Yorkshire & Humber Care Record privacy notice

Security of information 

Confidentiality affects everyone. We as a Hospital Trust have a legal basis to gather, store and process large amounts of information on a daily basis. This includes medical records, personal records and computerised information for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine; medical diagnosis; or if the process is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest. This information is used by many people throughout the course of their daily work. 

Our duty to protect information and confidentiality is taken very seriously. We are committed to taking all reasonable measures to ensure the confidentiality and the security of all information for which we are responsible, whether computerised or on paper. This includes regular staff training on the legal obligations they have to maintain confidentiality and security of information at all times.

We have appointed a Senior Information Risk Owner who is accountable for the management of all information assets and any associated risks and incidents, and a Caldicott Guardian who is responsible for the management of patient information and patient confidentiality.

The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust takes staff training extremely seriously. This is to ensure that nobody will access or use your information without a relevant reason, and to stop accidental loss, damage and destruction of any of your medical, personal and electronic records. 

Why do we collect information about you?

To make sure you get the best care doctors, nurses and the team of health and care staff caring for you keep records about your health and any care or treatment you may receive from the NHS and Social Care. These records help to make sure that you receive the best possible care. These may be written down in your paper records or held on a computer. They may include:

• Basic details about you such as name, address, date of birth, next of kin, etc.
• Contact we have had with you such as appointments or clinic visits,
• Notes and reports about your health, treatment and care,
• Results of x-rays, scans and laboratory tests,
• Relevant information from people who care for you and know you well such as health professionals and relatives.

Always check that your details are correct when you visit us and please tell us of any changes as soon as possible.

How your personal information is used

Your records are used to manage and deliver the care you receive to make sure that:

• The doctors, nurses and other healthcare members of staff involved in your care have correct and up to date information, to look at your health and decide on the right care for you,
• Health and care staff have the information they need to be able to look at and improve the quality and type of care you receive,
• Your concerns and worries can be properly investigated if a complaint is raised,
• The right information is available if you see another doctor, or are referred to a specialist or another part of the NHS and Social Care.

Who do we share personal information with?

Everyone working within the NHS and Social Care (within your local authority) has a

legal duty to keep information confidential. Similarly, anyone who receives information from us has a legal duty concerning your confidentiality. The partner organisations with which we share information are:

• Other NHS Trusts and hospitals that are involved in your care,
• (Clinical Commissioning Groups),
• General Practitioners (GPs),
• Ambulance Services,
• Adults’ and children’s social care services.

You may be receiving care from other sectors as well as the NHS. Therefore we may need to share information to other agencies about you, so we can all work together for your benefit. We will only do this if they have a legitimate need, or we have your permission. These agencies include:

• Social Care Services.
• Education Services.
• Local Authorities.
• Voluntary and private sector providers working with the NHS.
• General Medical Council

We will not provide your information to any other third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as, if the health and safety of you and others is at risk or if the law requires us to pass on information.

Yorkshire & Humber Care Record

The Yorkshire & Humber Care Record is a shared system that allows Healthcare staff within the Yorkshire & Humber health and social care community to appropriately access the most up-to-date and correct information about patients involved in their care, to deliver the best possible care.

Yorkshire & Humber Care Record Guarantee is our commitment that we will use records about you in ways that respect your rights and promote your health and wellbeing.

If you would like any further information, or would like to discuss this further, please contact us using the details provided below. 

Disclosure of information

You have the right to object to how and with whom we share the information that is within your records that could identify you. This will be noted within your records so that all staff involved with your care and treatment are aware of your decision. By choosing this option, it may mean that the delivery of your care or treatment more difficult. You can also change your mind at any time about your decision.

If your consent is relevant, you are required to provide this in writing. This is essential as you may change your preference regarding consent further down the line. You as an individual also have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. 

How your personal information is used to improve the NHS Population Health Management

The Yorkshire & Humber Population Health Management Solution (YH PHM) is being developed by the health and social care partners with the intention of creating a joint electronic Population Health Management Solution within the Yorkshire and Humber area.

YH PHM will support the delivery of integrated care by de-identification (Pseudonymisation) of personal data. Once de-identified, data will be used to enable the creation of a Population Health Management solution within the Yorkshire and Humber region area, providing health and social care teams working together with analytical products and tools to support service planning.

Your information will also be used to help us manage the NHS, Social Care  and protect the health of the public by being used to:

• Review the care we provide to make sure it is of the highest standard and quality,
• Make sure our services can meet your needs in the future.

You can opt of sharing your de-identified data. The National NHS Digital opt-out programme allows people to opt out of their confidential patient information being used for research and planning. To opt out of sharing your data please follow the below link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/national-data-opt-out-programme  

How you can access your records

If you wish to view your records or have copies supplied, you can apply either by writing, email, or telephone or by downloading the application form from here.

To access records from York Hospital

Subject Access Team
Health Records Department
York Hospital
Wigginton Road
York
YO31 8HE

(01904) 725680

yhs-tr.SubjectAccessRequests1@nhs.net

To access records from Scarborough, Bridlington and Malton hospitals

Subject Access Team
Medical Records Department
Scarborough Hospital
Woodlands Drive
Scarborough
YO12 6QL 

(01723) 342369 / (01723) 342088

yhs-tr-subjectaccesssgh@nhs.net

Retention 

The retention period for medical records once you have been discharged from care is eight years. Once this period is up your records will then be destroyed within the guidelines set out by the Data Protection legislation. There are some exemptions to this, such as maternity and child’s records; these will be kept for 25 years.

Data Controller

The Trust is a ‘Data Controller’, this means that we determine the purposes for which, and the manner in which, your personal data is processed. We have a responsibility to you and your personal data and will only collect and use this in ways which are compliant with data protection legislation.

The Trust has appointed Rebecca Bradley (Head of Information Governance) to be its Data Protection Officer (DPO). The role of the DPO is to ensure that the Trust is compliant with Data Protection legislation and to oversee data protection procedures. 

The DPO contact details are:

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
York Hospital
Wigginton Road
York
North Yorkshire
YO31 8HE

yhs-tr.Information.Governance@nhs.net

Notification

The Data Protection Legislation requires organisations to lodge a notification with the Information Commissioner to describe the purposes for which they process personal information. These details are publicly available from:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 08456 306060

Website: www.ico.gov.uk