Patients

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 states that we have to keep records on the care and treatment we deliver to individuals.

Downloadable PDF of this page – click here.

Data Controller

The data controller responsible for keeping your information is Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office . They are the UK’s independent body set up to uphold information rights. Our registration number is: Z7089698.

Data Protection Officer

It is a requirement that organisations appoint a Data Protection Officer. The Data Protection Officer is responsible for:

  • informing and advising us and its employees about their obligations to comply with data protection laws
  • monitoring compliance with data protection laws
  • being the point of contact regarding data protection

Our Data Protection Officer is:

Sam Layfield, Head of Performance & Planning
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
Harrogate District Hospital
Lancaster Park Road
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG2 7SX
01423 885959
[email protected]

Why we collect your information

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 states that we have to keep records on the care and treatment we deliver to individuals.

Full and accurate records are needed to assess your health and decide what care you require. They enable us to assess the quality of care you have received and to investigate any concerns you may have.

As well as using your personal information to provide you with care, your personal information is also used for wider NHS purposes such as:

Healthcare professionals caring for you keep records about your health and any treatment you receive. These records may be written down or recorded electronically. Your records can include:

  • demographic details, such as name, date of birth, address, next of kin and overseas visitor status etc.
  • details about the treatment, care and support that you need and receive
  • results of investigations, such as x-rays and laboratory tests
  • relevant information from other healthcare or social care professionals or those who care for you
  • relevant information about your family or social history including information about carers
  • Payment details

What information we collect

Healthcare professionals caring for you keep records about your health and any treatment you receive. These records may be written down or recorded electronically. Your records can include:

  • demographic details, such as name, date of birth, address, next of kin and overseas visitor status etc.
  • details about the treatment, care and support that you need and receive
  • results of investigations, such as x-rays and laboratory tests
  • relevant information from other healthcare or social care professionals or those who care for you
  • relevant information about your family or social history including information about carers
  • Payment details
  • CCTV:
    • We have CCTV systems in some of our premises used by members of the public, for the purposes of public and staff safety and crime prevention and detection. CCTV is also installed on the outside of some of our buildings for the purposes of monitoring building security and crime prevention and detection. Some staff will be wearing body worn cameras.
    • Images captured by CCTV will not be kept for longer than necessary. However, on occasions there may be a need to keep images for longer, for example where a crime is being investigated. We operate CCTV and disclose in accordance with the codes of practice issued by the Information Commissioner.

Links to further information about data collection

Overseas Visitors

For further information on the data we collect and share for overseas visitors please visit the below webpages:

National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)

For information about the National Child Measurement Programme please visit:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/national-child-measurement-programme

Grow and Learn

For information about the Grow and Learn please visit:  https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/growandlearn

Friends and Family Test

For information about the Friends and Family Test please visit:

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/friends-and-family-test-fft/

Who we may share your information with

We will share relevant information with the following main partner organisations:

  • Other NHS Trusts and hospitals that are involved in your care
  • General practitioners (GPs)
  • Children’s Services including Early Help and Safeguarding
  • Adult Services
  • Education including Nurseries
  • Police
  • Dental practitioners
  • Ambulance services
  • Clinical Commissioning Groups, Local Area Teams and other NHS bodies such as NHS Digital
  • Voluntary and private sector providers working with the NHS
  • Professional bodies such as the General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council
  • Great North Care Record (GNCR)
    As a partner in the Great North Care Record (GNCR), we need to request and share your information from and with other relevant parties who are part of your care and ongoing support network.
    Full details of the member organisations of the GNCR, what data may be viewed across the GNCR network, and what are the benefits to being part of the GNCR are available from the GNCR website – https://www.greatnorthcarerecord.org.uk/
    If you have any objection to being part of the GNCR you can contact the GNCR helpline on 0344 811 9587 and speak to a member of our team. In order to log and process your objection we are required to collect some basic demographic information about you. We will always seek to comply with your request, but in some circumstances we may have to use your information to comply with our other legal duties.
  • Yorkshire and Humber Care Record (YHCR)
    • As a partner in the Yorkshire and Humber Care Record (YHCR), we need to request and share your information from and with other relevant parties who are part of your care and ongoing support network.
    • Full details of the member organisations of the YHCR, what data may be viewed across the YHCR network, and what are the benefits to being part of the YHCR are available from the YHCR website  https://www.yhcr.org/
    • If you live in Yorkshire and Humber please call 0113 206 4102 during normal working hours and you can discuss with the team your Right to Object to the sharing of your information. However, if clinical and care staff require access to the information shared on the YHCR to provide safe individual care for you they are legally allowed access, for example in an emergency.
  • Summary Care Record (SCR)
    • All patients registered with a GP have a Summary Care Record (SCR), unless they have chosen not to have one. The information held in your Summary Care Record gives health and care professionals, away from your usual GP practice, access to information to provide you with safer care, reduce the risk of prescribing errors and improve your patient experience.
    • Your SCR contains basic information about allergies and medications and any reactions that you have had to medication in the past.
    • For further information, please visit https://digital.nhs.uk/services/summary-care-records-scr/summary-care-records-scr-information-for-patients
    • The purpose of your SCR is to improve the care that you receive, however, if you don’t want to have an SCR you have the option to opt out. If this is your preference please inform your GP or fill in an SCR patient consent preferences formand return it to your GP practice.
  • SystmOne
    • Some services we provide use SystmOne.
    • To provide the best care, your SystmOne record will be made available to other services involved in your care.
    • To opt out of sharing, please contact your GP surgery or inform your HDFT healthcare professional.
  • Patients Know Best
    Patients Know Best (PKB) is a secure online service that allows your health records to be stored in one place, giving you instant access to, and better control of, important information such as appointment letters, appointment details.
    For further information please visit our dedicated page: https://www.hdft.nhs.uk/patient-knows-best-frequently-asked-questions/

We will not disclose your information to any other third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as a serious crime has been committed, there is a risk to the public or staff or we have a legal duty to pass on information.

How we maintain the confidentiality of your information

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with data protection legislation.

Every member of staff who works for an NHS organisation has a legal obligation to keep information about you confidential. Staff also undertake annual data security training.

How long we keep your information for

We store information for the time stipulated in Records Management Code of Practice

Your rights

Data protection laws give individuals rights in respect of the personal information that we hold about you. These are:

  1. To be informed why, where and how we use your information.
  2. To request access to your information.
  3. To request information to be corrected if inaccurate or incomplete.
  4. To request for your information to be deleted or removed where there is no need for us to continue processing it.
  5. To request us to restrict the use of your information.
  6. To request us to copy or transfer your information from one IT system to another in a safe and secure way, without impacting the quality of the information.
  7. To object to how your information is used.
  8. To challenge any decisions made without human intervention (automated decision making).

Rights of Access

Data protection laws give you the right to request access to your information. Further information on how to request your information can be found on the Access to health records page.

Access to Health Records Team
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
Harrogate District Hospital
Lancaster Park Road
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG2 7SX

01423 557469

[email protected]

National Data Opt-out

The information collected about you when you use our 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.

Requesting information to be corrected

If you believe your health information is inaccurate or incomplete please contact your healthcare professional to request for the information to be corrected.

If you have changed address, GP, telephone number or name please inform the Appointment Centre on 01423 553373 if you use one of our hospital bases services. The Appointment Centre is open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays. Please note that these opening hours may change due to staffing levels. If you use one of our satellite services please inform your healthcare professional.

Concerns

Should you wish to raise a concern about the use of your information, please contact our Patient Experience Team:

Patient Experience Team
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
Harrogate District Hospital
Lancaster Park Road
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG2 7SX

01423 555499

[email protected]

Minicom: 01423 554466

Patient Experience team web page.

If you remain unhappy with the outcome of your enquiry you can contact the Information Commissioner:

The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

0303 123 1113

www.ico.org.uk