Public Information Booklet

Creating a safe environment for your personal medical information

Who has access?

Doctors, nurses and other health professionals would need access to your records, but this is on a strict need to know basis and would only include those involved in your treatment and care. If you are referred to hospital, your health/medical information will need to be transferred from your GP to the hospital and back again. Secretaries, receptionists, and other clerical staff will need limited access in order to carry out administrative tasks such as typing letters, booking appointments and contacting the necessary people. All NHS staff have a duty of confidence to ensure that your information is not disclosed inappropriately. Wirral NHS organisations also work to a Code of Conduct for handling personal identifiable information.

The NHS has adopted a standard for processing information. We use the acronym HORUS, which means that your information should be:

Held securely and confidentially
Obtained fairly and efficiently
Recorded accurately and reliably
Used effectively and ethically
Shared appropriately and lawfully

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