Your care records
The practice is registered and complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018). Any request for access to notes by a patient, patient’s representative or outside body will be dealt with in accordance with the Act. Please contact the Practice Manager for further information.
Summary Care Record
If you’re registered with a GP surgery, you’ll have a Summary Care Record unless you’ve chosen not to have one. It contains basic information including your allergies, medicines and any reactions you’ve had to medicine in the past. By storing all this information in one place, it makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
You cannot get your Summary Care Record online. If you’d like to see it, speak to your GP.
To opt out of having a Summary Care Record, speak to your GP or another health professional.
Coronavirus update: During the coronavirus outbreak, you will also have extra information added to your record. This includes significant medical history (past and present), reasons for medicines, care plan information and vaccinations.
For further information, follow this link to visit the ‘How to access your health records’ page on the NHS website.
GP2GP
The General Medical Services GP Contract requires practices to use GP2GP for transferring electronic health records.
You will expect GPs to have your medical records for your first consultation at the new practice. With GP2GP, the record arrives straight after the registration. In comparison, paper medical records can take weeks or months to arrive.
GP2GP also means practices can support the Health Secretary’s objective that patients should have digital records that follow them around the health and social care system.
Find our more about GP2GP on the NHS website
Your data matters to the NHS
Your health records contain a type of data called confidential patient information. This data can be used to help with research and planning.
You can choose to stop your confidential patient information being used for research and planning. You can also make a choice for someone else like your children under the age of 13.
Your choice will only apply to the health and care system in England. This does not apply to health or care services accessed in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Find out how this data is used and how to opt out on the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/
Data Protection and Privacy
When you visit our practices, information about you and the care you receive is stored in your health and care record. This is to help our clinicians make the best decisions about your care. Patient data is used to help improve healthcare services through planning and research in England, helping to find better treatments and improve patient care.
Click here to find out about different types of health record and how to access them https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/how-to-access-your-health-records/
The data held in the GP medical records of patients is used every day by NHS Digital to support health and care planning and research in England, helping to find better treatments and improve patient outcomes for everyone. NHS Digital has now developed a new way to collect this data, called the General Practice Data for Planning and Research data collection
The national data opt-out is a service that allows patients to opt out of their confidential patient information being used for research and planning by NHS Digital.
For more information on the data that is collected by your GP and advice on opting out, visit the NHS Digital FAQs and Mythbusting page
Collecting GP data – advice for the public – NHS Digital
If you don’t want your identifiable patient data to be shared for purposes except for your own care, you can opt-out by registering a Type 1 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.
Type 1 Opt-Out
If you do not want your GP to share your identifiable patient data for purposes except for your own care, you can opt-out by returning this form to your GP practice. This prevents your data being shared with NHS Digital. If you have previously registered a Type 1 Opt-Out with your GP practice, your data will not be shared with NHS Digital.
National Data Opt-Out
You can also register a National Data Opt-out, which will prevent NHS Digital from sharing your identifiable patient data for planning and research purposes. Your individual care will not be affected if you opt-out using either option. You can find out more about and register a National Data Opt-out or change your choice on nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters or by calling 0300 3035678.
Opt-outs (either type) that have been registered in the past will all be fully respected.
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was passed in 2000 and replaced the Open Government Code of Practice that has been in place since 1994. The Act gives the public a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities. The Act came into full effect on the 1st January 2005.
The Act places a statutory obligation on all public bodies to publish details of all recorded information that they hold and to allow, with a few exceptions, the general public to have access to this information on request.
FOIA was affected by the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which has come into effect on 25th May 2018. This position stands even after the event of Brexit, as the UK government has repeatedly confirmed its intentions for new UK data protection legislation to track the requirements of the GDPR.
Mendip Vale Medical Group (MVMG) recognises the importance of the FOIA / GDPR and it will ensure that appropriate systems are put in place to publicise what recorded information is kept by the practice and how this information can be accessed on request by the general public.
All requests are to be made in writing to the following address:
The Executive Manager, Mendip Vale Medical Practice, Pudding Pie Lane, Langford, BS40 5EL
Proxy Access
Did you know that you can choose to give another person access to your GP online services on your behalf? You do not need to know how to use these services or have a computer yourself to give another person access. Your surgery will give them their own login details, which will be separate from your own. A member of our front of house team will give you details on how this can be set up.
NHS England has developed a useful leaflet “giving another person access to your GP online services” You can download the leaflet here.
