Fair Processing Notice – Data Protection Act 1998 Your Information and how we use it
Why we collect information about you
City Health Centre is a member of SDSMyHealthcare which is a new primary care scheme delivered as part of the GP Access Fund to improve access to General Practice. The service is provided between South Doc Services (SDS) Limited and Practices in NHS Birmingham South Central Clinical Commission Group.
The service is available up to 12 hours per day, 7 days a week (8:00am-8:00pm) and provides additional GP, Nurse and Healthcare Assistant appointments delivered from hub sites across South and Central Birmingham. Patients will still be registered with their usual Practice and their first point of contact will be unchanged but your practice staff will be able to offer a greater choice of appointments either at your usual surgery or at one of the hub site at times and locations that are convenient for patients.
When you attend one of our hub sites, situated at Charles Road Surgery, Fernley Medical Centre, Harborne Medical Centre, River Brook Medical Centre and West Heath Medical Centre, you will be asked to share your medical records with the clinician treating you. This is so that the clinician has a full understanding of your medical history, any medications, and previous consultations and investigations. Access to this information will ensure that you receive the correct type of care and that a record of the consultation is added to your medical record so that your own GP is fully informed of the consultation and any treatment given. The hub clinicians are only allowed to view your medical records if they have your explicit consent to do so, or there is an over-riding legal reason for them to have the information, for example, safeguarding children or vulnerable adults. To ensure that we comply with our Data Protection responsibilities in keeping your information safe you will be asked to give your consent every time you see a hub clinician.
How we keep your records confidential
Everyone working for the NHS is subject to the Common Law Duty of Confidence. Information provided in confidence will only be used for the purposes stated and where the patient has given their consent, unless there are other circumstances covered by the law.
Information Sharing with Non-NHS Organisations
For your benefit, we may also need to share information we hold about you with other non-NHS organisations, from which you are also receiving care, such as Social Services or other organisations working with us to improve your care. However, we will not disclose any information to third parties without your explicit consent, unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the health or safety of others is at risk or where the law requires it. If we are asked to share information with a non-NHS organisation that does not directly relate to your care, we will always seek consent prior to any information being shared. If you choose not to consent to this when asked, then that decision will be recorded and respected.
Your right to withdraw consent for us to share your personal information
At any time you have the right to refuse/withdraw consent to information sharing. The possible consequences will be fully explained to you so that you are able to make an informed decision.
Your rights under the Data Protection Act
Patients and service users, as data subjects, have a number of rights under the Data Protection Act, including a general right of access to personal data (electronic or paper) held about them. In addition, SDSMyHealthcare will seek explicit consent to see your data (except sensitive information such as Fertility treatments/embryology; Sexually Transmitted Infections; Gender realignment; HIV/AIDs diagnosis; termination of pregnancy). At this point you have a right to decline access to data held about you at this Practice should you so wish.
Right of Access to Your My Healthcare Data
You can make your own application to see the information SDSMyHealthcare holds about you, or you can authorise someone else to make an application for you. A parent or guardian, a patient representative, or a person appointed by the Court may also apply. If you wish to access your personal data, then please contact:
South Doc Services My Healthcare Limited
West Heath Medical Centre
194-196 West Heath Road
Birmingham
B31 3HB
In order for SDSMyHealthcare to fulfil its responsibilities under the Act, you may be asked to provide proof of your identity, and any further information required to locate the record you have requested.
Withholding information about you
Information may be withheld if the organisation believes that releasing the information to you could cause serious harm to your physical or mental health. We do not have to tell you that information has been withheld. Information may also be withheld if another person (i.e. third party) is identified in the record, and they do not want their information disclosed to you. However, if the other person was acting in their professional capacity in caring for you, in normal circumstances they could not prevent you from having access to that information.
Correcting inaccurate information
NHS organisations have a duty to ensure your information is accurate and up to date to make certain we have the correct contact and treatment details about you. If your information is not accurate and up-to-date, you can ask us to correct the record. If we agree that the information is inaccurate or incomplete, it will be corrected. If we do not agree that the information is inaccurate, we will ensure that a note is made in the record of the point you have drawn to the organisation’s attention.
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 above, please speak to the health professionals concerned with your care. Alternatively ask to speak to the Practice Manager at your registered practice.