Privacy notice
As data controllers, GPs have fair processing responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means ensuring that your personal confidential data (PCD) is handled in ways that are safe, transparent and what you would reasonably expect. Please find documents and links below.
Cochrane Medical Practice privacy notice
The Cochrane Medical Practice aims to ensure the highest standard of medical care for our patients. To do this we keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided or plan to provide to you.
This Privacy Notice does not provide exhaustive details of all aspect of the collection and use of personal information by the Practice. However, we are happy to provide any additional information or explanation needed. If you wish to request further information please contact the Practice Manager by:
Telephone 01475 553560
Email: ggc.gp86374clinical@nhs.scot
How we use your information
In order to provide for your care, we need to collect and keep information about you and your health on our records. Your information is used to:
- Provide a basis for all health decisions made by care professionals with and for you.
- Make sure your care is safe and effective:
- Work effectively with others providing you with care:
We may also use, or share your information for the following purposes:
- Looking after the health of the general public;
- Making sure that our services can meet patient needs in the future;
- Auditing – using patient health information to review and improve the quality of healthcare. Patient identifiable information is only used within the Practice. (Patients have the right to request that their health information is not included in audits);
- Investigating concerns, complaints or legal claims:
- Helping staff to review the care they provide to make sure it is of the highest standards;
- Training and educating staff;
Disclosure of information to other health and social professionals
We work with a number of other NHS and partner agencies to provide healthcare services to you.
Below is a list of organisations that we may share your information with.
- NHS Hospitals
- Relevant GP Practices
- Dentists, Opticians and Pharmacies
- Private Sector Providers (private hospitals, care homes, hospices, contractors providing services to the NHS)
- Voluntary Sector Providers who are directly involved in your care
- Ambulance Service
- Specialist Services
- Health and Social Care Clusters
- Out of hours Medical Service
- NHS Scotland
We may also share your information with your consent, and subject to strict sharing protocols about how it will used with:
- Health and Social Care
- Police and Fire Service
Transferring personal information abroad
It is sometimes necessary to transfer personal information overseas for example if you require urgent medical treatment abroad. When this is needed information may be transferred to countries and territories around the world. Any transfer made will be in full compliance with NHS Scotland Information Security.
Emergency care summary (ECS)
Emergency care information such as your name , date of birth , the name of your GP, any medicines which your GP has prescribed, any medicines you are allergic to or react badly to, is shared with Out of Hours as this might be important if you need urgent medical care when the GP surgery is closed. NHS staff (Doctors, Nurses, Accident and Emergency, Ambulance control and crew) can look at your ECS if they need to treat you when the surgery is closed. They will ask your consent before they look at your record.
In an emergency and if your unconscious, staff may look at your ECS without your agreement to let them give you the best possible care. Whenever NHS staff looks at your ECS, a record will be kept so we can always check who has looked at your information.
Key information summary (KIS)
Key Information Summary (KIS) has been designed to support patients who have complex care needs or long terms conditions.
KIS allows important information to be shared with health care professional in unscheduled care in the NHS 24, A&E, Scottish Ambulance Service, Out of Hours, hospital and pharmacy environments. Information contained in KIS summary includes future plans, medications, allergies, diagnosis, your wishes, carer and next of kin details.
You have the right to say that you do not want care staff to ECS/KIS – just contact the Practice to let us know.
Medicine management
The Practice may conduct Medicines Management Reviews of medications prescribed to its patients. This service performs a review of prescribed medications to ensure patients receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost effective treatments. This service is provided by our clinicians and Pharmacists.
Computer system
This Practice operates a clinical computer system on which NHS staff record information securely. This information can then be shared with other Clinicians so that everyone caring for you is fully informed about your relevant medical history.
To provide around the clock safe care unless you have asked us not to we will make information available to trusted organisations. Wherever possible, their staff will ask your consent before information is viewed.
Shared care records
To support your care, and improve the sharing of relevant information to our partner organisations when they are involved in looking after you, we will share information to other NHS systems eg medication details for Out Of Hours. The general principle is that information is passed to these systems unless you request this does not happen, but that system users should ask for your consent before viewing your record.
How we keep your information confidential and secure
We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018, GDPR 2018, Article of the Human Rights Act ,the Common Law of Confidentiality, The General Data Protection Regulation and the NHS Codes of Confidential and Security. Everyone working in, or for the NHS must use personal information in a secure and confidential way.
We will only ever use or pass on your information if there is a genuine need to do so. We will not disclose information about you to third parties without your permission unless there exceptional circumstances, such as when the law requires.
To protect your confidentiality, we will not normally disclose any information about you to family, friends and colleagues unless we have your consent to do so.
Anyone who receives information from us is also under legal duty to keep it confidential and secure.
All persons in the Practice sign a confidentiality agreement that explicitly makes clear their duties in relation to personal health information and the consequences of breaching that duty.
Please be aware that your information will accessed by non clinical Practice staff in order to perform tasks enabling functioning of the Practice. These are, but not limited to
- Typing referrals to hospital etc.
- Scanning and filing clinical letters, radiology reports and other documents in paper and electronic format.
Right to access your health information
The Data Protection Act 2018 allows you to find out what information about you is held on computer and in manual records. This is known as “right of subject access” and applies to personal information held about you. If you want to see or receive information that the Practice holds about you:
- You will need to make email the practice and request a copy of your medical record (only one copy is free of charge)
- We will respond within 21 days
- You will require to provide photographic I.D. where possible.
Who else may ask for your information
The Court can grant a Court Order for us to disclose records wither directly to the Court of to a Solicitors
Solicitors often ask for medical reports. We will require your signed consent for us to disclose information. We will not normally release details about other people that are contained in your records (e.g. wife, children, parents etc.), unless we also have their consent.
DWP the Benefits Agency and others may require medical reports on you from time to time. We will need your signed consent before we can release information to them.
Life Insurance Companies/Employers/ Occupation Health Doctors frequently ask for medical reports on individuals. These are always accompanied by your signed consent form.
We will only disclose the information as per your consent. You have the right, should you request it, to see reports prepared for Insurance Companies, Employers or Occupational Health Doctors before they are sent.
Sharing your information without consent
We will normally ask you for your consent, but there are times when we may be required by law to share your information without your consent, for example:
- Where there is a Child Protection issue relating to you
- Where there a Court Order or Warrant has been issued by the Court
- Where an Adult Protection issue has raised.
This policy will be reviewed annually.
Concerns about sharing your information
If you have any concerns about how we use or share your information, or you do not wish us to share your information please contact the Practice Manager on 01475 553560.
The right to complain
The Data Protection Officer Cochrane Medical Practice is Stewart Whyte and he/she is based at Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board.
In the unlikely event that you’re unhappy with any element of our data processing methods you have the right to lodge a complaint with the ICO for further details visit ico.org.uk and select “raising a concern”.
