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Patient confidentiality and privacy

Confidentiality

Why does the receptionist need to ask what’s wrong with me?

Our reception staff are important members of the practice team and it has been agreed they should ask patients ‘why the need to be seen’. We have trained our reception staff to ask certain questions to help make sure you receive:

• the most appropriate medical care,

• from the most appropriate health professional,

• at the most appropriate time. Reception staff, like all members of our team, are bound by patient confidentiality.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

GDPR

Covid-19 Privacy Notice

General Data Protection Regulation GDPR

PRACTICE PRIVACY NOTICE FOR PATIENTS

What is a Privacy Notice?

A Privacy Notice (or ‘Fair Processing Notice’) is an explanation of what information the Practice collects on patients, and how it is used. Being transparent and providing clear information to patients about how a Practice uses their personal data is an essential requirement of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Under the DPA, the first principle is to process personal data in a fair and lawful manner, and applies to everything that is done with patient’s personal information. In practice, this means that the Practice must;

  • have legitimate reasons for the use or collection of personal data
  • not use the data in a way that may cause adverse effects on the individuals (e.g. improper sharing of their information with 3rd parties)
  • be transparent about how you the data will be used, and give appropriate privacy notices when collecting their personal data
  • handle personal data only as reasonably expected to do so
  • make no unlawful use of the collected data

Fair Processing

Personal data must be processed in a fair manner – the DPA says that information should be treated as being obtained fairly if it is provided by a person who is legally authorised or required to provide it. Fair Processing means that the Practice has to be clear and open with people about how their information is used.

Providing a ‘Privacy Notice’ is a way of stating the Practice’s commitment to being transparent and is a part of fair processing, however you also need to consider the effects of processing on the individuals and patients concerned;

  • What information are we collecting?
  • Who collects the data?
  • How is it collected?
  • Why do we collect it?
  • How will we use the data?
  • Who will we share it with?
  • What is the effect on the individuals?
  • If we use it as intended, will it cause individuals to object or complain ?

Data Controllers

Under the Data Protection Act, the data controller is the person or organisation that will decide the purpose and the manner in which any personal data will be processed – they have overall control of the data they collect, and decide how and why it will be processed.

A GP Practice is a data controller for the patient information it collects, and should already have data processing arrangements with third parties (e.g. IT systems providers) to ensure they do not use or access data unlawfully; the data controllers will have ultimate responsibility for the Practices’ compliance with the DPA.

Risk Stratification

This is a process to identify and manage patients that are more likely to need secondary care – information is collected in order to assess their ‘Risk Score’ and is sent to NHS organisations to assess and return the results to the GP Practice. This is an acceptable way of assessing patients’ needs and prevent ill health, however it is also regarded as a disclosure of personal information, and patients have the option to opt out of any data collection at the Practice, and needs to be made clear to them.

Invoice Validations

If a patient has had NHS treatment, their personal information may be shared within a secure and confidential environment to determine which CCG should pay for the treatment received. This means sharing identifiable information such as name, address, date of treatment etc. to enable the billing process.

Partner Organisations

If the Practice shares information with any external organisations (within or outside the NHS), then let patients know by listing them. Partner organisations will usually include NHS organisations (hospitals, CCGs, NHS England etc.) other public sectors (Education, Police, Fire etc.) and any other Data Processors that may be carrying out specific project work with the Practice (e.g. Diabetes UK).

Access to Personal Information

The DPA gives patients the right to view any information held about them – the ‘Right of Subject Access’. Explain the process and who to contact. You can find your practice registration number by entering your Practice name in the ‘Name’ box here; https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Search

How we use your information

This privacy notice explains why we as a Practice collect information about our patients and how we use that information.

Culcheth Medical Centre manages patient information in accordance with existing laws and with guidance from organisations that govern the provision of healthcare in England such as the Department of Health and the General Medical Council.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with:

  • Data Protection Act 1998
  • Human Rights Act 1998
  • Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
  • Health and Social Care Act 2012
  • NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Information Security

As data controllers, GPs have fair processing responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998. In practice, this means ensuring that your personal confidential data (PCD) is handled clearly and transparently, and in a reasonably expected way.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 changed the way that personal confidential data is processed, therefore it is important that our patients are aware of and understand these changes, and that you have an opportunity to object and know how to do so.

The health care professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and any NHS treatment or care you have received (e.g. NHS Hospital Trust, GP Surgery, Walk-in clinic, etc.). These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.

NHS health records may be processed electronically, on paper or a mixture of both; a combination of working practices and technology are used to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure. Records held by this GP practice may include the following information:

  • Details about you, such as address and next of kin
  • Any contact the practice has had with you, including appointments (emergency or scheduled), clinic visits, etc.
  • Notes and reports about your health
  • Details about treatment and care received
  • Results of investigations, such as laboratory tests, x-rays, etc.
  • Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you

The practice collects and holds data for the sole purpose of providing healthcare services to our patients and we will ensure that the information is kept confidential. However, we can disclose personal information if:

It is required by law

  1. You provide consent – either implicitly or for the sake of their own care, or explicitly for other purposes
  2. It is justified to be in the public interest

Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we hold data centrally, we take strict and secure measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified.

Information may be used for clinical audit purposes to monitor the quality of service provided, and may be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we do this we ensure that patient records cannot be identified.

Sometimes your information may be requested to be used for clinical research purposes – the practice will always endeavour to gain your consent before releasing the information.

Improvements in information technology are also making it possible for us to share data with other healthcare providers with the objective of providing you with better care.

Patients can choose to withdraw their consent to their data being used in this way. When the practice is about to participate in any new data-sharing scheme we will make patients aware by displaying prominent notices in the surgery and on our website at least four weeks before the scheme is due to start. We will also explain clearly what you have to do to ‘opt-out’ of each new scheme.

A patient can object to their personal information being shared with other health care providers but if this limits the treatment that you can receive then the doctor will explain this to you at the time.

Mobile Telephone

If you provide us with your mobile phone number we may use this to send you reminders about any appointments or other health screening information being carried out.

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
  • Specialist Trusts
  • Community Trusts
  • Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists
  • Private Sector Providers
  • Voluntary Sector Providers
  • Ambulance Trusts
  • Clinical Commissioning Groups
  • Social Care Services
  • Local Authorities
  • Education Services
  • Fire and Rescue Services
  • Police
  • Other ‘data processors’

Access to personal information

You have a right under the Data Protection Act 1998 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 access’. If we do 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
  • 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. There may be a charge for this service. 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 1998. The registration number is Z5184583 and can be viewed online in the public register at http://ico.org.uk

Change of Details

It is important that you tell the person treating you 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.

Notification

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires organisations to register a notification with the Information Commissioner to describe the purposes for which they process personal and sensitive information. This information is publicly available on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk. The practice is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).

Who is the Data Controller?

The Data Controller, responsible for keeping your information secure and confidential is Ms S Moores – Practice Manager. Any changes to this notice will be published on our website and displayed in prominent notices in the surgery.

The Partnership is registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998 Z5184583. Our registration can be viewed on-line in the public register at www.ico.org.uk

Data Protection Officer

Craig Walker – Head of Information Governance and Quality Assurance

St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Alexandra Business Park

Court Building

Prescot Road

St Helens

 WA10 3TP

Further information

Further information about the way in which the NHS uses personal information and your rights in that respect can be found in:

An independent review of information about patients is shared across the health and care system led by Dame Fiona Caldicott was conducted in 2012. The report, Information: To share or not to share? The Information Governance Review, be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-information-governance-review

NHS England – Better Data, Informed Commissioning, Driving Improved Outcomes: Clinical Data Sets provides further information about the data flowing within the NHS to support commissioning.

Please visit the NHS Digital website for further information about their work. Information about their responsibility for collecting data from across the health and social care system can be found.

The Information Commissioner’s Office is the Regulator for the Data Protection Act 1998 and offer independent advice and guidance on the law and personal data, including your rights and how to access your personal information. For further information please visit the www.ico.gov.uk

 

Culcheth Medical Centre, Jackson Avenue Warrington, WA3 4DZ

  • Telephone 01925 765101
  • Email : culcheth.mc@nhs.net

 

 Data Sharing Opt Out form

How sharing patient data with NHS Digital helps the NHS and you:

The NHS needs data about the patients it treats in order to plan and deliver its services and to ensure that care and treatment provided is safe and effective. The General Practice Data for Planning and Research data collection will help the NHS to improve health and care services for everyone by collecting patient data that can be used to do this. For example patient data can help the NHS to:

  • monitor the long-term safety and effectiveness of care
  • plan how to deliver better health and care services
  • prevent the spread of infectious diseases
  • identify new treatments and medicines through health research

GP practices already share patient data for these purposes, but this new data collection will be more efficient and effective.

We have agreed to share the patient data we look after in our practice with NHS Digital who will securely store, analyse, publish and share this patient data to improve health and care services for everyone. This includes:

  • informing and developing health and social care policy
  • planning and commissioning health and care services
  • taking steps to protect public health (including managing and monitoring the coronavirus pandemic)
  • in exceptional circumstances, providing you with individual care 
  • enabling healthcare and scientific research

This means that we can get on with looking after our patients and NHS Digital can provide controlled access to patient data to the NHS and other organisations who need to use it to improve health and care for everyone.

Contributing to research projects will benefit us all as better and safer treatments are introduced more quickly and effectively without compromising your privacy and confidentiality.

NHS Digital has engaged with the British Medical Association (BMA), Royal College of GPs (RCGP) and the National Data Guardian (NDG) to ensure relevant safeguards are in place for patients and GP practices.

To view further information please click here to navigate to the NHS Digital Webpage which provides up to date information on the Data Collection.

Opting out of NHS Digital collecting your data

 

If you do not want NHS Digital to share your identifiable patient data with anyone else for purposes beyond your own care, then you can also register a National Data Opt-out.

Please find the most up to date information about NHS Digital and data sharing, we thought it may be helpful to provide some key information and links to help you with decision making.

 Although, information about your health and care helps the NHS to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments, you still have the option to decline sharing data that goes beyond the provision of your direct care.

 

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research

There is also a great webpage from NHS Digital with FAQs and myth busting.

https://digital.nhs.uk/.../mythbusting-social-media-post

CQC Statement of Purpose

Statement of Purpose Culcheth Medical Centre

Jackson Avenue Culcheth Warrington WA3 4DZ Tel: 01925 765101 e.mail: culcheth.mc@nhs.net www.culchethmedicalcentre.nhs.uk

This is a Statement of Purpose for the Culcheth Medical Centre which sets out the following information:  The full name of the service provider and of any registered manager together with their business address, telephone number, and where available electronic mail addresses  The legal status of the service provider  Details of the locations at which the services provided for the purposes of the regulated activity  Our aims and objectives in carrying on the regulated activity;  The kinds of services provided for the purpose of carrying on of the regulated activity  The range of service users needs which those services are intended to meet. Culcheth Medical Centre is a General Practice Partnership open to all patients living within our Practice boundary in Culcheth, Glazebury, Croft and the surrounding areas. We work in partnership with our patients and our Patient Participation Group (PPG) to provide medical care for our patients. We are a General Medical Services (GMS) Practice offering Primary care services for the diagnosis and prevention of disease. We help patients to manage their health and prevent illness. Our GPs assess, diagnose, treat and manage illness. They carry out screening for some diseases and promote general health and wellbeing. Our GPs act as a patient’s advocate, supporting and representing a patient’s best interests to ensure they receive the best and most appropriate health and/or social care. Our GPs also provide the link to further health services and work closely with other healthcare colleagues. They may also arrange hospital admissions and referrals to other services and specialists and they link with secondary and community services about patient care, taking advice and sharing information where needed. They also collect and record important information from other healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of our patients. Location: The Practice main address is: Culcheth Medical Centre, Jackson Avenue, Culcheth, Warrington, WA3 4DZ The registered Manager is: Dr James Macbeth Our Mission Statement: To improve the health, well-being and lives of those we care for. Vision: To work in partnership with our patients and staff to provide the best Primary Care services possible, working within local and national governance, guidance and regulations. Our Aims and Objectives:  To provide high quality, safe, professional Primary Health Care General Practice services to our patients  To focus on prevention of disease by promoting health and wellbeing and offering care and advice to our patients  To work in partnership with our patients, their families and carers towards a positive experience and understanding, involving them in decision making about their treatment and care.  To be an organisation who is constantly learning, and that continually improves what we are able to offer patients.  To treat patients as individuals and with the same respect we would want for ourselves or a member or our families, listening and supporting people to express their needs and wants and enabling people to maintain the maximum possible level of independence, choice and control  To work in partnership with other agencies to tackle the causes of, as well as provide the treatment for ill health and where appropriate involve other professionals in the care of our patients.  To encourage our patients to communicate with us by joining our Patient Participation Group, talking to us, participating in surveys, and feeding back and on the services that we offer  To ensure all staff have the competency and motivation to deliver the required standards of care ensuring that all members of the team have the right skills and training to carry out their duties competently  To take care of our staff offering them support to do their jobs and to protect them against abuse  Have a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse.  To provide our patients and staff with an environment which is safe and friendly  To operate on a financially sound basis. Our Services The GMS services provided by our GPs are defined under the General Medical Services Contract. These services are mainly split into three groups: Essential services We provide essential services for people who have health conditions from which they are expected to recover, chronic disease management and general management of terminally ill patients. Our core services include:  GP consultations  Asthma reviews  Chronic obstructive airways disease reviews  Coronary heart disease reviews  Diabetes reviews Additional services Our additional services include:  Cervical cytology screening  Contraceptive services  Child health surveillance  Maternity services  Certain minor surgery procedures  Vaccinations and immunisations Enhanced services Our enhanced services include:  Childhood vaccinations and immunisations  Contraceptive coil fitting (IUD)  Flu immunisation Other services Our Practice also offers services including:  Child health and development  Dressing clinic  Ear wax and syringing  ECGs (electrical heart trace)  24 hour Blood Pressure recording  End of life care  Epilepsy  Lung testing (spirometry)  Medication review  Men’s health  Mental health  Pregnancy testing and contraceptive advice  Ring pessary replacement  Stop smoking support  Travel advice  Women’s health Non-NHS Services Our Practice also provides services which are non NHS and are paid for by the patient. These services include;  Insurance claims forms  Non NHS vaccinations  Prescription for taking medication abroad  Pre-employment and HGV medicals

 

 

 

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