What is a privacy notice?
A privacy notice helps your doctor’s surgery tell you how it uses information it has about you, like your name, address, date of birth and all of the notes the doctor or nurse makes about you in your healthcare record.
Why do we need one?
Your doctor’s surgery needs a privacy notice to make sure it meets the legal requirements which are written in a new document called the General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR for short).
What is the GDPR?
What a great question! The GDPR is a new document that helps your doctor’s surgery keep the information about you secure. It’s new and will be introduced on the 25th May 2018, making sure that your doctor, nurse and any other staff at the practice follow the rules and keep your information safe.
How do you know about our privacy notice?
At Knock Medical Centre, we have posters in our waiting room and leaflets to give to children and adults and we also have lots of information about privacy on our website, telling you how we use the information we have about you.
What information do we collect about you?
Don’t worry; we only collect the information we need to help us keep you healthy – such as your name, address, information about your parents or guardians, records of appointments, visits, telephone calls, your health record, treatment and medicines, test results, X-rays and any other information to enable us to care for you.
How do we use your information?
Another great question! Your information is taken to help us provide your care. But we might need to share this information with other medical teams, such as hospitals, if you need to been seen by a special doctor or sent for an X-ray. Your doctor’s surgery may be asked to help with exciting medical research; but don’t worry, we will always ask you, or your parents or adults with parental responsibility, if it’s okay to share your information.
How do we keep your information private?
Well, your doctor’s surgery knows that it is very important to protect the information we have about you. We make sure we follow the rules that are written in the GDPR and other important rule books.
What if I’ve got a long-term medical problem?
If you have a long-term medical problem then we know it is important to make sure your information is shared with other healthcare workers to help them help you, making sure you get the care you need when you need it!
Don’t want to share?
All of our patients, no matter what their age, can say that they don’t want to share their information. If you’re under 16 this is something which your parents or adults with parental responsibility will have to decide. They can get more information from a member of staff at the surgery, who can also explain what this means to you.
How do I access my records?
Remember we told you about the GDPR? Well, if you want to see what is written about you, you have a right to access the information we hold about you, but you will need to complete a Subject Access Request (SAR). Your parents or adults with parental responsibility will do this on your behalf if you’re under 16. But if you are over 12, you may be classed as being competent and you may be able to do this yourself.
What do I do if I have a question?
If you have any questions, ask a member of the surgery team or your parents or adults with parental responsibility.
If you have any questions about this privacy notice or our processing of information, if you wish to raise a complaint on how we have handled your personal information, or if you wish to exercise any of your rights set out in this notice, please contact the Data Protection Officer at the following address:
Mr Alan Hawthorne
Knock Medical Centre
423b Upper Newtownards Road
Belfast
BT4 3LH
Phone 02890 654018
What to do if you’re not happy about how we manage your information
We really want to make sure you’re happy, but we understand that sometimes things can go wrong. If you or your parents or adults with parental responsibility are unhappy with any part of our data-processing methods, you can complain. For more information, visit ico.org.uk and select ‘Raising a concern’.
We always make sure the information we give you is up to date. Any updates will be published on our website, leaflets, and on our posters. This policy will be effective from 2nd May 2018.