Online Services.
Patient Consent to Share Information with Others (Proxy Access)
We will need you to consent in writing if you wish to share information about you with others i.e. family members speaking on your behalf. This applies to all patients aged 13 or over. The GP/Practice Manager will assess your competency to make decisions about your medical record, however from the age of 16 we assume you are competent to make these decisions unless there is information to state otherwise. Wherever possible, verbal consent will not be accepted. We will require you to fill out a form at reception with the person you wish to have access to your medical records. We also need copies of both yours and the other person's ID when the forms are completed. Please contact the surgery for more infomation
Non-urgent advice: NHS App
Try the NHS App. If you’re a patient at our practice you can now use the new NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet. You can use the NHS App to get health advice, order repeat prescriptions, manage your hospital referrals, view your GP health record and more. If you already use Patient Access you can continue to use it but you can use the NHS App as well. For more information go to www.nhs.uk/nhsapp.
Urgent advice: Patient Access
- book, check or cancel appointments with a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional
- order repeat prescriptions
- see parts of your health record, including information about medicines, vaccinations and test results
- see communications between your GP surgery and other services, such as hospitals
Patient Confidentiality
We respect your right to privacy and keep all your health information confidential and secure. It is important that the NHS keeps accurate and up-to-date records about your health and treatment so that those treating you can give you the best possible care.
National Data Opt Out Policy
Wellington Practice is one of many organisations working in the health and care system to improve care for patients and the public.
Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending Accident & Emergency or using Community Care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment.
The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance to help with:
- improving the quality and standards of care provided
- research into the development of new treatments
- preventing illness and diseases
- monitoring safety
- planning services
This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations. Confidential patient information about your health and care is only used like this where allowed by law.
Most of the time, anonymised data is used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified in which case your confidential patient information isn’t needed.
You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way. If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.
To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters. On this web page you will:
- See what is meant by confidential patient information
- Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care
- Find out more about the benefits of sharing data
- Understand more about who uses the data
- Find out how your data is protected
- Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting
- Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone
- See the situations where the opt-out will not apply
You can also find out more about how patient information is used at:
https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/ (which covers health and care research); and
https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/what-you-need-know (which covers how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made)
You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.
Health and care organisations have until 2020 to put systems and processes in place so they can be compliant with the national data opt-out and apply your choice to any confidential patient information they use or share for purposes beyond your individual care. Our organisation is currently compliant with the national data opt-out policy.
Access to medical records - Subject Access Recquests
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.
We encourange all our patients to sign up and use the NHS APP. By using this, you can access all your medical records including, hospital letters, results, consultations, medication, vaccination history etc. You can also manage your appointments, including hospital appointments and order your repeat prescriptions.
If you do not have the NHS APP and would like help access this, then please contact the practice and our digital champion will be happy to help you. If you are not online, then please let use know and we can look at subject data request (paper request) as a lst resort.
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: