The practice is registered and complies with the Data Protection Act 1998. Any request for access to notes by a patient, patient’s representative or outside body will be dealt with in accordance with the Act. Please contact the surgery for further information.
You have the right to see your medical records, subject to certain conditions. You can access your records by contacting the Practice Manager. It may sometimes be necessary for us to share your information with others involved in your care, such as hsopital, consultants, health visitors, district nurses or school nurses. For more details on this issue please ask a receptionist for a copy of ‘The Protection and Use of Patient Information’ leaflet.
Subject Access Request (SARs)
A request by a patient, or a request by a third party who has been authorised by the patient, for access under the GDPR (and DPA 2018) is called a Subject Access Request (SAR).
You can receive full or part records, please specify in your request. If not all of the information is available electronically, you will receive paper copies of additional information. You don’t have to give a reason for wanting to see your records.
The Practice will deal with your request as quickly as possible. The information should be available to you 28 days of receipt of your accurately completed form and confirmation of consent. The 28 day time limit can be extended for two months for complex or numerous requests if more time is needed to collate and supply the data, you will be informed if this is the case.
You will be required to provide proof of identity at the point of application. If your records are held electronically, you can receive them via email through IGPR which is a secure system. If some of your records are paper copies you will need to collect them, ID will be required again upon collection.
Children under the age of 16
Where a child is competent, they are entitled to make or consent to a SAR to access their record.
Children aged over 16 years are presumed to be competent. Children under 16 must demonstrate that they have sufficient understanding of what is proposed in order to be entitled to make or consent to an SAR. However, children who are aged 12 or over are generally expected to have the competence to give or withhold their consent to the release of information from their health records.
Where, in the view of the appropriate health professional, a child lacks competency to understand the nature of his or her SAR application, the holder of the record is entitled to refuse to comply with the SAR. Where a child is considered capable of making decisions about access to his or her medical record, the consent of the child must be sought before a parent or other third party can be given access via a SAR
Costs
You will not be charged to view your health records or for a copy of them. However the practice is allowed to charge a fee if requests are unfounded, excessive or repetitive.
Exemptions
In some cases, the act permits the data controller to withhold information held in your health record:
- If the information is likely to cause serious harm to the physical or mental health or condition of you or any other person.
- Where providing you access would disclose information relating to or provided by a third party person who had not consented to the disclosure. This does not apply where that third person is a clinician involved in your care.
Proof of identity
Proof of identity must be provided (one of which must be photographic). This is to ensure information is not released to unauthorised individuals.
To make a SAR request please contact the surgery directly or make your request in writing ensuring you specify dates of your records required.
Enhanced Data Sharing
Treeton Medical Centre users a secure computerised records system, which allows clinical staff to share information in your record to ensure the best care can be provided to you. This information is shared to services which you are receiving care.
You will be asked at each location where you are treated to agree to make your clinical records shareable.
Please see a guide for patients for further details. Final-Information-on-sharing-for-patients-implicit-consent
GDPR updated How we use your information
Fair Processing and Privacy Notice
Approved Units for SytmOne Sharing
Summary Care Records
A Summary care record has been created for all patients at Treeton Medical centre unless an opt out form has been completed.
Your summary care record contains information about your allergies and repeat/acute medication within the last year. This allows medical professionals access to essential health information about you in the event of urgent or unscheduled care outside your GP surgery.
For more information please see the attached leaflet. If you wish to opt out of the summary care record please completed the form below and hand in at the surgery.
SCR opt out form
Summary care record leaflet
Care Data
Your Data Matters to the NHS
Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments.
In May 2018, the strict rules about how this data can and cannot be used were strengthened. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.
You can choose whether your confidential patient information is used for research and planning.
To find out more visit: nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters
