Fintona Medical Centre - Privacy Notice
Fintona Medical Centre has a legal duty to explain how we use any personal information we collect about you, as a registered patient at this Practice. As your registered GP Practice, we are the data controller for any personal data that we hold about you. We are committed to maintaining confidentiality and will endeavour to protect your information and use it appropriately and responsibly.
We will collect personal information such as your name, date of birth, address; postcode, next of kin, health and care number. We also collect special category information such as medical history, records of appointments, visits, emails, telephone calls, treatments and medications, results of investigations, supportive care arrangements and any other relevant information to enable us to deliver effective medical care.
Your healthcare records contain information about your health and any treatment or care you have received previously (e.g. from hospital, social services, GP surgery and the like). These records may be electronic and/or paper. We use a combination of technologies and working practice to ensure that we keep your information secure and confidential.
Your data is collected for the purpose of providing direct patient care, however, we share information when the law requires us to do, for instance if we are inspected or reporting certain illnesses or safeguarding vulnerable people. We also share medical records with health professionals who are involved in providing your care and treatment. This is on a need to know basis and event by event. Data about you is used to manage national screening campaigns, such as flu, cervical screening and diabetes prevention. Data about you, usually de-identified is used to manage the NHS and make payments. Your data may also be used to check the quality of care provided by the NHS. We may also share medical records for medical research.
We adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which comes into effect on 25th May 2018. It emphasises transparency, security and accountability by data controllers and processers, in tandem with standardising and strengthening the right of European citizens to privacy of their personal data. We also adhere to the guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and are registered with them.
You have the right not to share your information either in some or all circumstances. Should you wish to do so, please inform your GP or a member of the Practice staff. You have the right to obtain confirmation that your information is being processed and access to this data. In order to do so, please contact the Practice Manager. We rely on you to keep your records up to date, for example, change of address, contact tel. no and the like.
What to do if you have any questions
Ask to speak to the Practice Manager, 02882841203
Complaints
In the unlikely event that you are unhappy with any element of our data processing methods, you have the right to make a complaint to the ICO. For further details, visit ico.org.uk and select “Raising a concern”.
Changes to our privacy policy
We regularly review our privacy policy; any updates will be displayed in our Practice and on our website: www.fintonamc.co.uk
Confidentiality & Medical Records
The practice complies with data protection and access to medical 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 district nurses and hospital services.
- To help you 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 cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.
If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.
Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.
Freedom of Information
Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.
Access to Records
In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice manager and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
Complaints
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.
To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.
Violence Policy
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.