Confidentiality
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. Your medical records, both written and computerised are kept secure and access restricted to practice members. We only use or pass on any information about you to other health professionals involved directly with your care or with your expressed permission.
Anyone who receives information from us is also under legal duty to keep it confidential. Requests for copies of your medical records or other information about you will only be released to third parties, not involved in your medical care, with your explicit consent, except when not doing so would be deemed to put you or other members of the general public at risk. All records are protected by the Data Protection Act and you may gain access to them by applying to the Practice Manager.
Your Rights – and Responsibilities
We believe in working in partnership with our patients, recognising that both patients and staff have rights – and responsibilities to each other. This surgery will not accept any form of abuse or threatening behaviour towards doctors and/or other members of staff or public. This could result in your removal from our list. Any patients acting violently towards staff and/or patients will necessitate us to call the police and your name will be immediately removed from our list.
You have the right of access to your health records, unless your doctor thinks this would be a risk to your physical or mental health (which is exceptional). Such access can be arranged with your clinician or the practice manager. Records cannot be taken off the premises, but they can be copied, for a fee.