This privacy notice explains why we collect information about you, how that information may be used and how we keep it safe and confidential.
Health care professionals who provide you care keep records regarding your consultations. These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.
We collect and hold data for the sole purpose of providing healthcare services to our patients. In carrying out this role we may collect information about you which helps us respond to your queries or secure specialist services. We may keep your information in written form and/or in digital form. The records may include basic details about you, such as your name and address. They may also contain more sensitive information about your health.
The health care professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have either provided us with, or records received in relation to your healthcare. These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.
Records which this GP Practice may hold about you may include the following:
· Details about you, such as your address and date of birth
· Any contact the surgery has had with you, such as appointments, referrals and prescription requests.
· 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
Everyone working for the Private GP Services is subject to the Common Law Duty of Confidence. Information provided in confidence will only be used for the purposes advised with the consent given by the patient unless there are other circumstances covered by the law. This ICO Information commissioner office’s Code of Practice on Confidential Information applies to all our staff and they are required to protect your information, inform you of how your information will be used, and allow you to decide if and how your information can be shared. All our staff are expected to make sure information is kept confidential and receive annual training on how to do this.
Private GP 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. Your records are backed up securely inline with data protection and storage recommendations for the UK. We ensure that information we hold is kept in secure locations, is protected by appropriate security and access is restricted to authorised personnel.
We also make sure external data processors that support us are legally and contractually bound to operate and prove security arrangements are in place where data that could or does identify a person are processed.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with:
· Data Protection Act 1998
· Human Rights Act
· Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
· Health and Social Care Act 2015
· General Data Protection Regulation GDPR 2018
· Guide to Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR)
We maintain our duty of confidentiality to you at all times. 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), or where the law requires information to be passed on.
We do not share your information with other health care organisations without your permission.
Information may be used for clinical audit to monitor the quality of the service provided. Some of this information may be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. We do not take part in clinical research studies.
We will approach the management of patient records in line with the Data Protection Act and the GDPR 2018 which sets the required standards of practice in the management of records based on current legal requirements and medical professional best practice.
In the course of looking after your health, we may share your information, in the whole with permission unless required share by law with
· Private Sector Providers
· NHS Trusts
· Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists
· Private Sector Providers
· Social Care Services
· Local Authorities
· Education Services
· Fire and Rescue Services
· Police
· Other ‘data processors’
We will never share your information outside of health partner organisations without your explicit consent unless there are exceptional circumstances such as when the health or safety of others is at risk, where the law requires it or to carry out a statutory function.
We do not use any services that store data outside of the EU and we do not send your data internationally or outside of the EU.
There are occasions when we must pass on information, such where we encounter infectious diseases which may endanger the safety of others, such as meningitis or measles (but not HIV/AIDS), and where a formal court order has been issued. Our guiding principle is that we are holding your records in strictest confidence.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998 and GDPR 2018 legislation everybody has the right to see, or have a copy, of data we hold that can identify you, with some exceptions. You do not need to give a reason to see your data. You will only be charged a fee if the task requires much more time than is usual to facilitate.
If you wish to have a copy of the information we hold about you, please contact the surgery. You will be supplied the patient leaflet on how to access your data as well as the relevant form to complete. A form must be filled as you must make the request in writing. Under special circumstances, some information may be withheld. Once all relevant information is received the request will be actioned in most occasions within 10 working days.
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 are incorrect in order for this to be amended. Please inform us of any changes so our records for you are accurate and up to date.
We must have one telephone number to register you for safety reasons for example to advise you of results that may be of an emergency or of a next of kin illness (danger to life) matter. We do not participate in telemarketing.
If you provide us with your mobile phone number we may use this to send you reminders about your appointments. Please let us know if you do not wish to receive reminders on your mobile. Please let us know if you do not wish to receive reminders on your mobile.
If you provide us with your email address or email us as a form of communication we may use this to send you information regarding your appointments and your results/general correspondence from the surgery. Our disclaimer advises that the contents of email messages should not be taken as necessarily being the views, opinions, policies or procedures of Private GP Services and does not give rise to any contract, undertaking or agreement. Email is not a secure form of communication although we will encrypt all personal data sent out to your authorised address. You can opt out of email communications at any time.
The Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulation requires organisations to register with the Information Commissioner to describe the purposes for which they process personal and sensitive information.
We are registered as a data controller and our registration can be viewed online in the public register at: http://ico.org.uk/what_we_cover/register_of_data_controllers
Any changes to this notice will be published on our website and in a prominent area at the Practice.
If you have concerns or are unhappy about any of our services, please contact the reception in the first instance. Our data protection officer is Dr Josson McConnell and she can be contacted at
· Private GP Service, Springfield Hospital, Lawn Lane, Chelmsford Essex CM1 7GU
· Tel: 01245 2342134
· Email: info@privategpservices.co.uk
For independent advice about data protection, privacy and data-sharing issues, you can contact:
The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 08456 30 60 60
Website: www.ico.gov.uk
We are duty-bound to report any breach of data to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
We will keep our Fair Processing Notice under regular review. This notice was last reviewed in January 2021.
