We ask for personal information so that you can receive appropriate care and treatment. This information is recorded on computer and we are registered under the Data Protection Act. The practice will ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained at all times by the members of the practice team. However, for the effective functioning of a multi-disciplinary team, it is sometimes necessary that medical information about you is shared between members of the team. Prescriptions and consultation records are run solely on computer. This enables us to analyse various aspects of health care and to produce annual practice reports. Obviously, all data in these reports is anonymous.
Access to Patient Information
Due to rules of confidentiality, we are not permitted, under any circumstances, to disclose any patient information to a third party, without the patient's formal consent.
Why Does The Receptionist Need To Ask What’s Wrong With Me?
Click here for the reasons the receptionists will ask you certain questions.
Patient Privacy Notice
Croft Hall Medical Practice has a legal obligation to explain what information we hold for you and the legal purpose for which we may share it.
The data we hold for you can be in a variety of formats including paper, electronic, photographs, video and audio. Your personal information may be shared with certain organisations to meet our legal requirements.
Your data will be shared with:
- Healthcare professionals and staff at this surgery
- NHS Digital
- Care Quality Commission
- Public Health England
- In a court of law
- Organisations contracted to provide services in order to support healthcare needs
- Clinical Commissioning Group
- Third party processors
| Lawful basis for processing: |
These purposes are supported under the following sections of the GDPR:
Article 6(1)(e) ‘…necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority…’; and
Article 9(2)(h) ‘necessary for the purposes of preventative or occupational medicine for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services...”
Healthcare staff will also respect and comply with their obligations under the common law duty of confidence. |
| Rights to Object: |
You have the right to object to information being shared between those who are providing you with direct care but this may affect the care you receive.
NHS Digital
- You are unable to object to the sharing of data to NHS Digital as this is a national body which has legal responsibilities to collect information about Health & Social Care Services. More information about NHS Digital can be found at https://digital.nhs.uk/home
Public Health England
- You are unable to object to the sharing of data to Public Health as legally this information must be shared under legislation.
Care Quality Commission
- You are unable to object to the sharing of data to Care Quality Commission as they are our regulating body making sure we reach certain standards of quality and safety.
Court Order
- Your information must be shared if has been ordered by a court. You are unable to object to this.
Safeguarding
- You are unable to object when information is legitimately shared for safeguarding reasons to protect people from harm.
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| Right to access and correct |
- You have the right to access your medical record and have any errors or mistakes corrected. Please speak to a member of staff with regards to subject access requests.
- We are not aware of any circumstances in which you will have the right to delete correct information from your medical record; although you are free to obtain your own legal advice if you believe there is no lawful purpose for which we hold the information and contact us if you hold a different view.
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| Retention period |
GP medical records will be kept in line with the law and national guidance. Information on how long records are kept can be found at: https://digital.nhs.uk/article/1202/Records-Management-Code-of-Practice-for-Health-and-Social-Care-2016 |
| Right to complain |
You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. If you wish to complain follow this link https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/ or call the helpline 0303 123 1113 |
| Data Controller contact details |
Croft Hall Medical Practice, 19 Croft Road, Torquay, Devon, TQ2 5UA |
| Data Protection Officer contact details |
Bex Lovewell
Express Diagnostics & Treatment Services, 6 Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU
bex.lovewell@nhs.net |
Improved Access Privacy Notice
Who will we share your information with?
As part of our Improved Access Initiative, Croft Hall Medical Practice patients can book evening and weekend appointments, both here and at other local GP Practices.
This will benefit you as a patient, as it ensures that there are more appointments available to you at times that are more convenient out of the practice’s usual hours.
GPs working for or with any of the practices in the collaboration (Brunel Medical Practice, Catherine House Surgery, Chelston Hall Surgery, Chilcote Surgery, Compass House Medical Centre, Corner Place Surgery, Croft Hall Medical Practice, Dartmouth Medical Practice, Leatside Surgery, Mayfield Medical Centre, Old Farm Surgery, Parkhill Medical Practice, Southover Medical Practice, and St Lukes and Greenswood Medical) will be providing appointments for this service.
To ensure that the Clinician has full access to your medical records, when you book your appointment the Receptionist will ask you to consent to sharing your medical records, which will ensure an effective and safe service.
If consent is not provided, it will not be possible to offer an appointment. Consent will be requested on every occasion that you book an appointment outside of usual hours.
This record sharing occurs electronically through our clinical system and only occurs when you choose to book an appointment at another practice. You will be reminded of this when you book the appointment and your consent to share your medical record is taken.
Your data will be kept secure using the same clinical system used to access your medical record when you visit us for an appointment.
Your medical record will not be shared if you do not consent at the time of booking the appointment. If you have any concerns or questions please contact our reception team.
Third party processors
In order to deliver the best possible service, the practice will share data (where required) with other NHS bodies such as other GP practices and hospitals. In addition the practice will use carefully selected third party service providers. When we use a third party service provider to process data on our behalf then we will always have an appropriate agreement in place to ensure that they keep the data secure, that they do not use or share information other than in accordance with our instructions and that they are operating appropriately. Examples of functions that may be carried out by third parties includes:
- Companies that provide IT services & support, including our core clinical systems; systems which manage patient facing services (such as our website and service accessible through the same); data hosting service providers; systems which facilitate appointment bookings or electronic prescription services; document management services etc.
- Delivery services (for example if we were to arrange for delivery of any medicines to you).
- Payment providers (if for example you were paying for a prescription or a service such as travel vaccinations).