How we use your data
Information about you and the care you receive is shared, in a secure system, by healthcare staff to support your treatment and care.
It is important that we, the NHS, can use this information to plan and improve services for all patients. We would like to link information from all the different places where you receive care, such as your GP, hospital and community service, to help us provide a full picture. This will allow us to compare the care you received in one area against the care you received in another, so we can see what has worked best.
Information such as your postcode and NHS number, but not your name, will be used to link your records in a secure system, so your identity is protected. Information which does not reveal your identity can then be used by others, such as researchers and those planning health services, to make sure we provide the best care possible for everyone.
Summary Care Record
Summary Care Record (SCR) is a national database that holds electronic records of important patient information such as current medication, allergies and details of any previous bad reactions to medicines, created from GP medical records. It can be seen and used by authorised staff in other areas of the health and care system involved in the patient’s direct care.
If you are happy for your information to be used in this way you do not have to do anything. If you have any concerns or wish to prevent this from happening.
For more information, please visit NHS Digital: Summary Care Record – NHS Digital
National Data Opt-out
The national data opt-out allows a patient to choose if they do not want their confidential patient information to be used for purposes beyond their individual care and treatment – for research and planning. Patients, or people acting for them by proxy, have control over setting or changing their own opt-out choice, and can change their mind at any time.
For more information regarding this, please visit the Digital NHS Website: National data opt-out – NHS Digital
Virtual Consultations
We are pleased to be offering new ways of consulting without patients including video consultations and PATCHs. These are convenient ways for our patients to access healthcare and advice. The highest confidentiality and security standards are applied to ensure patient data acquired by these methods is always kept secure.
Photographs
You may send a photograph as part of your assessment in an email, as part of PATCHs, or via text. This photograph will be put into your medical record and be protected under the Data Protection Act 2018. This means the picture will only be used for the purpose of your care and will be kept secure.
Please note the photograph may need to be process by administrative staff members and may need to be assessed by another clinician other than who you may have specified, dependent on which doctor or nurse is on duty.
AccuRx
AccuRx is a new software enabling a Practice to communicate with patients via SMS. Messages are sent regarding appointment bookings, health advice, blood results and other administrative matters