(Fair Processing Notice - Data Protection Act 1998)

Why do we collect information about you?

Your doctor and other health professionals caring for you, keep records about your health and any treatment and care you receive from the NHS. This helps to ensure that you receive the best possible care from us. The record may be written down (manual records), or held on a computer. The records may include:

• Basic details about you, such as address and next of kin
• Contacts we have had with you, such as clinic visits
• Notes and reports about your health and any treatment and care you have received
• Results of any investigations, such as X-rays and laboratory tests

How your records are used to help us

Your records are used to guide staff in the care you receive to ensure that:

• Your doctor, nurse or any other healthcare professionals involved in your care has accurate and up-to-date information to assess your health and decide what care you need
• Full information is available if you see another doctor, or are referred to a specialist or another part of the NHS
• There is a good basis for assessing the type and quality of care you have received
• Your concerns can be properly investigated if you need to complain

How your records are used to help the NHS?

Your information may also be used to help us:

• Make sure our services can meet patient needs in the future
• Review the care we provide to ensure it is of the highest standard
• Teach and train healthcare professionals
• Pay your GP, dentist and hospital for the care they provide
• Investigate complaints, legal claims or untoward incidents

Some of this information will be held centrally, but where this is used for statistical purposes stringent measures are taken to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified. Where it is not possible to use anonymous information, we will ask for your consent, unless the law requires us to release the information.

How do we keep your records confidential?

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.

You may be receiving care from other organisations as well as the NHS (e.g. Social Services). We may need to share some information about you so we can all work together for your benefit. We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it.

Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential

We are required by law to report certain information to the appropriate authorities. Occasions when we must pass on information include:

• Notification of new births
• Notification of infectious diseases
• Where a formal court order has been issued

Who are our partner organisations that we may share your information with?

The principle partner organisations, who we may share information with, are:

• NHS Trusts
• General Practitioners (GPs)
• Ambulance Services

Your information may also be shared with:

• Social Services
• Education Services
• Local Authorities
• Voluntary Sector Providers
• Private Sector Providers

How you can get access to your own health records?

The Data Protection Act 1998, allows you to find out what information is held about you.

If you would like to see your records you can make a written request to the Trust. You are entitled to receive a copy of your records but should note that a charge will usually be made. You should also be aware that in certain circumstances your right to see some details in your health records may be limited.

Further Information

If you would like to know more about how we use your information or if, for any reason, you do not wish to have your information used in any of the ways described here please speak to the health professionals concerned with your care.

Alternatively, if you have any queries please contact christopher.plumstead@leedsth.nhs.uk