Privacy Notice

Why do we need information about you

In order to provide you with the highest quality of healthcare, we need to keep records about you. Health records comprise information relating to your physical or mental health, created by a healthcare professional to support your care. The Health records we create are mostly electronic, although you may also have some paper records. We have a legal duty to keep these confidential, accurate and secure at all times in line with Data Protection law. Our staff are trained to handle your information correctly and protect your privacy. We aim to maintain high standards, adopt best practice for our record keeping and regularly check and report on how we are doing. Your information is never collected for direct marketing purposes, and is not sold on to any other third parties

What information we hold about you

If you are a patient, we hold records about you which may include the following set out below. This information is necessary in order to provide direct health care to you.

Basic details such as address, date of birth, next of kin/emergency contact details:

• Name, address and date of birth: We collect your name, address and date of birth to enable us to send you letters about your care such as appointments. Additionally, your name, address and date of birth are used to identify you and distinguish you from other patients. A change of name or incorrect date of birth can result in misidentification; please inform us of any changes to your details.
• Telephone number(s): We collect contact telephone numbers from you which will be used to contact you about your care. We will use your mobile phone number to send text messages about forthcoming appointments or other reminders. If you do not wish your mobile number to be used in this way, please contact the service you are being seen by in order that they can make a note on your records.
• Ethnicity: We are legally required to collect your ethnicity to ensure that we provide a fair and open service where all patients receive equal treatment. An individual’s ethnicity can also have a bearing on the type of illnesses an individual is susceptible to. Anonymised information on patient’s illnesses/disease and their ethnicity is passed by us to the Department of Health & Social Care who share this information with the World Health Organisation to identify patterns in illness or diseases.
• Disability or language preferences: This information is collected to enable the Trust to provide care which meets your needs such as accommodating wheelchair users or providing interpreters.
• Religion: We offer all patients a Chaplaincy service. Your religion is passed to the Chaplains who run this service to enable them to visit you whilst in hospital to ensure the pastoral and spiritual needs of patients, their families and staff members are adequately supported.
• Your email address – where you have provided this as a communication preference
• Your NHS number
• Your marital status
• Your preferred contact details e.g. relatives, friends and carers contact details
• Your opinions and decisions about your contact with our services

Details about contact the Trust has had with you as clinical visits

We maintain electronic information about your visits and contacts with us. Your record is shared with clinical and care staff providing your care, to ensure consistent, appropriate and safe healthcare is provided to you.

Details and records about your treatment and care

To ensure the treatment and care provided to you by the Trust is appropriate and consistent, details and records about the treatment and care you have been provided will be recorded. This will ensure that there is a full and comprehensive record which is available to all staff who are involved with providing your care and treatment.

We work in partnership with other organisations such as:
• University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
• Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
• East Midlands Ambulance Service
• Leicester City Council
• Leicestershire County Council
• Rutland County Council
• Leicestershire Police

Relevant information from other professionals who have contact with you

Most of the information held about you in the Trust has either come directly from you or as a result of the interaction between you and the health professional and administrative staff with whom you have contact. We may also receive information about you from:

• Your GP
• Other NHS Trusts such as a hospital (e.g. University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust; Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust)
• East Midlands Ambulance Service
• Local Authorities (e.g. Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Rutland County Council)
• Police
• Relatives, carers and friends
• Your registration and updates to a Trust Wellbeing Account

We may also collect and store information about previous convictions where this is relevant to the care and treatment we are providing to you and/or where this is relevant to the health and safety of our staff and other patients.

Discuss and agree with you what they are going to record about you

The NHS has seven key principles, one of which is “The NHS aspires to put patients at the heart of everything it does”. Trust staff will work with you to deliver the best possible care including discussing with you the care they are going to provide.

We try to make sure that patients are involved with the decision about their care. A copy of letters sent to you GP about your care will also be sent to you, unless you expressly state that you do not want this to happen.

Show you what they have recorded about you, if you ask

To continue to include you in decisions about your care whilst you are being seen under Trust services, if you ask during your consultation/treatment, the appropriate staff can show you what they are writing in your records about the care they are providing. However, if you wish to obtain a copy of your records, you will need to make a request to the Information Request Team. Information on how to request a copy of your records can be found in the ‘Contact Us’ section of the Trust website.

The Trust collects information from you to be able to:
• Contact you by post, email, telephone and HealthInbox Application (dependent on your preferences)
• Deliver appropriate health and care to you as out patient
• To contact you to get feedback on your experiences of our services including the handling of complaints
• Respond to legal requirements including provision of information on notifiable diseases
• Provide information to other NHS organisations as required by law or other directions
• Ensure payments are made for Out of Area care or other specific care packages
• Prevent and detect fraud or crime
• Provide statistical analysis of the use of services and so that we can plan future services

Please note that if you access our service using your NHS login details, the identity verification services are managed by NHS Digital. NHS Digital is the controller for any personal information you provided to NHS Digital to get an NHS login account and verify your identity, and uses that personal information solely for that single purpose. For this personal information, our role is a “processor” only and we must act under the instructions provided by NHS Digital (as the “controller”) when verifying your identity. To see NHS Digital’s Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions, please click here. This restriction does not apply to the personal information you provide to us separately.

Please note from 01/12/2023 the Child Health Immunization Service (CHIS) will transfer from LPT to South Central West Commissioning Support Unit, therefore, requests for access to any information held within the CHIS Electronic Patient Record should be directed to SCWCSU.IGenquries@nhs.net in the first instance.

Our legal reason for collecting your information

The Trust has to provide a legal basis for the processing of your information. The Trust is part of the NHS which has a public duty to care for its patients. Under the Data Protection Act the Trust may process information which is appropriate to provide the health and social care treatment to patients, as well as the management of health and social care systems and services.

If we need to use your personal information for any reason beyond those stated above, we will discuss this with you. You have the right to ask us to not use your information in this way, however there might be times when we will still have to share your information; if this is the case we will discuss this with you.

Under the terms of the General Data Protection Regulations, we are required to notify you of the legal basis for processing the data we handle.

Healthcare

Personal data provided to the Trust for the purpose of healthcare delivery, management and treatment:

6(1)(e)Necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller

Special Category Personal Data provided to the Trust for the purpose of healthcare delivery, management and treatment:

9(2)(h) Necessary for the reasons of preventative or occupational medicine, for assessing the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of Union or Member State law or a contract with a health professional

To manage our contractual obligations for the services we have been commissioned to deliver:

• Ensure that money is used properly to pay for the services it provides
• Investigate complaints, legal claims or important incidents
• Make sure that services offered give value for money
• Make sure services are planned to meet patients’ needs in the future
• Review the care given to make sure it is of the highest possible standard
• To improve the efficiency of healthcare services

Schedule 1 Part 2 of the Data Protection Act 2018, provides the basis in UK law for the processing of criminal offence data that is gathered by the Trust for healthcare management purposes.

How your records are used

The Trust collects information about you in order to be able to provide you with the direct health and social care and treatment.

The people who care for you use your records to:

• Produce a record of all the health decisions made about you and the care provided to you:
Your information is used by clinical, support workers and administrative staff; this could include professionals based in another location. Clinical staff access your information to view the care you have been provided and to ensure the care they give you is appropriate, safe and effective.
Clinical support workers and administrative staff may also access your records to support the clinical staff e.g. support workers in the delivery of your care, additionally administrative staff ensure the care you have been provided with is recorded correctly and will communicate this with your GP.
Where appropriate the Trust has access to the Summary Care Records which detail basic information and lists your current medication, e.g. this system is accessed by the Trust’s Pharmacy staff when issuing your prescriptions
If you need to be transferred to another hospital for further treatment, information about your condition and care will be sent to the hospital you are being transferred to.

• Support you during your contact with the Trust
The Trust uses whiteboards in ward areas, this is to help identify you during your stay. Your initial and surname will be displayed on the whiteboard which may be in a public area, if you do not wish for your name to be displayed you must inform a member of Trust staff as soon as possible.

CCTV cameras are installed around the Trust to assist in the prevention, investigation and detection of crime and anti-social activity. CCTV recording and equipment are securely stored in a restricted area and password protected; all images are deleted after a set period of time unless the images form part of an investigation. Requests for viewing of images are managed by the Local Security Management Specialist.

Telephone calls to some areas of the Trust are routinely recorded, such as our Booking Centres and Single Points of Access (SPA). The reasons for the recording are:

• Prevent crime or misuse
• Make sure that staff act in compliance with Trust procedures
• Ensure quality control and improve services
• Train staff

• Check the quality of care provided (e.g. clinical audit)
The Department of Health & Social Care mandates all NHS Trusts to undertake clinical audits on care delivered to patients, which can be undertaken by clinical staff employed by us or by external audit companies. This could involve individuals who have not been involved with your direct care accessing your medical records.

We have an annual clinical audit programme which requires all clinical staff to participate. Clinical staff review patient medical records to audit the care provided, and to identify ways in which the care could be improved in the future.

The Trust participates in a number of National Clinical Audits including:
Further information can be found at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/clinaudit/
Occasionally, external companies will audit our treatment of patients to provide assurance to the Trust and our Commissioners on the care and treatment provided to patients. In some instances the auditors may review a patient’s medical record. These individuals are bound by strict codes of confidentiality. If you do not wish your records to be accessed by these staff, please write to the Data Privacy Department.

The Legal basis to undertake clinical audit is direct care dealt with under 6(1)(e) 'Necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller'; and using Article 9 condition 9(2)(h) 'Necessary for the reasons of preventative or occupational medicine, for assessing the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of Union or Member State law or a contract with a health professional'

The Trust is taking part in the National Audit of Care at the End of Life (NACEL). For NACEL the Trust is the Data Controller for the purposes of the data collection and then HQIP/NHS England (NHSE) becomes the Data Controller for the use of the strongly pseudonymised data that is submitted.

• Investigate any concerns or complaints you or your family have raised to the Trust about your healthcare
In order to deal with issues raised by you or to process your complaint or legal claim, staff within our Legal Department and Complaints Department will access your medical records and may share this information with other staff as well as external third parties where applicable, including our solicitors or NHS Resolution.

We take patient safety very seriously. If an incident occurs which was not expected we will investigate it, therefore the staff involved in your care, with support from the Trust's Patient Safety Team will access your medical records.

• To help teach and train new members of staff
The Trust partners with a number of universities/colleges to teach and train student and newly qualified Doctors and Nurses in order to help them gain valuable experience and practice in delivering care.

• Manage the services provided by the Trust:
Every NHS Trust is performance managed. Statistical information about patient care is collated by the Trust e.g. how long patients have waited for an appointment, etc. The Trust will use and share coded patient information to undertake statistical analysis on the management and performance of NHS Services locally and the NHS as a whole.

We use statistical information about patients to improve the services we provide such as reviewing the length of time a patient has stayed in hospital or the number of hospital infections. This information is coded so individual patients cannot be easily identified.

Coded information about patient care is sent to NHS Digital on a daily basis. NHS Digital manages information sent to the Department of Health & Social Care. This information is used by NHS Digital and the Department of Health & Social Care to review the treatment provided to patients across the NHS and identify trends/changes in the health of the population.

The Trust collects information from you to be able to:
• Contact you by post, email, telephone and MyMailbox Application (dependent on your preferences)
• Deliver appropriate health and care to you as out patient
• To contact you to get feedback on your experiences of our services including complaints handling
• Respond to legal requirements including provision of information on notifiable diseases
• Provide information to other NHS organisations as required by law or other directions
• Ensure payments are made for Out of Area care or other specific care packages
• Prevent and detect fraud or crime
• Provide statistical analysis of the use of services and so that we can plan future services

We may introduce new processes or technologies that capture and store personal data e.g. biometric scanners, body worn video cameras etc. The Trust considers privacy at the initial design stages and throughout the complete development process by invoking the Data Protection Impact Assessment and Change Management Processes; thus ensuring the appropriate technical and organisational measures are in place to safeguard individual’s rights and adherence to UK-GDPR/DPA 18.

Other information and uses

Using your information for research

Research has a vital role to play in the development of healthcare and health service delivery. The Trust is a proactive research institution and this is reflected in our aims and values. The Trust’s Research and Development Department must approve research before it takes place.

As an NHS organisation we use personally-identifiable information to conduct research to improve health, care and services. As a publicly-funded organisation, we have to ensure that it is in the public interest when we use personally-identifiable information from people who have agreed to take part in a research. This means that when you agree to take part in a research study, we will use your data in the ways needed to conduct and analyse the research study. Your rights to access, change or move your information are limited, as we need to manage your information in specific ways in order for the research to be reliable and accurate. If you withdraw from the study, we will keep the information about you that we already have obtained. To safeguard your rights, we will use the minimum personally-identifiable information possible.

Health and care research should serve the public interest, which means that we have to demonstrate that our research serves the interests of society as a whole. We do this by following the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research

Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN)

To help improve the quality of services, better outcomes for patients and ensuring the right treatment is being provided to patients, the Department of Health & Social Care has mandated Trusts to achieve certain standards – Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN). To achieve these standards the Trust will work with other NHS organisations to share information relating to patients to provide them with the best possible care e.g. frequent A&E attenders.

You will always be informed when the Trust identifies a need to share your information with another organisation to provide you with the best possible care.

Questionnaires and surveys

To help ensure the Trust is meeting the needs and satisfaction of the community it serves, it will commission companies to run questionnaires or surveys on the Trust’s behalf, only the minimum information will be securely shared with these companies and these companies are bound by strict confidentiality clauses.

Working with other organisations

We will share your information with other organisations, to assist with giving you the best care possible. Where we share your information with these organisations, they are subject to strict information sharing protocols/agreements. Anyone who receives information from the Trust has a legal duty to keep it confidential and secure. Only information that is required and appropriate to support your care and treatment will be provided.

Where we share your information with other organisations that do not form part of your care, permission from yourself will be sort before sending the information unless we have a legal obligation to provide the information or we have to because the interest of the public is thought to be of greater importance.

There are occasions where we have a legal duty to pass patient information to external organisations which operate to oversee and address issues relating to the management of the NHS as a whole. These include:

• Notification of infectious diseases including Food Poisoning are reported to Public Health England
• The Care Quality Commission which has the powers of inspection and entry into required documentation
• Investigations by regulators of professionals i.e. General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council
• Coroners investigations into the circumstances of a death
• Reports of deaths, major injuries and accidents to the Health and Safety Executive
• The NHS Security Management Service collects information on reported security incidents (e.g. thefts of patient/staff property, assaults on NHS staff)/
• NHS Counter Fraud Authority is responsible for policy and operational matters relating to the prevention, detection and investigation of fraud in the NHS
• For the management of NHS Prescription Services/
• Information must be provided to the Police to help prevent an act of terrorism or prosecuting a terrorist (The Terrorism Act 2000 and Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measure Act 2011)
• For the protection of a child or vulnerable adult for safeguarding purposes
• Report cases of Female Genital Mutilation

Working with others

To protect your best interests, your information may be securely shared in an emergency situation.

We have developed extensive emergency contingency plans including in the event of fire, flood, loss of power, etc. If an emergency occurred within the hospital, details of patients currently within the hospital or due to come into hospital might be securely shared with external organisations that are assisting us to manage the emergency.

LLR Integrated Care System

The Trust alongside the three local authorities, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS and the Integrated Care Board form part of the LLR Integrated Care System (ICS). There may be occasions where your basic information is securely shared to help with planning services as part of the ICS.

Pro-Active Vulnerability and Engagement (PAVE) Team

The Pro-Active Vulnerability and Engagement (PAVE) Team is a joint initiative between Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, and Turning Point. It has been specifically introduced to work with individuals who have complex needs and present to the mental health services on a regular basis. The team will work with an individual intensively for a set period to ensure a comprehensive mental health assessment, identify any unmet need(s), and support with access to relevant services (including facilitating referrals and treatment where necessary). By accelerating access to the most appropriate alternative provisions, the aim of the service is to eventually reduce individuals’ unnecessary contacts with the emergency services where there is not an urgent need.

The PAVE team is a part of the Urgent and Emergency Mental Health Services Pathway. Other services within this pathway include the:

• Mental Health Central Access Point (MHCAP)
• Mental Health Liaison Service (MHLS)
• Criminal Justice & Liaison & Diversion (CJ&LD)
• Place of Safety & Assessment Unit (PSAU)
• Mental Health Urgent Care Hub (MHUCH)
• Homeless Mental Health Service
• Veteran Service

Integrated Care Teams

The Trust has various Integrated Care Teams which are teams of health professionals that integrate health, care and support services from across our area to work together to provide you with seamless care whether in the Trust, the community or in your home, only information that is essential to the care the ICT team is providing will be securely shared within the ICT team.

All organisations we share your information with are subject to strict information sharing protocols/agreements. Anyone who receives information from us also has a legal duty to keep it confidential and secure. Where we share your information with these organisation we will let you know.

We will not share information with external organisations unless:

• It supports your care and treatment
• You ask us to do so
• We ask your permission
• We have to by law
• We have special permission for health or research purposes; or
• We have to because the interests of the public are thought to be of greater importance than your confidentiality.

Lone Worker Devices

Our Trust has approximately 2000 Lone Worker Devices for use by staff. These devices ensure staff have a mechanism to raise the alarm if they are in a potentially high-risk situation with a service user, patient, or members of the public. Once the device is activated a two-way audio call begins and recording starts. These recordings may be passed onto to the Police for use in the detection and prevention of crime.

Joy social prescribing app

The Joy app is a social prescribing platform for Leicester and Leicestershire. The purpose of the project is to increase social prescribing in primary care and secondary care (LPT). The app provides a seamless link for NHS staff between Joy and the Electronic Patient Record. This enables us to measure and demonstrate the value of social prescribing to patients and their families. Staff will access the app to see what is available for patients to access, the patient will then be referred or signposted into a service. No information will be shared without the patients consent.

Airmid App Pilot – to start November 2024

Airmid (App) is a mobile application, developed by TPP who provide SystmOne the Electronic patient record, created with the aim of improving communication between patients and their healthcare provider. Where it has been agreed with the healthcare provider (LPT), users can also access their existing medical record via the app.

Data Airmid collects is displayed in the App and with the user's permission this can be shared with the healthcare provider. TPP act as the Data Controller for data entered into the App and information is shared with LPT only via patient consent. Please see The Airmid Privacy Notice for more information: https://tpp-uk.com/airmid-privacy-policy/#:~:text=We%20take%20all%20steps%20reasonably,in%20order%20to%20process%20it.

Other uses of information

Patient and public involvement

If you take part in our patient and public involvement or patient experience activities, we may collect and process personal confidential information which you have shared with us.

Where you submit you details to us for involvement and patient experience purposes, we will only use your information for this purpose.

Friends and Family Test

The NHS Act 2006 Section 13B (inserted by the Health and Social Care Act 2012) specifies that the NHS has a duty to secure continuous improvement in the quality of services delivered to individuals, particularly the quality of experience undergone by patients. NHS England discharges this duty via the NHS Standard Contract and therefore the legal basis for this activity is Article 6(1)(e) 'Necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller'

The NACEL Quality Survey is one such activity under the umbrella of NHS England FFT programme. For this survey, data is collected from families and others via a web-based link. A link to this form will be provided to the bereaved person in a letter sent by the Trust. The link is unique and can only be used once. The legal basis for the data collection from carers via this online survey is Article 6 (1)(a) 'the data subject has given consent to the processing of his or her personal data for one or more specific purposes' and Article 9 condition 9(2)(a) “the data subject has given explicit consent to the processing of those personal data for one or more specified purposes”.

Equality and diversity data

As a Trust we have a duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation, to advance equality of opportunity and to foster good relations. All public bodies must treat people from different groups fairly and equally. Data on equality and diversity is captured in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Special Category Personal Data provided to the Trust for the purpose of compliance with Equality legislation :

9(2)(b) necessary for the carrying out of obligations under employment, social security or social protection law, or a collective agreement.

Mental Health Act Data

Most people who receive treatment in hospitals or psychiatric units for mental health conditions are there voluntarily and have the same rights as people receiving treatment for physical illnesses. However, a small number of patients may need to be compulsorily detained under a section of the Mental Health Act 1983.

Special Category Personal Data provided to the Trust for the purpose of healthcare delivery, management and treatment:

9(2)(b) necessary for the carrying out of obligations under employment, social security or social protection law, or a collective agreement.

9(2)(c) Necessary to protect the vital interests of a data subject who is physically or legally incapable of giving consent

9(2)(h) Necessary for the reasons of preventative or occupational medicine, for assessing the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of Union or Member State law or a contract with a health professional

Use of photographs

Photographs where an individual can be clearly identified will only be used as part of promotional materials and website where explicit consent has been given by the individual.

Personal data for the purpose of promoting the work of the Trust:

6(1)(a)Consent of the data subject

Recovery College

Recovery College LPT supports individuals with experience of mental health difficulties to live the life they want to lead and become experts in their own self-care. The college supports individuals through courses designed to contribute towards wellbeing.

Data captured during enrollment is required to manage this service and to provide you details of available courses and resources.

Personal data provided by individuals for the purpose of enrollment:

6(1)(e)Necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller

Special Category Personal Data provided to the Trust for the purpose of healthcare delivery, management and treatment:

9(2)(b) necessary for the carrying out of obligations under employment, social security or social protection law, or a collective agreement;

LLR Care Record

Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland (LLR) Care Record

The LLR Care Record is a shared system that allows healthcare staff within the LLR health and social care community to appropriately access the most up-to-date and correct information about patients involved in their care, to deliver the best possible care.

If you would like any further information, or would like to discuss this further, please contact our Data Protection Officer.

Disclosure of information

You have the right to object to how and with whom we share the information that is within your records that could identify you. This will be noted within your records so that all staff involved with your care and treatment are aware of your decision. By choosing this option, it may mean that the delivery of your care or treatment more difficult. You can also change your mind at any time about your decision.

If your consent is relevant, you are required to provide this in writing. This is essential as you may change your preference regarding consent further down the line. You as an individual also have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

How your personal information is used to improve the NHS Population Health Management

The LLR Population Health Management Solution (LLR PHM) is being developed by the health and social care partners with the intention of creating a joint electronic Population Health Management Solution within the LLR area.

LLR PHM will support the delivery of integrated care by de-identification (Pseudonymisation) of personal data. Once de-identified, data will be used to enable the creation of a Population Health Management solution within the LLR area, providing health and social care teams working together with analytical products and tools to support service planning.

Your information will also be used to help us manage the NHS, Social Care and protect the health of the public by being used to:

Review the care we provide to make sure it is of the highest standard and quality,

Make sure our services can meet your needs in the future.

You can opt of sharing your de-identified data. The National NHS Digital opt-out programme allows people to opt out of their confidential patient information being used for research and planning. To opt out of sharing your data please follow the below link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/national-data-opt-out-programme

National Fraud Initiative (NFI) fair processing notice - supplier and payroll information

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust takes part in the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative. This is a data matching exercise by the Government with public sector bodies to help with the prevention and detection of fraud.

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body, against computer records held by the same or another body, to see how far they match. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it may indicate that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.

Supplier and employee data is submitted to the National Fraud Initiative on a regular basis. The use of data is carried out with statutory authority under Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. You can read further information about the national fraud initiative on the Gov.uk website.

Data specifications setting out exactly what data is processed can be found on the National Fraud Initiative: public sector data specifications page.

For further information on data matching at the Trust please contact Jackie.Moore12@nhs.net.

National Data Opt-Out

How the NHS and care services use your information

Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending Accident & Emergency or using Community Care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment.

The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance to help with:

• improving the quality and standards of care provided
• research into the development of new treatments
• preventing illness and diseases
• monitoring safety
• planning services

This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations. Confidential patient information about your health and care is only used like this where allowed by law.

Most of the time, anonymised data is used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified in which case your confidential patient information isn’t needed.

You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way. If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.

To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters. On this web page you will:

• See what is meant by confidential patient information
• Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care
• Find out more about the benefits of sharing data
• Understand more about who uses the data
• Find out how your data is protected
• Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting
• Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone
• See the situations where the opt-out will not apply

You can also find out more about how patient information is used at: https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/ (which covers health and care research); and
https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/what-you-need-know (which covers how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made)

You can change your mind about your choice at any time.

Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.