How we use your personal information
This fair processing notice explains why Merton Medical Practice collects information about you and how that information may be used.
The health care professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have received previously (e.g. NHS Trust, GP Surgery, Walkin clinic, etc.). These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.
NHS health records may be electronic, on paper or a mixture of both, and we use a combination of working practices and technology to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure. Records which we hold about you may include the following information:
- Details about you, such as your name, DOB, address, email address, contact number, carer or legal representative, next of kin details
- Any contact the surgery has had with you, such as appointments, clinic visits, emergency appointments, etc
- Notes and reports about your health
- Details about your treatment and care
- Results of investigations such as laboratory tests, x-rays etc , relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you
To ensure you receive the best possible care, your records are used to facilitate the care you receive. Information held about you may be used to help protect the health of the public and to help us manage the NHS. Information may be used within the GP practice for clinical audit to monitor the quality of the service provided. Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes.
Where we do this, we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified. Sometimes your information may be requested to be used for research purposes – the surgery will always gain your consent before releasing the information for this purpose. Nonetheless, if you wish to register to opt out of your confidential information being used for purposes beyond your individual care and treatment you can do so via the NHS website or via the NHS app.
How do we maintain the confidentiality of your records?
We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with:
- Data Protection Act 2018 (GDPR)
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
- Health and Social Care Act 2012
- NHS Codes of Confidentiality
- Information, Security and Records Management
- Information: To Share or Not to Share Review
Every member of staff who works for an NHS organisation has a legal obligation to keep information about you confidential. We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it.
We will not disclose your information to any third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. life or death situations), where the law requires information to be passed on. Health and social care professionals should have the confidence to share information in the best interests of their patients within the framework set out by the Caldicott principles. They should be supported by the policies of their employers, regulators and professional bodies.
Who are our partner organisations?
We may also have to share your information, subject to strict agreements on how it will be used, with the following organisations;
- NHS Trusts / Foundation Trusts,
- GPs (When you change GP practices)
- NHS Commissioning Support Units
- Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists
- Private Sector Providers
- Voluntary Sector Providers
- Ambulance Trusts
- Clinical Commissioning Groups
- Social Care Services
- Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC)
- Local Authorities
- Education Services
- Fire and Rescue Services
- Police and Judicial Services
- Voluntary Sector Providers
- Private Sector Providers
- Other ‘data processors’ which you will be informed of
You will be informed who your data will be shared with and in some cases asked for explicit consent for this to happen when this is required.
We may also use external companies to process personal information, such as for archiving purposes. These companies are bound by contractual agreements to protect your data.
Access to personal information
You have a right under the Data Protection Act 2018 (GDPR) to access/view information the Practice holds about you, and to have it amended or removed should it be inaccurate. This is known as ‘the right of subject accesses’. If we hold information about you we will give you a description of it; tell you why we are holding it; tell you who it could be disclosed to; and, let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form.
If you would like to make a ‘subject access request’ please contact the practice manager in writing. You will need to give adequate information (for example full name, address, date of birth, NHS number and details of your request) so that your identity can be verified and your records located. You will also need to complete a Subject Access Request form.
Change of details
It is important that you tell the Practice if any of your details such as your name or address have changed or if any of your details such as date of birth is incorrect in order for this to be amended. You have a responsibility to inform us of any changes so our records are accurate and up to date for you.
Who is the Data Controller?
The Data Controller, responsible for keeping your information secure and confidential is: Merton Medical Practice. Any changes to this notice will be published on our website and on the Practice notice board. The Practice is registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 2017 and is compliant to the General Data Protection Regulation. The registration number is and can be viewed online in the public register at www.ico.org.uk.
Objections / complaints
Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed at the Practice, please contact the practice manager. If you are still unhappy following a review by us, you can then complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). They are the Regulator for the Data Protection Act 2018 and offer independent advice and guidance on the law and personal data, including your rights and how to access your personal information). If you are happy for your data to be extracted and used for the purposes described in this privacy notice then you do not need to do anything.
The practice is also required to report any breeches of confidentiality to the ICO.
Last reviewed on 04/02/2020
Review due on 01/04/2021