Smokefree England -Surgeries are smoke free
If you smoke check the regulations

We ask you for information so that you can receive proper care and treatment.

We keep this information, together with details of your care, because it may be needed if we see you again. We may use some of this information for other reasons:

for example, to help us protect the health of the public generally and to see that the NHS runs efficiently, plans for the future, trains its staff, pays its bills and can account for its actions.

Information may also be needed to help educate tomorrow's clinical staff and to carry out medical and other health research for the benefit of everyone.

Sometimes the law requires us to pass on information: for example, to notify a birth. The NHS Central Register for England & Wales contains basic personal details of all patients registered with a general practitioner. The Register does not contain clinical information.

You have a right of access to your health records

EVERYONE WORKING FOR THE NHS HAS A LEGAL DUTY TO KEEP INFORMATION ABOUT YOU CONFIDENTIAL.

You may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS. So that we can all work together for your benefit we may need to share some information about you. We only ever use or pass on information about you if people have a genuine need for it in your and everyone's interests. Whenever we can we shall remove details which identify you. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential. If you agree, your relatives, friends and carers will be kept up to date with the progress of your treatment.

THE MAIN REASONS FOR WHICH YOUR INFORMATION MAY BE NEEDED ARE:

giving you health care and treatment,

looking after the health of the general public,

managing and planning the NHS. For example: making sure that our services can meet patient needs in the future

paying your doctor, nurse, dentist, or other staff, and the hospital which treats you for the care they provide

auditing accounts

preparing statistics on NHS performance and activity (where steps will be taken to ensure you cannot be identified)

investigating complaints or legal claims

helping staff to review the care they provide to make sure it is of the highest standard training and educating staff (but you can choose whether or not to be involved personally)

research approved by the Local Research Ethics Committee. (If anything to do with the research would involve you personally, you will be contacted to see if you are willing )



If at anytime you would like to know more about how we use your information you can speak to the person in charge of your care. © Crown Copyright