CONFIDENTIALITY
AND THE DATA PROTECTION ACT
We ask you for information so that
you can receive proper care and
treatment.
We keep this information, together
with details of your care, because
it may be needed if we see you
again.
We may use some of this information
for other reasons: for example, to
help us protect the health of the
public generally and to see that the
NHS runs efficiently, plans for the
future, trains its staff, pays its
bills and can account for its
actions.
Information may also be needed to
help educate tomorrow's clinical
staff and to carry out medical and
other health research for the
benefit of everyone.
Sometimes the law requires us to
pass on information: for example, to
notify a birth.
The NHS Central Register for England
& Wales contains basic personal
details of all patients registered
with a general practitioner. The
Register does not contain clinical
information.
You have a right of access to your
health records.
EVERYONE WORKING FOR THE NHS HAS
A LEGAL DUTY TO KEEP INFORMATION
ABOUT YOU CONFIDENTIAL.
You may be receiving care from other
people as well as the NHS. So that
we can all work together for your
benefit, we may need to share some
information about you.
We only ever use or pass on
information about you if people have
a genuine need for it in your and
everyone's interests. Whenever we
can we shall remove details which
identify you. Law strictly controls
the sharing of some types of very
sensitive personal information.
Anyone who receives information from
us is also under a legal duty to
keep it confidential.
THE MAIN REASONS FOR WHICH YOUR
INFORMATION MAY BE NEEDED ARE:
- giving you
health care and treatment
- looking after
the health of the general public
- managing and
planning the NHS. For example:
- making
sure that our services can
meet patient needs in the
future
- paying
your doctor, nurse, dentist
or other staff, and the
hospital which treats you
for the care they provide
- auditing
accounts
- preparing
statistics on NHS
performance and activity
(where steps will be taken
to ensure you cannot be
identified)
-
investigating complaints or
legal claims
- helping staff
to review the care they provide
to make sure it is of the
highest standard
- training and
educating staff (but you can
choose whether or not to be
involved personally)
- research
approved by the Local Research
Ethics Committee. (If anything
to do with the research would
involve you personally, you will
be contacted to see if you are
willing)
If you agree, your
relatives, friends and carers will
be kept up to date with the progress
of your treatment.
If at anytime you would like to know
more about how we use your
information you can speak to the
person in charge of your care or to
the Practice Manager.
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