NHS DIGITAL SHARING OPT OUT

We would like to reassure our patients that the proposed extraction of GP data by NHS Digital does NOT include any patients registered with this practice or in NHS Scotland. NHS Digital provides services in England so are not able to access any data held in Scotland. You are not required to opt out as your data is already safe. We take patient confidentiality extremely seriously and safeguards are in place to protect this, including when data is used for research.

Further information on how NHS Scotland handles your personal information is on the NHS Inform website: How the NHS handles your personal health information – NHS Inform https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/health-rights/confidentiality-and-data-protection/how-the-nhs-handles-your-personal-health-information

Scottish Primary care information resource
NHSScotland  is improving the way it uses information from GP patient records.  SPIRE is a service that will allow small amounts of information from GP practice records to be used to help doctors’ surgeries, NHSScotland and the Scottish Government to improve care and plan services, and to help researchers to learn more from the patient information held at GP practices.
A new campaign is underway to inform patients across Scotland of the benefits of the service, and the confidential and secure way in which GP patient records will be used to help plan and improve health care service.
You have a choice about your patient record being used in this way. If you choose not to share your information then an Opt out form can be printed from the SPIRE website at spire.scot , but please remember to complete the form in English.

To find out more go to spire.scot and for any queries  call NHS inform on

0800 22 44 88

By law we are required to obtain your consent to allow us to contact you by text, email, post and telephone re clinical matters relating to your care.
As part of your medical care we often require to share your clinical information with other services eg. Out of Hours, Hospital, Community Services and the Ambulance Service and we require your consent to do this.

If you have not completed a Consent form since September 2018 then please print off the form and return it to us or when you are in the practice ask reception for a consent form.

If you are the Parent or Guardian acting on behalf of a child then please ask reception for the child consent form.

Thank you and by updating your instructions you allow us to act promptly if we need to contact you re your care or share details with other services.
Download Consent Form HERE

The following notice applies from 04 November 2024.

1. About University Health Service

This practice is an independent contractor providing primary medical services by way of a contract with NHS Lothian, made under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 (the 1978 Act). It is one of the organisations which form part of NHS Scotland (NHSS).

 

2. About the personal information we use

We use personal information on different groups of individuals including:

• Patients
• Staff
• Contractors
• Suppliers
• Complainants, enquirers
• Survey respondents
• Professional experts and consultants
• Individuals captured by CCTV

The personal information we use includes information that identifies you like your name, address, date of birth and postcode.

We also use more sensitive types of personal information, including information about racial or ethnic origin; political opinions; religious or philosophical beliefs; trade union membership; genetic and biometric data, health; sex life or sexual orientation.

The information we use can relate to personal and family details; education, training and employment details; financial details; lifestyle and social circumstances; goods and services; visual images; details held in the patient record; responses to surveys.

 

3. Our purposes for using personal information

Under the 1978 Act University Health Service  has the statutory responsibility to provide or arrange for the provision of a range of healthcare, health improvement and health protection services. We are given these tasks so that we can help to promote the improvement of the physical and mental health of the people of NHS Lothian and assist in operating a comprehensive and integrated national health service in Scotland.

We use personal information to enable us to provide healthcare services for patients (including reminding you of appointments), data matching under the national fraud initiative; research; supporting and managing our employees; maintaining our accounts and records and the use of CCTV systems for crime prevention.

 

4. Our legal basis for using personal information

University Health Service, as data controller, is required to have a legal basis when using personal information. University Health Service considers that performance of our tasks and functions are in the public interest. So, when using personal information our legal basis is usually that its use is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest, or in the exercise of official authority vested in us. In some situations, we may rely on a different legal basis; for example, when we are using personal information to pay a supplier, our legal basis is that its use is necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests as a buyer of goods and services. Another example would be for compliance with a legal obligation to which University Health Service is subject to, for example under the Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008 we are required to notify Health Protection Scotland when someone contracts a specific disease.

When we are using more sensitive types of personal information, including health information, our legal basis is usually that the use is necessary:

• for the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services; or
• for reasons of public interest in the area of public health; or
• for reasons of substantial public interest for aims that are proportionate and respect people’s rights; or
• for archiving purposes, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes, subject to appropriate safeguards; or
• in order to protect the vital interests of an individual; or
• for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims or in the case of a court order.

On rare occasions we may rely on your explicit consent as our legal basis for using your personal information. When we do this, we will explain what it means, and the rights that are available, to you. You should be aware that we will continue to ask for your consent for other things like taking part in a drug trial, or when you are having an operation.

 

5. Who provides the personal information

When you do not provide information directly to us, we receive it from other individuals and organisations involved in the delivery of health and care services in Scotland.  These include other NHS Boards and primary care contractors such as GPs, dentists, pharmacists and opticians, other public bodies e.g. Local Authorities and suppliers of goods and services.

 

6. Sharing personal information with others

Depending on the situation, where necessary we will share appropriate, relevant and proportionate personal information in compliance with the law, with the following:

• Our patients and their chosen representatives or carers
• Staff
• Current, past and potential employers
• Healthcare social and welfare organisations
• Suppliers, service providers, legal representatives
• Auditors and audit bodies
• Educators and examining bodies
• Research organisations
• People making an enquiry or complaint
• Financial organisations
• Professional bodies
• Trade Unions
• Business associates
• Police forces.
• Security organisations.
• Central and local government.
• Voluntary and charitable organisations.

 

7. Transferring personal information abroad

It is sometimes necessary to transfer personal health information overseas for example if you require urgent medical treatment abroad. When this is needed information may be transferred to countries or territories around the world. Any transfers made will be in full compliance with NHS Scotland Information Security Policy.

 

8. Retention periods of the information we hold

Within University Health Service we keep personal information as set out in the Scottish Government Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care. The Code of Practice sets out minimum retention periods for information, including personal information, held in different types of records including personal health records and administrative records. As directed by the Scottish Government in the Records Management Code of Practice, we maintain a retention schedule as part of our Records Management policy detailing the minimum retention period for the information and procedures for the safe disposal of personal information.

 

9. How we protect personal information

We take care to ensure your personal information is only accessible to authorised people. Our staff have a legal and contractual duty to keep personal health information secure, and confidential. The following security measures are in place to protect personal information:

• All staff undertake mandatory training in Data Protection and IT Security
• Compliance with NHS Scotland Information Security Policy
• Organisational policy and procedures on the safe handling of personal information
• Access controls and audits of electronic systems

 

10. Your rights

This section contains a description of your data protection rights within University Health Service

The right to be informed

University Health Service must explain how we use your personal information. We use a number of ways to communicate how personal information is used, including:

• This Data Protection Notice
• Information leaflets
• Discussions with staff providing your care

The right of access

You have the right to access your own personal information.

This right includes making you aware of what information we hold along with the opportunity to satisfy you that we are using your information fairly and legally.

You have the right to obtain:

• Confirmation that your personal information is being held or used by us
• Access to your personal information
• Additional information about how we use your personal information

Although we must provide this information free of charge, if your request is considered unfounded or excessive, or if you request the same information more than once, we may charge a reasonable fee.

If you would like to access your personal information, you can do this by submitting a written request to the Practice Manager at the following address:

University Health Service
Richard Verney Health Centre, 6 Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9AL

Telephone:  0131 650 2777

Email: loth.clinicals70592@nhs.scot

Please note, emails from your private email address to our email address here are not secure so please do not send any confidential information in the email.

Once we have received your request and you have provided us with enough information for us to locate your personal information, we will respond to your request without delay, within one month (30 days). However, if your request is complex we may take longer, by up to two months, to respond. If this is the case, we will tell you and explain the reason for the delay.

The right to rectification
If the personal information we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete you have the right to have this corrected.

If it is agreed that your personal information is inaccurate or incomplete, we will aim to amend your records accordingly, normally within one month, or within two months where the request is complex.  However, we will contact you as quickly as possible to explain this further if the need to extend our timescales applies to your request.  Unless there is a risk to patient safety, we can restrict access to your records to ensure that the inaccurate or incomplete information is not used until amended.

If for any reason we have shared your information with anyone else, perhaps during a referral to another service for example, we will notify them of the changes required so that we can ensure their records are accurate.

If on consideration of your request University Health Service does not consider the personal information to be inaccurate then we may add a comment to your record stating your concerns about the information. If this is case we will contact you within one month to explain our reasons for this.

If you are unhappy about how University Health Service has responded to your request for rectification we will provide you with information on how you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, or how to take legal action.

The right to object
When University Health Service is processing your personal information for the purpose of the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority you have the right to object to the processing and also seek that further processing of your personal information is restricted. Provided University Health Service can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for processing your personal information, for instance; patient safety or for evidence to support legal claims, your right will not be upheld.

Other rights
There are other rights under current Data Protection Law however these rights only apply in certain circumstances. For further information on these rights please visit ico.org.uk/for-the-public.

 

The right to complain
NHS Lothian  employ a Data Protection Officer to check that we handle personal information in a way that meets data protection law.  If you are unhappy with the way in which we use your personal information, please tell our Data Protection Officer using the contact details below.

Data Protection Officer
Information Governance
Woodlands House
74 Canaan Lane
Edinburgh
EH9 2TB
Phone – 0131 465 5444

Email: Loth.DPO@nhs.scot

Please note emails from your private email address may not be secure.

You also have the right to complain about how we use your personal information to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).  Details about this are on their website at www.ico.org.uk

Please note emails from your private email address may not be secure.

You also have the right to complain about how we use your personal information to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).  Details about this are on their website at https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/how-to-make-a-data-protection-complaint/

Our ICO registration number is Z6430775

 

11. Translation Service/ Accessibility

If you require a translation service, please find details to enquire below.

Interpretation and Translation Service
NHS Lothian Staff Bank
Comely Bank Centre
13 Crewe Road South
Edinburgh,
EH4 2LD

Telephone: 0131 536 2020 option 5 option 5
Email: loth.staffbankits@nhs.scot

 

12.    DataLoch

For further information regarding NHS Lothian DataLoch Programme please go to https://dataloch.org/.

 

13.    Invitation to take part in research

Research is essential for progress within the NHS. University Health Service may invite you to take part in a research study. University Health Service do this with the support of specialist NHS staff who identify eligible patients from their medical record.

No data is provided to researchers without specific consent from patients.

Patients have the right to opt out of being contacted about research studies. Please let the reception staff, practice manager or your GP know if you wish to opt out.

The practice has been recognised as a training practice for fully qualified doctors who have chosen general practice as their career.  Two of these doctors work with us and are available for consultation.  Video equipment may occasionally be used with a patient’s consent.

Your Summary Care Record will contain important information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines that you have had.

Giving healthcare staff access to this information can prevent mistakes being made when caring for you in an emergency or when your GP practice is closed.

Your Summary Care Record will also include your name, address, date of birth and your unique NHS Number to help identify you correctly.

You may want to add other details about your care to your Summary Care Record. This will only happen if you ask for the information to be included. You should discuss your wishes with the healthcare staff treating you.

You can choose not to have a Summary Care Record. You need to let your GP practice know by filling in and returning an opt-out form.

The University Health Service strives to provide first-class, confidential healthcare, based on clinical need, to all patients, at all times without reservation

To help us realise this objective we ask you to use the service responsibly

• Be punctual and let us know if you cannot attend or no longer require an appointment
• Be polite and considerate to other patients, practice staff and doctors
• Tell your GP and any hospital you are attending, if you change your address or telephone number
• Please make a separate appointment for each member of the family who need to be seen

We aim to inform patients fully about any treatment or services offered, and with adequate forewarning can provide an interpreter where necessary.

Abusive, threatening or violent behaviour will not be tolerated under any circumstances and the police will be called.

Information Sharing

The Practice complies with Data Protection and Access to Health Records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from the health visitors and hospital services.
• To help you to get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection case.

Anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan Services. If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

 

ECS (Emergency Care Summary)

Improving Patient Information to Lothian Out-of-Hours Service (Lothian Unscheduled Care Service)

Advice to Patients – In Scotland we are pioneering a new method of improving patient care out of hours.

When you or someone acting on your behalf contacts the Out of Hours service for health care advice or treatment, and it is helpful, the nurse or doctor will ask if they can look up your emergency care summary from your GP medical record.

The emergency care summary states:

1. Any recorded allergies

2. Current Medication

 

The doctor or nurse is then able to know, for example, which drugs you have been prescribed, even if you are too ill to tell them.

If you do not wish the information to be available to the doctor or nurse looking after you out of hours, then please let your GP Practice know. But this may mean that they are not able to give you the best treatment if they do not know, for example, your current medication.

 

Access to Health Records

Patients have the right to access their health records from both paper and computer sources. All such access applications must be in writing and addressed to the Practice Manager in the first instance. Specific details must be given as to the extent of access required identifying dates of entries within the record. An access fee will be charged by the Practice for the work involved in extracting and checking data. A copy of the information requested will be provided to you and you will be invited to come in and discuss the matter with a GP.

Any confidential reference in the records to third parties will be deleted. In the extremely rare occasion of a record containing information harmful to the patient, this will be deleted.

 

 

Publication Scheme

The Practice operates a publication scheme in compliance with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Details of the scheme or a request for access should be made to the Practice Manager.

 

For confidentiality reasons please note that no medical correspondence or requests for appointments or prescriptions can be accepted through the Practice email address. If you are signed up for the online booking service you can book or cancel appointments or order repeat prescriptions using that service. (Online appointments)

If you have any suggestions whereby we might improve the service to you as a patient, please let us know. A suggestion box is available on the shelf at the entrance to the 3rd floor. If you would like a response to your suggestion then please let us have a return address.