient Information

The Secretary of State has served notice to recipients under Regulation 3(4) that requires WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE to process confidential patient information, including disseminating to a person or organisation permitted to process confidential patient information under Regulation 3(3) of COPI.

WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE isonly required to process such confidential patient information:

• where the confidential patient information to be processed is required for a Covid-19 Purpose and will be processed solely for that Covid-19 Purpose in accordance with Regulation 7 of COPI
• from 20^th March 2020 until 30th September 2020.

Covid-19 Purpose.

A Covid-19 Purpose includes but is not limited to the following:

• understanding Covid-19 and risks to public health, trends in Covid-19 and such risks, and controlling and preventing the spread of Covid-19 and such risks
• identifying and understanding information about patients or potential patients with or at risk of Covid-19, information about incidents of patient exposure to Covid-19 and the management of patients with or at risk of Covid-19 including: locating, contacting, screening, flagging and monitoring such patients and collecting information about and providing services in relation to testing, diagnosis, self-isolation, fitness to work, treatment, medical and social interventions and recovery from Covid-19
• understanding information about patient access to health services and adult social care services and the need for wider care of patients and vulnerable groups as a direct or indirect result of Covid-19 and the availability and capacity of those services or that care
• monitoring and managing the response to Covid-19 by health and social care bodies and the Government including providing information to the public about Covid-19 and its effectiveness and information about capacity, medicines, equipment, supplies, services and the workforce within the health services and adult social care services
• delivering services to patients, clinicians, the health services and adult social care services workforce and the public about and in connection with Covid-19, including the provision of information, fit notes and the provision of health care and adult social care services
• research and planning in relation to Covid-19.

Recording of processing

A record will be kept by WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE of all data processed under this Notice.

Sending Public Health Messages

Data protection and electronic communication laws will not stop WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE from sending public health messages to you, either by phone, text or email as these messages are not direct marketing.

Digital Consultations

It may also be necessary, where the latest technology allows WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE to do so, to use your information and health data to facilitate digital consultations and diagnoses and we will always do this with your security in mind.

Visitors to The Practice

We have an obligation to protect our staff and employees’ health, so it is reasonable for staff at WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE to ask any visitors to our practice to tell us if they have visited a particular country, or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. This must only be in pre-approved circumstances and we would also ask all patients to consider government advice on the NHS 111 website and not attend the practice.

Where it is necessary for us to collect information and specific health data about visitors to our practice, we will not collect more information than we need, and we will ensure that any information collected is treated with the appropriate safeguards.

Review and Expiry of this Notice

This Notice will be reviewed on or before 31^st March 2021 and may be extended by The Secretary of State. If no further notice is sent to WHITWORTH MEDICAL CENTRE by The Secretary of State this Notice will expire on 31^st March 2021.

The doctors and staff at Whitworth Medical Centre would like to thank patients for continuing to help us support several charities, details of which can be found below.

• Staff and patients have been donating books for sale since 2007 and the proceeds raised have been donated to our local Hospice in Rochdale, Springhill.  Spinghill Hospice is an independent charity that has to rely on voluntary contributions and provides specialist and palliative care for people with life-limiting illness.  The amount raised for donation over the last year was £532.00.  Further details on the good work that the hospice carries out can be found on their website www.springhill.org.uk.

• We have also donated unused medical equipment which can no longer be utilised in our practice to the help to provide better healthcare in third world countries.

• We have a collection point for old unwanted spectacles in the reception area. These are forwarded for use in third world countries.

• Disabled access
  The surgery entrance has a ramp, push button electronic doors and wide doors to allow for wheelchair access. All of our consultation rooms are wheelchair accessible.

• Services for the Disabled
  If you have a disability and you require assistance, please ask at Reception where one of our receptionists will be pleased to help you.

• For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  Hearing Loops
  Whitworth Medical Centre now has the facility of a hearing loop. Please adjust your hearing aid to the necessary frequency.

• For the Blind and those with Sight Impairment
  Patient Leaflet
  Our Patient leaflet is available in large print for those who are partially sighted. Please ask at Reception if you require a booklet in large print.

• For Physically Disabled

• • Disabled Toilets
    Disabled toilets are available on the ground floor.
  • Mobility Scooters
    These buggies are generally for outdoor use only. If you use one of these and are unable to walk for any distance, it would be appreciated if you could transfer to our wheelchair. Please ask a receptionist for assistance.

Document

Whitworth Medical Centre Publication scheme March 2016

DPR, Data Extraction/Data Sharing, and your right to object

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) come into force in May 2018. Basically these cover much the same ground as Information Governance (see above), but they lay more emphasis on written policies and procedures, and on organisations such as surgeries taking responsibility for informing staff and patients of the data they hold and how it is managed.

Most of the data we hold about our patients is on our clinical computer system (Emis Web), which is managed offsite via a central server.  Patients should be aware that this data (and in fact all computerised GP records in doctors’ surgeries across the UK) is regularly accessed by a data extraction service called the General Practice Extraction Service (GPES), but that this service only extracts anonymised data for the sake of national statistics about patients and their health (for example the National Diabetes Audit).

Some non-anonymised, personal data for individual patients is also routinely shared with the national Summary Care Record service, which allows other health professionals to see things like your allergies and repeat prescriptions: this information can be very helpful if you have to be admitted to hospital as an emergency.

There may also be instances where we ask permission to share your personal details with other health services – for example if we have a Care Plan for an elderly or vulnerable patient, including next-of-kin details and emergency contact telephone numbers, we might ask your permission to share it with the out-of-hours services and the ambulance service, so that they would have access to the information if something happened when the surgery was closed.  You are entitled to refuse permission for any of these data extractions or data sharing arrangements: if you do so then your decision will be recorded on your notes and the data extractions and data sharing will not take place for you.

For more information please see  (https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/).

How The Medical Centre Implements the NHS Constitution

Principles

The Practice:

• Provides a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status, and has a duty to respect their human rights.

• Promotes equality through the service, providing and to paying particular attention to groups or sections of society where improvements in health and life expectancy are not keeping pace with the rest of the population.

• Provides access to services based on clinical need, not on an individual’s ability to pay.

• Aspires to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism, providing safe and effective high-quality care focused on patient experience.

• Ensures that it is effectively lead and managed and its staff receive relevant education, training and development.

• Its services reflect the needs and preferences of patients, their families and carers who will be involved in and consulted on all decisions about their care and treatment.

• Ensures that it works across organisational boundaries and in partnership with other organisations in the interest of patients, local communities and the wider population.

• Is accountable to the public, communities and patients that it serves.

• Supports staff when they raise concerns about the service by ensuring their concerns are fully investigated and that there is someone independent, outside of their team, to speak to.

Patient Rights

Patients have the right:

• To receive NHS services free of charge, apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament.

• To access NHS services and not be refused access on unreasonable grounds.

• To expect the Practice to assess the health requirements of the local community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary.

• In certain circumstances to go to other European Economic Area countries or Switzerland for treatment which would be available through the NHS.

• Not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status.

• To access services within maximum waiting times, or to be offered a range of alternative providers if this is not possible.

• To be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality.

• To be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with their human rights.

• To accept or refuse treatment that is offered, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless valid consent has been given.

• To be given information about their proposed treatment in advance, including any significant risks and any alternative treatments which may be available, and the risks involved in doing nothing.

• To privacy and confidentiality and to expect the Practice to keep their confidential information safe and secure.

• To access their own health records.

• To choose their GP practice, and to be accepted by that Practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case they will be informed of those reasons.

• To express a preference for using a particular doctor within their GP Practice.

• To make choices about their NHS care and to information to support these choices.

• To be involved in discussions and decisions about their healthcare, and to be given information to enable them to do this.

• To be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services.

• To have any complaint they make about NHS services dealt with efficiently, to have it properly investigated, know the outcome and how to escalate the complaint to the independent Health Service Ombudsman.

• To make a claim for judicial review if they think they have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body.

• To compensation where they have been harmed by negligent treatment.

Patient Responsibilities

• To make a significant contribution to their own, and their family’s, good health and well-being, and take some personal responsibility for it.

• Register with a GP Practice.

• To treat NHS staff and other patients with respect and recognise that causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises could result in prosecution.

• To provide accurate information about their health, condition and status.

• To keep appointments, or cancel within reasonable time.

• To follow the course of treatment which they have agreed, and talk to their clinician if they find this difficult.

• To participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination.

• To ensure that those closest to them are aware of their wishes about organ donation.

• To give feedback – both positive and negative – about the treatment and care they have received, including any adverse reactions they may have had.

Practice Staff Rights

Practice Staff have the right:

• To a good working environment with flexible working opportunities, consistent with the needs of patients and with the way that people live their lives;

• To have a fair pay and contract framework;

• To be involved and represented in the workplace;

• To have healthy and safe working conditions and an environment free from harassment, bullying or violence;

• To be treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination; and

• To raise an internal grievance and if necessary seek redress, where it is felt that a right has not been upheld;

• To raise any concern with their employer, whether it is about safety, malpractice or other risk, in the public interest, without suffering any detriment.

NHS Pledge to Staff Members

The NHS Commits:

• To provide a positive working environment for staff and to promote supportive, open cultures that help staff do their job to the best of their ability;
• To provide all staff with clear roles and responsibilities and rewarding jobs for teams and individuals that make a difference to patients, their families and carers and communities;
• To provide all staff with personal development, access to appropriate training for their jobs and line management support to succeed;
• To provide support and opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety;
• To engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services they provide, individually, through representative organisations and through local partnership working arrangements. All staff will be empowered to put forward ways to deliver better and safer services for patients and their families;
• To have a process for staff to raise an internal grievance;
• To support all staff in raising concerns at the earliest reasonable opportunity about safety, malpractice or wrongdoing at work, responding to and, where necessary, investigating the concerns raised and acting consistently with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

Practice Staff Responsibilities

Practice Staff have the duty:

• To accept professional accountability and maintain the standards of professional practice as set by the appropriate regulatory body applicable to their profession or role.

• To take reasonable care of health and safety at work for themselves, their team and others, and to co-operate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.

• To act in accordance with the express and implied terms of their contract of employment.

• Not to discriminate against patients or staff and to adhere to equal opportunities and equality and human rights legislation.

• To protect the confidentiality of personal information that they hold unless to do so would put anyone at risk of significant harm.

• To be honest and truthful in applying for a job and in carrying out that job.

• To play their part in ensuring the success of the NHS and delivering high-quality care by:

• Maintaining the highest standards of care and service, taking responsibility not only for the care they personally provide, but also for their wider contribution to the aims of their team and the NHS as a whole;

• Taking up training and development opportunities provided over and above those legally required of their particular post;

• Actively taking part in sustainably improving services by working in partnership with patients, the public and communities;

• Raising any genuine concern they may have about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing at work (such as a risk to patient safety, fraud or breaches of patient confidentiality), which may affect patients, the public, other staff or the Practice itself, at the earliest reasonable opportunity;

• Involving patients, their families, carers or representatives fully in decisions about prevention, diagnosis, and their individual care and treatment;

• Being open with patients, their families, carers or representatives, including if anything goes wrong; welcoming and listening to feedback and addressing concerns promptly and in a spirit of co-operation;

• Contributing to a climate where the truth can be heard, the reporting of, and learning from errors is encouraged and colleagues are supported where errors are made;

• Viewing the services they provide from the standpoint of a patient, and involve patients, their families and carers in the services they provide, working with them, their communities and other organisations, and making it clear who is responsible for their care.

• To take every appropriate opportunity to encourage and support patients and colleagues to improve their health and wellbeing;

• To contribute towards providing fair and equitable services for all and play your part, wherever possible, in helping to reduce inequalities in experience, access or outcomes between differing groups or sections of society requiring health care;

• To inform patients about the use of their confidential information and to record their objections, consent or dissent; and

• To provide access to a patient’s information to other relevant professionals, always doing so securely, and only where there is a legal and appropriate basis to do so.

Source:

The NHS Constitution = March 2013:

NHS Constitution

• Our Duties to You
  • We are here to give you advice and appropriate medical care.
• • No treatment will be given without your informed consent. Please ask questions if you are unsure of anything.
• • We are committed to providing the best possible service.
• • We will offer an appointment with a doctor within 48 hours. If you wish to see a specific doctor , your waiting time may be longer.
• • We will try to avoid the situation of surgeries running late. However, due to the nature of General Practice at times unexpected medical situations can cause delays.
• • Medical advice will always be available in urgent medical situations.
• • You will be treated as an individual, as a partner in your own healthcare irrespective of age, ethnic origin and cultural or religious beliefs.
• • As well as managing illness, we will offer advice and information on steps that can be taken to prevent illness.
• • Your records and medical information will be kept confidential at all times. Your medical information will only be accessed by the practice for appropriate reasons.
• • You have the right see your own medical records, subject to the limitations of the law. You have the right to have copies of your records , though it should be noted that an administrative charge is necessary to cover staff time for copying of records.

• Your Responsibility to Us
  • During busy times it may be necessary to wait . Your patience at these times is greatly appreciated.
• • Please treat our staff with respect and courtesy, we are here to help you.
• • Please ask questions if you are unsure of anything.
  • Please ensure that we have an up to date land-line telephone number for you.
  • Please let us know of your change of name or address immediately.
• • We understand that at times situations occur unexpectedly. If the need arises, please cancel appointments with as much notice as possible. Failure to arrive for appointments with no reason being given is recorded and repeated episodes will result in action being taken.(See “DNA” did not attend policy)
  • Appointments are booked at 10 minute intervals. We understand that people can get unexpectedly delayed at times. Please understand that if you are late for an appointment the doctor will move on to the next patient on the list. We will try to accommodate patients who attend up to 10 minutes late though you may have to wait until the doctor can fit you in between patients. If you are over ten minutes late for your appointment, you will be asked to re-book for another time.
• • You are ultimately responsible for your own health . We can give advice and treatment , but the decision to act up that advice lies with you.
• • Please request home visits before 10am and only when the patient is too unwell to get to the surgery. Home visits are necessary for some clinical situations and we are happy to see these patients at home when needed. We do however, at times, get inappropriate requests for home visits, where the issue is convenience rather than need. The doctors can see four or more patients at the surgery in the time it takes to do one home visit and at busy times a ten hour working day is simply not long enough!
• • Enquiries about hospital appointments or test results ordered by doctors at the hospital should be directed to the hospital secretaries and not to our reception staff.
• • Violent and abusive behaviour is never acceptable. Those responsible will be reported to the police and removed from the practice list.

Whitworth Medical Centre

PRACTICE FAIR PROCESSING

& PRIVACY NOTICE

Your Information, Your Rights

Being transparent and providing accessible information to patients about how we will use your personal information is a key element of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

The following notice reminds you of your rights in respect of the above legislation and how your GP Practice will use your information for lawful purposes in order to deliver your care and the effective management of the local system.

This notice reflects how we use information for:

• The management of patient records;
• Communication concerning your clinical, social and supported care;
• Ensuring the quality of your care and the best clinical outcomes are achieved through clinical audit and retrospective review;
• Participation in health and social care research; and
• The management and clinical planning of services to ensure that appropriate care is in place for our patients today and in the future.

Data Controller

As your registered GP practice, we are the data controller for any personal data that we hold about you.

What information do we collect and use?

All personal data must be processed fairly and lawfully, whether is it received directly from you or from a third party in relation to the your care.

We will collect the following types of information from you or about you from a third party (provider organisation) engaged in the delivery of your care:

• ‘Personal data’ meaning any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified from the data.  This includes, but is not limited to name, date of birth, full postcode, address, next of kin and NHS number;

And

• ‘Special category / sensitive data’ such as medical history including details of appointments and contact with you, medication, emergency appointments and admissions, clinical notes, treatments, results of investigations, supportive care arrangements, social care status, race, ethnic origin, genetics and sexual orientation.

Your healthcare records contain information about your health and any treatment or care you have received previously (e.g. from an acute hospital, GP surgery, community care provider, mental health care provider, walk-in centre, social services).  These records may be electronic, a paper record or a mixture of both.  We use a combination of technologies and working practices to ensure that we keep your information secure and confidential.

Why do we collect this information?

The NHS Act 2006 and the Health and Social Care Act 2012 invests statutory functions on GP Practices to promote and provide the health service in England, improve quality of services, reduce inequalities, conduct research, review performance of services and deliver education and training.  To do this we will need to process your information in accordance with current data protection legislation to:

• Protect your vital interests;
• Pursue our legitimate interests as a provider of medical care, particularly where the individual is a child or a vulnerable adult;
• Perform tasks in the public’s interest;
• Deliver preventative medicine, medical diagnosis, medical research; and
• Manage the health and social care system and services.

How is the information collected?

Your information will be collected either electronically using secure NHS Mail or a secure electronic transferred over an NHS encrypted network connection.  In addition physical information will be sent to your practice.  This information will be retained within your GP’s electronic patient record or within your physical medical records.

Who will we share your information with?

In order to deliver and coordinate your health and social care, we may share information with the following organisations:

• Local GP Practices in order to deliver extended primary care services
• NHS – Pennine Acute Trust, CMFT, Manchester Single Hospital Trust etc.
• 111 and Out of Hours Service
• Local Social Services and Community Care services
• Voluntary Support Organisations commissioned to provide services by Manchester Health and Care Commissioning.

Your information will only be shared if it is appropriate for the provision of your care or required to satisfy our statutory function and legal obligations.

Your information will not be transferred outside of the European Union.

Whilst we might share your information with the above organisations, we may also receive information from them to ensure that your medical records are kept up to date and so that your GP can provide the appropriate care.

In addition we received data from NHS Digital (as directed by the Department of Health) such as the uptake of flu vaccinations and disease prevalence in order to assist us to improve “out of hospital care”.

How do we maintain the confidentiality of your records?

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information that has been collected lawfully.  Every member of staff who works for an NHS organisation has a legal obligation to keep information about you confidential.  We maintain our duty of confidentiality by conducting annual training and awareness, ensuring access to personal data is limited to the appropriate staff and information is only shared with organisations and individuals that have a legitimate and legal basis for access.

Information is not held for longer than is necessary.   We will hold your information in accordance with the Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2016.

Consent and Objections

Do I need to give my consent?

The GDPR sets a high standard for consent.  Consent means offering people genuine choice and control over how their data is used. When consent is used properly, it helps you build trust and enhance your reputation.  However consent is only one potential lawful basis for processing information.  Therefore your GP practice may not need to seek your explicit consent for every instance of processing and sharing your information, on the condition that the processing is carried out in accordance with this notice.  Your GP Practice will contact you if they are required to share your information for any other purpose which is not mentioned within this notice.  Your consent will be documented within your electronic patient record.

What will happen if I withhold my consent or raise an objection?

You have the right to write to withdraw your consent to any time for any particular instance of processing, provided consent is the legal basis for the processing.  Please contact your GP Practice for further information and to raise your objection.

Health Risk Screening / Risk Stratification

Health Risk Screening or Risk Stratification is a process that helps your GP to determine whether you are at risk of an unplanned admission or deterioration in health.  By using selected information such as age, gender, NHS number, diagnosis, existing long term condition(s), medication history, patterns of hospital attendances, admissions and periods of access to community care your GP will be able to judge if you are likely to need more support and care from time to time, or if the right services are in place to support the local population’s needs.

To summarise Risk Stratification is used in the NHS to:

• Help decide if a patient is at a greater risk of suffering from a particular condition;
• Prevent an emergency admission;
• Identify if a patient needs medical help to prevent a health condition from getting worse; and/or
• Review and amend provision of current health and social care services.

Your GP will use computer based algorithms or calculations to identify their registered patients who are at most risk, with support from the local Commissioning Support Unit and/or a third party accredited Risk Stratification provider.  The risk stratification contracts are arranged by your local CCG/Health Board in accordance with the current Section 251 Agreement. Neither the CSU nor your local CCG will at any time have access to your personal or confidential data.  They will only act on behalf of your GP to organise the risk stratification service with appropriate contractual technical and security measures in place.

Your GP will routinely conduct the risk stratification process outside of your GP appointment.  This process is conducted electronically and without human intervention.  The resulting report is then reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of staff within the Practice.  This may result in contact being made with you if alterations to the provision of your care are identified.

A Section 251 Agreement is where the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has granted permission for personal data to be used for the purposes of risk stratification, in acknowledgement that it would overburden the NHS to conduct manual reviews of all patient registers held by individual providers.

As mentioned above, you have the right to object to your information being used in this way.  However you should be aware that your objection may have a negative impact on the timely and proactive provision of your direct care.  Please contact the Practice Manager to discuss how disclosure of your personal data can be limited.

Sharing of Electronic Patient Records within the NHS

Electronic patient records are kept in most places where you receive healthcare.  Our local electronic systems (such as SystmOne, EMIS and Eclipse) enables your record to be shared with organisations involved in your direct care, such as:

• GP practices
• Community services such as district nurses, rehabilitation services, telehealth and out of hospital services.
• Child health services that undertake routine treatment or health screening
• Urgent care organisations, minor injury units or out of hours services
• Community hospitals
• Palliative care hospitals
• Care Homes
• Mental Health Trusts
• Hospitals
• Social Care organisations
• Pharmacies

In addition, NHS England  have implemented the Summary Care Record which contains information including medication you are taking and any bad reactions to medication that you have had in the past.

In most cases, particularly for patients with complex conditions and care arrangements, the shared electronic health record plays a vital role in delivering the best care and a coordinated response, taking into account all aspects of a person’s physical and mental health.  Many patients are understandably not able to provide a full account of their care, or may not be in a position to do so.  The shared record means patients do not have to repeat their medical history at every care setting.

Your record will be automatically setup to be shared with the organisations listed above, however you have the right to ask your GP to disable this function or restrict access to specific elements of your record.  This will mean that the information recorded by your GP will not be visible at any other care setting.

You can also reinstate your consent at any time by giving your permission to override your previous dissent.

Invoice Validation

If you have received treatment within the NHS, the local Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) may require access to your personal information to determine which Clinical Commissioning Group is responsible for payment for the treatment or procedures you have received.  Information such as your name, address, date of treatment and associated treatment code may be passed onto the CSU to enable them to process the bill.  These details are held in a secure environment and kept confidential.  This information is only used to validate invoices in accordance with the current Section 251 Agreement, and will not be shared for any further commissioning purposes.

Your Right of Access to Your Records

The Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulations allows you to find out what information is held about you including information held within your medical records, either in electronic or physical format.  This is known as the “right of subject access”.  If you would like to have access to all or part of your records, you can make a request in writing to the organisation that you believe holds your information.  This can be your GP, or a provider that is or has delivered your treatment and care.  You should however be aware that some details within your health records may be exempt from disclosure, however this will in the interests of your wellbeing or to protect the identity of a third party.  If you would like access to your GP record please submit your request in writing to:

Data Processors – Ms K Carter, Ms Laura Shackleton.

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 Miss Sharon Smith @ [email protected]

If you remain dissatisfied with our response you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, Tel 01625 545 700 or alternatively  online at www.ico.gov.uk

At times we may have student nurses or trainee GPs observing our clinicians. You will always be advised if trainees are present and these trainees are very happy to leave consultation rooms if you prefer.