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Data Protection Act
To provide you
with the care you need, we hold the details
of your consultations, illnesses, tests,
prescriptions and other treatments that
have been recorded by everyone involved in
your care and treatment eg GP, Health
Visitor, Practice Nurse. This information
may be stored on paper or electronically on
computer files by Practice Staff.
We sometimes
disclose some of your personal health
information with other organisations
involved in your care. For example, when
your GP refers you to a Specialist at the
hospital we will send relevant details
about you in the referral letter and
receive information about you from them.
Our practice also participates in the
Regional and national Programmes such as
the cervical cytology screening service and
your name, address, date of birth and
health number will be given to them in
order to send an invitation to you.
We need to use some of your personal health
information for administrative purposes. In
order to receive payment for services
provided to you, we have to disclose basic
details about you to the NHS Board
responsible for this area and to the Common
Services Agency for the Scottish Health
Service. These organisations have a role in
protecting public funds, and are authorised
to check that payments are being properly
made. We are required to co-operate with
these checks and disclosure of your data is
a necessary part of our provision of Health
Care Services.
Sometimes, we may
participate in studies that are designed to
improve the way services are provided to
you or to check that our performance meets
required standards and benchmarks. Whenever
we take part in activities such as these we
will ensure that as far as possible any
details that may identify you are not
disclosed.
We are sometimes involved in Health
Research and the teaching of student
nurses, doctors, and other health care
professionals. We will not use or disclose
your personal health information for these
purposes unless you have been informed
beforehand and given your consent for us to
do so.
Where you need a
service jointly provided with a local
authority we will seek your permission
before giving them your details.
Sometimes we are required by law to pass on
information e.g. the notification of births
and deaths and certain diseases or crimes
to the government is a legal
requirement.
Our use of your personal health information
is covered by duty of confidentiality, and
is regulated by the Data Protection Act.
The Data Protection Act gives you a number
of rights in relation to how your personal
information is used, including the right to
access the information we hold about
you.
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal
duty to keep information about you
confidential and adhered to a Code of
Practice on Protecting Patient
confidentiality. Further information on
this can be found at
www.nhsis.co.uk/confidentiality.
Anyone who received information from us is
also under a legal duty to keep it
confidential.
If you have any queries or concerns on how
we use your Personal Health Information, or
would like to access your information,
please contact our Practice
Manager.

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