How we use your information to help you
The health professionals caring for you keep records about your health and the care you receive. This information is stored on both paper and computer systems. Your records include basic details such as your address, ethnic group and next of kin. They also contain facts about your health, including appointments and test results. They may also contain information based on the professional opinion of the staff caring for you. Your records are used to:
- Make sure the staff caring for you have accurate, up to date information to help them decide the best possible care and treatment for you
- Make sure that treatments and services meet the needs of local communities
- Make sure that full information is available should you need another form of care, for example if you are referred to a specialist service
- Make sure that there is a good basis for looking back and checking on the type and quality of care you received
- Make sure that your concerns can be properly looked into if you have a complaint
- Make sure we have an accurate record if we have to review your care
Your information helps us to plan health services for the future both locally and nationally. It also allows us to monitor the way public money is spent.
If you do not want certain information recorded or used, please talk to the person in charge of your care who can explain what can be done. If you feel that you are unable to do this, or you are not happy with the outcome, you should write to the Chief Executive of the Trust or the manager of your GP/Doctor's practice.
Keeping your information confidential
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to maintain the highest level of confidentiality. Generally your records will only be seen by those involved in providing or administering your care. A few administrative processes require information that may identify you, however most processes will use anonymous information.
To make sure you receive all the care and treatment you need we might share relevant information about you with other organisations. These may include:
- Your General Practice and Pharmacies
- Hospital Trusts
- Local Authority departments, including Social Services, Education and Housing
- NHS Walk-in Centres
- NHS Direct & Care Direct
- Out of Hours Doctors Services
- Voluntary organisations
- Private Sector providers (private hospitals, care homes, hospices)
We will talk to you before information is shared to ensure we act with your consent. If you are unable to consent for any reason, we will only share information where it is clearly in your best interests to do so. With your consent, information can be shared with relatives, partners or friends who act as a carer for you.
When information is shared, it is passed securely and kept confidential by the people who receive it. It will only be used for the purpose for which it has been shared. We plan services with other organisations outside the NHS Information shared and used for this does not identify anyone.
Education and Research
Your health record can also help us in:
- Training and educating staff
- Research approved by the Local Research Ethics Committee.
Wherever we can we will remove anything that identifies you. If we cannot, your information will only be used for these purposes when you have given your consent. You will not be identified in any publication without your consent. If you do not wish to have information used in this way, please talk to the person in charge of your care.
Sharing your information without your consent
We will normally ask for your consent but there are times when we may need to share your information without your consent, for example
- Where there is a risk of harm or abuse to you or other people
- Where a serious crime, such as assault, is being investigated or where it could be prevented
- To control infectious diseases such as meningitis, tuberculosis (TB) or measles
- Notification of a birth
- Where the courts have made a formal order in relation to a court case
- Where there is a legal requirement, for example if you had committed a Road Traffic offence
We will try to inform you if we share your information without your consent.
Information for Managing and Planning
The NHS register for England and Wales contains basic personal details of all patients registered with a General Practitioner (GP) in order to manage administration of practice lists.
So that the NHS can manage and plan services, some information about you is sent to the Primary Care Trust (PCT) responsible for your care, and to the Department of Health. As far as possible this information will not identify you. The information is used for a variety of purposes such as to pay organisations for the care they provide, investigate complaints or untoward incidents and to look after the health of the general public.
Form to access your information
Please complete the attached form and return it to:
Access to Health Records
Wilkinson Place
2 Enterprise Way
Wavertree Technology Park
L13 1FB
More Information
More information can be found in these leaflets Protecting Privacy Leaflet or Protecting Privacy Booklet (under Review).
Alternativly you can contact information.governance@liverpoolpct.nhs.uk for more information.
