To provide you with the care you need, we hold we hold details of your consultations, illnesses, tests, prescriptions and other treatments that have been recorded by everyone involved in your care and treatment, eg GP, health visitor, practice nurse. This information may be stored on paper or electronically on computer files by practice staff.
We sometimes exchange information about your personal health with other organisations involved in your care. For example, when your GP refers you to a specialist at the hospital, we will send relevant details about in the referral letter and receive information about you from them.
We will provide at Emergency Care Summary (ECS) to Accident and Emergency departments and to 'out of hours' organisations on request. The Emergency Care Summary contains basic information about you, such as prescribing and allergy information, and is designed to enhance your care in an emergency situation. The practice commands this system which can be accessed electronically by OOH and A&E departments throughout Scotland. You can, however, opt out of this service by writing to the practice manager.
Our practice participates in regional and national programmes such as the cervical cytology screening service. Your name and address, date of birth and NHS number may be provided for these organisations so you can be included in these NHS health screening initiatives.
We are required to provide basic details about you to NHS Lanarkshire and also to NHS National Services Scotland in order to receive a payment for any services provided to you.
These organisations have a duty to protect public funds, and we are authorised to verify that payments are being properly made. We are required to co-operate with these checks and the disclosure of your basic data is a necessary part of our provision of health care services.
Sometimes we may participate in studies that are designed to improve the way services are provided to you or to check that our performance meets required standards and benchmarks. Whenever we take part in activities such as these we will ensure that information is anonymised and any details that may identify you are not disclosed.
From time to time we are involved in the health research and the teaching of student nurses, doctors and other health professionals. We will not use or disclose your personal health information for these purposes unless you have been informed beforehand and given consent for us to do so.
Where you need a service jointly provided with a local authority we will seek permission before giving them your details.
We may be required by law to pass on certain information, eg the notification of births and deaths, notifiable diseases and criminal acts.
Our use of your personal health information is protected by a duty of confidentiality and is regulated by the Data Protection Act. The Act gives you a number of rights in relation to how your personal information is used, including a right to access information we hold about you.