Use of health records

Why we collect information about you:

St Ann’s Hospice collects and uses your data in order to provide the highest quality care for you. The legal basis for us processing your data in this way is to allow us to deliver our health and social care services, which are in the public interest and underpinned by the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

Our staff keep written and/or computerised records about the care and treatment you receive, which may include:

• personal demographic information about you, such as name, address, date of birth, NHS number and an EMIS number. Your EMIS number is personal to you and helps us to identify you on our computer system.

• contacts we have had with you, such as admissions to the Inpatient Ward, The Being You Centre, Community Services or any other services provided

• notes and reports about your health and any treatment and care you need and/or have received

• results of investigations, such as blood tests

• relevant information from other healthcare providers, relatives or those who care for you.

Your records may be used to:

• ensure your doctor, nurse or any other healthcare staff involved in your care have accurate and up-to-date information

• ensure your queries can be properly investigated if you have a concern or need to complain

• research and plan health and social care. We will only do this if we have an established legal basis, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and you have not applies the National Data Opt Out. Where possible, we will anonymise or pseudonymise the information.

How we keep your records confidential and secure:

All our staff members have a legal duty to keep information about you confidential and secure. They have been trained in Information Governance and Confidentiality is a requirement of their employment contracts.

Information will only be given to members of your family or visitors with your permission.

We may need to share some information about you with other healthcare professionals, for example, your GP or district nurse. St Ann’s holds your information in a format which allows transfer to other healthcare organisations. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential and secure.

Sometimes the law requires healthcare staff to pass on information, e.g. when we are concerned about your safety or the safety of others or in the case of certain infectious diseases.

The lifecycle of your information with St Ann’s Hospice:

We will collect information from you upon admission and from other healthcare providers following referral to enable us to provide the best quality care for your specific needs. We will only hold your information for the length of time that we are caring for you, or in accordance with NHS policy.

How can you access your own health records?

Legally, you are allowed to see the information written in your health records, rectify the information if it is incorrect, and restrict what is done with your information. You also have a right under the Data Protection Act 2018 to request a copy of all information that St Ann’s holds about you in a common format. This is known as a Subject Access Request and should preferably be done in writing.

A formal request for you to see your records may be made in writing by you, or the person representing you, to: Medical Director (Caldicott Guardian) St Ann’s Hospice, St Ann’s Road North, Heald Green, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 3SZ.

We will respond within one month of your request. For more information, please ask a member of staff for a copy of our Request for Information Policy.

We may refuse your request to see your records where the doctor thinks it would be harmful to you or another person. If your record contains information about another person, we will need to remove this before allowing access, unless we have the consent of the other person.

Raising a complaint:

If you have a query about how St Ann’s processes your personal data, you can contact our Data Protection Officer by emailing dataprotectionofficer@sah.org.uk

Additionally, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office, at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

If at any time you would like to know more about how we use your information please speak to a member of staff or read our full privacy policy at www.sah.org.uk/privacy-policy/