Your Confidential Records
You can be assured that your medical records are safe with Hill Lane Surgery. We will only share data that identifies you under the following circumstances:
- With other health care professionals (hospital or community staff) as part of an agreed plan of treatment
- With your explicit consent, e.g. for participation in research studies
- In circumstances where it is in the interests of your health and you are not able to give consent, e.g. if you are unconscious
- Where we are obliged to divulge information under the Health & Social Care Act 2012, e.g. in the case of a national emergency or pandemic
- Where we are required to do so for health service planning purposes and you have not explicitly opted out of having your data shared (see below)
Our strict rules about confidentiality mean that we will not discuss your medical affairs even with your close family unless you give us permission to do so. This includes details of appointments you have made. If you would like your partner, parent, son/daughter or carer to be able to speak to us on your behalf, you must tell us beforehand. Please ask our Reception Team for a consent form if you require an ongoing arrangement for sharing consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time.
Information about your health and care helps the NHS to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments.
You have the right to control how medical information about you is shared, disseminated or sold, for purposes other than your direct medical care – so called secondary uses (or purposes).
Secondary uses include projects involved in risk stratification, population health management, national clinical audits, research, healthcare planning, commissioning of healthcare services by CCGs, commercial and even political uses. You can control your personal confidential information by opting out of data sharing.
There are 2 types of data sharing.
Type 1 Opt Out
A type 1 opt out prevents information being shared outside a GP practice for purposes other than direct care.
- Who do you notify of your decision to opt out
Please print and sign an Opt Out Form and either bring the original to the practice for processing or take a photo of it and email it to us at soccg.hilllanesurgery@nhs.net so that we can update your data sharing preferences.
Type 2 Opt Out – now known as National Data Opt-out
A type 2 opt out/National Data Opt-out prevents information being shared outside NHS Digital for purposes beyond the individual’s direct care. The following link will take you to full current information regarding these opt-outs https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research/advice-for-the-public
- Who do you notify of your decision to opt out
Type 2 Opt outs are arranged by NHS Digital. If you are aged 13 or older you can go to Make your choice about sharing data from your health records – NHS (www.nhs.uk) and opt out online.
Other ways to make a choice.
You can also make or change a choice for:
- yourself by phone, email or post
- someone else by email or post
NHS Digital Contact Centre phone number: 0300 303 5678 – Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).
If you’re a parent or legal guardian and you want to opt your children out, you must complete the opt-out form.
Once you’ve completed the form, you can email it to the Contact Centre – enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk
Alternatively, you can post the form to:
National Data Opt Out
Contact Centre
NHS Digital
HM Government
7 and 8 Wellington Place
Leeds
LS1 4AP