Information and communication

We always ask for your consent prior to treatment. This will include an explanation of what is proposed and the risks, benefits, and any alternatives. If you have any concerns, please speak to a member of staff in the area you are receiving treatment.

While you are in hospital, we may need to communicate with your family/friends. We will need to know your next of kin or main contact to speak to about your care. If there is anyone you would like us to contact, please let us know.

Your GP and other health professionals caring for you keep records about your health and any treatment you receive from the NHS. These records may be written down or held on a computer. Full and accurate records are needed to assess your health and decide what care you need. They enable us to assess the quality of care you have received, and to investigate any concerns you may have. Your details are also needed to contact you about appointments and arrange health checks.

To provide you with the health care you need, your doctor will share information about you with other professionals involved in your treatment. Increasingly, this is achieved with the help of information technology.

Your records will also be used for wider NHS purposes, such as:

to secure payment for the treatments you have received
to measure our performance against targets
to audit our compliance with regulations and standards
for teaching, training, and research purposes

We will only ever use your information as required or permitted by law, and wherever possible, we will remove any identifying details (such as your name, address, and NHS number) before using your information for these secondary purposes.

You have the right to object to some uses of your personal information and we will seek to respect your wishes in these circumstances.

More details are available about the sort of information we collect, how it is used and how it is stored in our privacy notice.

Understanding Patient Data has produced a series of animations to explain how data saves lives. Following the journeys of patients with cancer, a heart attack, diabetes, dementia and asthma, they show the huge range of ways data is used to improve care, and the safeguards that are in place to protect confidentiality. You can see the animations on the Understanding Patient Data website.

A ReSPECT form (Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment) can be used to record your wishes and preferences so that in the event of an emergency, those looking after you can make decisions about your care that reflect your personal wishes.

As part of a ReSPECT discussion, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) will be discussed. You can be for CPR and still have a ReSPECT form. However, they are often completed for those patients where CPR is not appropriate, or against their wishes.

Find more information on our ReSPECT page.

At our Trust, we want everyone - patients, visitors, and staff - to feel safe, respected, and listened to. Here’s how we work together when it comes to recording (audio, video, livestreaming, or photos):

What we expect from our staff

Staff will always ask for your permission before recording any part of your care or conversation.
Staff will explain why a recording might be helpful and make sure you’re comfortable before going ahead.
Your privacy and dignity are our priority - recordings are only made when necessary and are kept safe and secure.
If you have any concerns about being recorded, staff will listen and respect your wishes.

What we expect from you

Please ask staff or volunteers before recording any conversations, treatments, or areas in the hospital.
Respect the privacy of other patients, visitors, and staff - don’t record anyone without their permission. Please don’t post in writing about other patient’s treatment or conditions.
If you’d like to record your consultation to help remember information, just let us know. We’re happy to support you.
Avoid making secret (covert) recordings. Open conversations help build trust.

If expectations are not followed

If recordings are made without permission, you may be asked to delete them.
Sharing recordings online or on social media without agreement could break the law and may lead to further action.
We’re here to help - if you have concerns about recordings, please speak to a member of staff or contact our Information Governance Team.
If you have concerns about your care, you can contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Team.

Together, we can make sure everyone’s rights and privacy are respected. Thank you for helping us create a safe and supportive environment for all.

Staff and patient recording policy – guidance on recording in Trust settings (PDF). This policy explains the Trust approach to recording staff and patients, including consent and privacy.

You have a right to access your health records. Find out more on the access to your health records page.

After your visit, in most cases your consultant or healthcare professional will write to your GP to update them on your care. You may also receive a copy of this letter for your records.

You may notice a label on the addresses, on your letter, which tells you how it has been sent:

Offsite – your letter has been sent securely using our external mail provider.
Local – your letter has been printed and posted directly from one of our hospital sites.
Notify – your letter has been shared electronically within our computer systems, rather than being sent by post.

These labels help us manage how letters are delivered, but the content of your letter will be the same.

When we send letters using our external mail provider, we use a trusted NHS‑approved supplier called Synertec to print and post them securely on our behalf.

Synertec works under a strict contract with the Trust and is required to meet the same high standards of data protection and confidentiality as the NHS. This includes:

meeting the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit, which is a national standard for protecting patient information
complying with UK data protection law, including the UK GDPR
operating an ISO 27001–certified Information Security Management System
using secure, encrypted systems to transfer and handle patient information
ensuring that only authorised, trained staff can access patient data
deleting information securely once it is no longer needed

Synertec acts only on the Trust’s instructions and does not use patient information for its own purposes. Your information is used solely to produce and deliver your letter securely. Synertec provide mail services for over 125 NHS organisations.

If you have any concerns or would like more information about how your personal data is handled, please see our Patient Privacy Notice or contact the Trust’s Information Governance team.

We want to make sure everyone can understand information about their care and communicate with us easily. You can find more information about language and interpretation on our Accessibility Hub page.