The practice will not tolerate any violence or abuse (including verbal abuse) to any members of the team.
If this happens you will be asked to leave the premises and you will be removed from the practice list.
All Polices
Summary Care Record
There is a Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR).
It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Why Do I Need A Summary Care Record?
Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.
Who Can See It?
Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.
How Do I Know If I Have One?
Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record.
Do I Have To Have One?
No, it is not compulsory.
If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a Summary Care Record Opt-Out form to let the surgery know.
More Information
For further information visit the NHS Care records website.
Statement of Intent
Contractual requirements came into force requiring that GP practices should make available a statement of intent in relation to the following IT developments:
- Summary Care Record (SCR)
- GP to GP Record Transfers
- Patient Online Access to Their GP Record
- Data for commissioning and other secondary care purposes
The same contractual obligations require that we have a statement of intent regarding these developments in place and publicised.
Please find below details of the practices stance with regards to these points.
Summary Care Record (SCR)
NHS England require practices to enable successful automated uploads of any changes to patient’s summary information, at least on a daily basis, to the summary care record (SCR) or have published plans in place to achieve this.
Having your Summary Care Record (SCR) available will help anyone treating you without your full medical record. They will have access to information about any medication you may be taking and any drugs that you have a recorded allergy or sensitivity to.
Of course, if you do not want your medical records to be available in this way then you will need to let us know so that we can update your record.
The practice confirms that your SCR is automatically updated on at least a daily basis to ensure that your information is as up to date as it can possibly be.
GP to GP Record Transfers
NHS England requires practices to utilise the GP2GP facility for the transfer of patient records between practices, when a patient registers or de-registers (not for temporary registration).
It is very important that you are registered with a doctor at all times. If you leave your GP and register with a new GP, your medical records will be removed from your previous doctor and forwarded on to your new GP via NHS England. It can take your paper records up to two weeks to reach your new surgery.
With GP to GP record transfers your electronic record is transferred to your new practice much sooner. The practice confirms that GP to GP transfers are already active and we send and receive patient records via this system.
Patient Online Access to Their GP Record
NHS England require practices to promote and offer the facility to enable patients online access to appointments, prescriptions, allergies and adverse reactions or have published plans in place to achieve this.
We currently offer the facility for booking and cancelling appointments and also for ordering your repeat prescriptions and viewing a summary of your medical records on-line. If you do not already have a user name and password for this system – please register your interest with our reception staff.
Data for Commissioning and Other Secondary Care Purposes
It is already a requirement of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 that practices must meet the reasonable data requirements of commissioners and other health and social care organisations through appropriate and safe data sharing for secondary uses, as specified in the technical specification for care data.
At our practice we have specific arrangements in place to allow patients to “opt out” of care data which allows for the removal of data from the practice.
The practice confirm these arrangements are in place and that we undertake annual training and audits to ensure that all our data is handled correctly and safely via the Information Governance Toolkit.
Non-NHS Work
Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges.
Examples include the following:
- Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
- Insurance claim forms
- Passport signing
- Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
- Private sick notes
- Vaccination certificates
How We Use Your Information
How we keep your records confidential
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.
We have a duty to:
- Maintain full and accurate records of the care we provide to you.
- Keep records about you confidential, secure and accurate.
- Provide information in a format that is accessible to you (i.e., in large type if you are partially sighted).
We will not share information that identifies you for any reason, unless:
- You ask us to do so.
- We ask, and you give us specific permission.
- We must do this by law.
- We have special permission for health or research purposes.
- We have special permission because the interests of the public are thought to be of greater importance than your confidentiality.
Our guiding principle is that we are holding your records in strict confidence.
Who are our partner organisations?
We may share information with the following main partner organisations:
- NHS England.
- Our commissioners.
- NHS trusts / organisation (hospitals, CCG’s).
- Ambulance service.
- Social services.
We may also share your information, with your consent and subject to strict sharing protocols about how it will be used, with:
- Education services.
- Local authorities.
- Voluntary sector providers.
- Private sector.
Anyone who receives information from us also has a legal duty to keep it all confidential.
If you believe the trust has breached any of your data protection rights
You have a right to complain to the UK Supervisory Authority as below:
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe house
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 01625 545745
Website: Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Why we collect information about you
In the practice, we aim to provide you with the highest quality of health care. To do this we must keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided or plan to provide to you.
These records may include:
- Basic details about you, such as address, date of birth, next of kin.
- Contact we have had with you such as clinical visits.
- Details and records about your treatment and care.
- Results of x-rays, laboratory test etc.
- Relevant information from people who care for you and know you well, such as health professionals and relatives.
It is good practice for people in the NHS who provide care to:
- Discuss and agree with you what they are going to record about you.
- Give you a copy of letters they are writing about you.
- Show you what they have recorded about you, if you ask.
We will only store your information in identifiable form for a long as in necessary in and in accordance with the NHS England’s Rules found within the Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2016 page on the NHS Digital website.
How your records are used
The people who care for you use your records to:
- Provide a good basis for all health decisions made by you and care professionals.
- Allow you to work with those providing care.
- Make sure your care is safe and effective.
- Work effectively with others providing you with care.
Others may also need to use records about you to:
- Check the quality of care (such as clinical audit).
- Protect the health of the public.
- Keep track of NHS spending.
- Manage the health service.
- Help investigate any concerns or complaints you or your family have about your health care.
- Teach health workers.
- Help with research.
Some information will be held centrally to be used for statistical purposes. In these instances, we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified.
We use anonymous information, wherever possible, but on occasions we may use personally confidential information for essential NHS purposes such as research and auditing. However, this information will only be used with your consent, unless the law requires us to pass on the information.
The legal part
You have a right to privacy under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulations 2016. The practice needs your personal, sensitive and confidential data in order perform our statutory health duties, in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller in compliance with Article 6 (e) of the GDPR and for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services on the in compliance with Article 9, (h) of the GDPR.
You have the right to ask for a copy of all records about you.
- Your request should be made to the practice holding your information
- We are required to respond to you within one Month
- You will need to give adequate information (for example full name, address, date of birth NHS number etc.)
To Access your record contact
If you think anything is inaccurate or incorrect, please inform the practice as soon as possible. For other rights about the use of your information please see our website.
The practice data protection officer is Paul Couldrey PCIG Consulting Ltd, and is available via:
- Telephone: 07525 623939
- Email: Couldrey@me.com
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the ‘classes’ of information the practice intends to routinely make available.
This scheme is available on request.
Data Choices
Your Data Matters To The NHS
Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.
How Your Data Is Used
Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnoses is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help us and other organisations for research and planning such as research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital. It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.
Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.
You Have A Choice
You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. If you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Will Choosing This Opt-Out Affect Your Care And Treatment?
No, choosing to opt out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.
What Do You Need To Do?
If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.
To find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters
Useful Links / Downloads
- www.digital.nhs.uk/about-nhs-digital – Opting out of sharing your confidential patient information.
- Information leaflet – Your Data Matters
to the NHS. - Information poster – Information about your health and care helps
us to improve your individual care. - Guide for young people – A guide to the national data opt-out for young people.
- Guide for Carers – A guide to the national data opt-out for carers.
Confidentiality
We have a legal responsibility to keep confidential all of the information held about you.
Information may need to be shared with others to provide you with the best care, for example hospitals, district nurses etc. We follow strict guidelines concerning the release of information.