Policies and Procedures
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a publication scheme. A publication scheme is a guide to the 'classes' of information the practice intends to make routinely available. The publication scheme is available here: Freedom of Information Publication Scheme
Privacy Notices
As your GP surgery, we keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided to you. At times, we may need to share this information with other NHS providers e.g. if you are referred to the hospital or need care within the community. Everybody working within the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential and we hold you medical records in strict confidence. For more information on how and why we share your records, please see the privacy notices below:
If you have any questions about the sharing of your medical records, please contact the surgery on 01283 732257, Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 6.30pm.
Sharing Your Medical Records
Please click on the link below to access more information about the different ways we share your data. This leaflet also includes a form to enable you to opt out of any of these programmes.
Sharing your Medical Records
NHS National Data Opt-Out Programme
The current NHS Digital (NHSD) extract of GP data for Research purposes (known as the GPDPR) has been delayed due to NHSD wishing to review the way in which this data will be collected, to conduct more public involvement and information about the plans and change the way in which patients can opt out of the extract of their GP data.
Currently the only way to opt out is to complete a Type 1 opt out form (available on our website) and return this to the practice by the 1st September. However, this extract will not be taken until the NHSD have changed the way it will take the data and respect the patient’s choice for using their data. NHSD are introducing the following changes to the opt out process which will mean that patients will be able to change their opt-out status at any time:
- Patients do not need to register a Type 1 opt-out by 1st September to ensure their GP data will not be uploaded.
- NHS Digital will create the technical means to allow GP data that has previously been uploaded to the system via the GPDPR collection to be deleted when someone registers a Type 1 opt-out.
- The plan to retire Type 1 opt-outs will be deferred for at least 12 months while we get the new arrangements up and running and will not be implemented without consultation with the RCGP, the BMA and the National Data Guardian.
This means that you can opt out at any time in the future and NHSD will delete data that they already have taken for research purposes, the deadline of the 01/09/2020 has been delayed until a new system of opt out is developed. Hopefully, this will be a simple centralised approach via the NHS app or NHS website to avoid paper form and administration work for your GP. We will update you when we know more about the NHSD plans to change how you can control who has access to your data.
For more information about this see the GP Practice Privacy Notice for General Practice Data for Planning and Research or visit:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research
What data is shared:
Data may be shared from the GP medical records about:
- any living patient registered at a GP practice in England when the collection started - this includes children and adults
- any patient who died after 1 July 2021, and was previously registered at a GP practice in England when the data collection started
NHS Digital will not collect patients’ names or addresses. Any other data that could directly identify patients (such as NHS Number, date of birth, full postcode) is replaced with unique codes which are produced by de-identification software before the data is shared with NHS Digital.
This process is called pseudonymisation and means that patients will not be identified directly in the data. NHS Digital will be able to use the software to convert the unique codes back to data that could directly identify patients in certain circumstances, and where there is a valid legal reason.
If you would prefer that your identifiable patient data is only shared for your own health care purposes, you can opt-out by registering a Type One Opt Out or a National Data Opt Out, or both.
These opt-outs are different and they are explained in more detail below. Your individual care will not be affected if you opt-out using either option (or both).
A Type 1 opt out has to be registered by your Practice; please print a copy of this form: Type One Opt Out Form, and drop it in to the surgery
A National Opt out can be done without contacting your practice, at https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/
NHS Constitution
The NHS belongs to the people.
It is there to improve our health and wellbeing, supporting us to keep mentally and physically well, to get better when we are ill and, when we cannot fully recover, to stay as well as we can to the end of our lives. It works at the limits of science – bringing the highest levels of human knowledge and skill to save lives and improve health. It touches our lives at times of basic human need, when care and compassion are what matter most.
The NHS is founded on a common set of principles and values that bind together the communities and people it serves – patients and public – and the staff who work for it. This constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. It sets out rights to which patients and staff are entitled, and pledges which the NHS to committed to achieve, together with responsibilities, which the public, patients and staff owe to one another to ensure that the NHS operates fairly and effectively: The NHS Constitution
Practice Charter
Please see our Practice Charter which outlines our responsibilities to our patients: Practice Charter