Patient Booklet

Creating a safe environment for your personal medical information

Public Information Leaflet

Public leaflet about medical information - translation available on request

Braille, audio and other formats can also be made available.

Patient confidentiality underpins the structure of the NHS and is a priority. Dedicated teams of professionals make up the NHS and we will normally share your information only with others directly involved in your medical care. We aim to keep your health record confidential and we will continue to improve this. We hope you feel confident that your information is safe.

The NHS uses new technology to help deliver better patient care, which means health records can now be securely stored and shared electronically. Some of the organisations listed overleaf have developed an Electronic Health Record, which is a way of storing your medical information electronically. This will allow doctors and other health professionals to access your up to date information, whether it is from your GP practice or from the hospital. This will enable doctors to make more effective decisions about your treatment and care.

Some of the information contained in your health record might be used for reasons other than your own personal healthcare (see below). These reasons are vital to the running of the NHS. Wherever possible, the shared information will be anonymous but if you have concerns about this, you can choose not to allow the information to be used. More details can be found in the Public Information Booklet, which will help explain in more detail who we may share the information with. Please see back page for details of how you can obtain the booklet.

What else happens to the information?
Your medical information may also be used:

• in teaching and training of healthcare professionals
• as part of the funding arrangements for local health services
• to audit processes and practices
• to help plan future health services
• in health research programmes – you will be specifically asked to consent for any research project in which you participate directly.
• to help plan your ongoing care with other agencies (e.g. Social Services) The NHS is also required to have processes in place to manage patient information (e.g. keeping and updating records) and your medical information will be included within these processes.

Who has access?
Doctors, nurses and other health professionals need access to your records. However, this is on a need-to-know basis and includes only those directly involved in your 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 and booking appointments. All staff employed by the NHS organisations listed overleaf have a duty of confidence to ensure that your information is not disclosed inappropriately, and work to a Code of Conduct for handling personal information.

What else do we do with the information?

• The NHS must, by law, notify the government of certain infectious diseases for public health purposes, e.g. measles, mumps, meningitis, etc but not AIDS.
• Births and deaths must also be notified.
• A court of law can insist that medical information be disclosed to them.
• Limited anonymised information is also shared with Primary Care Trusts to assist with the organisation of national public health programmes, e.g. breast screening, cervical smear tests, and childhood immunisations.

Can I see my medical records?
The Data Protection Act 1998 allows you to see your medical records. Requests should be in writing to your GP, or the Health Records Office if applying to a hospital. The request must be responded to within 40 days and a charge of up to £50 may be made. If you feel anything has been added to the record that is factually incorrect, you have the right to apply to have it amended or deleted in accordance with the guidance in the Act. Can any of my records be withheld? We will withhold any information contained in your records likely to cause harm to your mental or physical state, or that of other people. A senior clinician will make this decision. Any third party information would not be revealed without their consent.

For further information on Data Protection, see the leaflet “Using the law to protect your information,” published by the Information Commissioner (Tel: 01625 545 700) or visit their website at www.dataprotection.gov.uk

Public Information Booklet
You can obtain copies of the Public Information Booklet by visiting our website at www.wirralhealth.org.uk/privacy or contact the Caldicott Support Officer, Admin Block, St Catherine’s Hospital, Church Road, Birkenhead CH42 0LQ or

Freephone Patient Advice Liaison Service 0800 085 1547

Your personal information will not be passed on to any organisation for monetary gain