Sharing your Information with Others

Collecting and sharing information is essential to provide safe and effective healthcare.

Appropriate information sharing is an essential part of the provision of safe and effective care. Patients may be put at risk if those who provide their care do not have access to relevant, accurate and up-to-date information about them.

All staff have an ethical and legal duty to keep patient information confidential.

If you do not wish your health information to be shared please notify the Practice in writing, in order that we may update your record.

Further Information about Sharing Your Health Records from NHS UK

Accessing your Record

A note about Medical Records

Sometimes when people view their medical records they see things recorded in ways that they don’t understand or in which don’t fully record the medical problems that they have or have had.

There are a number of reasons that may account for this:

  1. It may have been incorrectly recorded or dated. If you are viewing your medical records and something is clearly wrong, please let us know so we can investigate and correct it. If possible, let us know of problems in writing rather than by telephone. Please do not book an appointment just to raise concerns about details in your medical record.
  2. It may not be able to be exactly recorded due to the limitations of the system used to “code” medical information. Much of the information in medical records is recorded using medical terms that the computer system recognises. Unfortunately the number of computer recognised terms is not as extensive as enormous variety of medical conditions that people have. Rare, very detailed and newly described conditions or procedures are often not available on the coding system so we have to use approximations. We have to accept and work with this.
  3. Remember that medical terminology does not always have exactly the same meaning as when the words are used in day to day conversation.

Confidentiality

The practice complies with the Data Protection Act.  All information about patients is confidential: from the most sensitive diagnosis, to the fact of having visited the surgery or being registered at the Practice. All patients can expect that their personal information will not be disclosed without their permission except in the most exceptional of circumstances, when somebody is at grave risk of serious harm.

All members of the primary health care team (from reception to doctors) in the course of their duties will have access to your medical records. They all adhere to the highest standards of maintaining confidentiality.

You have a right to know who holds personal information about you. This person or organisation is called the Data Controller. In the NHS, the Data Controller is usually your local NHS Health Authority and/or your GP Surgery. The NHS must keep your personal health information confidential. It is your right.

Please be aware that our staff are bound to the NHS code of confidentiality; they are therefore not permitted to discuss any of our patient’s medical history, including their registration status, without their written consent to do so.

Once written consent has been received and verified with the patient we can provide you with information as required; this includes communicating with you on behalf of the patient with regards to any complaints, but excludes patients who are unable to act on their own behalf and already have a designated person or carer responsible for their medical care.

Under 16s:

The duty of confidentiality owed to a person under 16 is as great as the duty owed to any other person. Young people aged under 16 years can choose to see health professionals, without informing their parents or carers. If a GP considers that the young person is competent to make decisions about their health, then the GP can give advice, prescribe and treat the young person without seeking further consent.

However, in terms of good practice, health professionals will encourage young people to discuss issues with a parent or carer. As with older people, sometimes the law requires us to report information to appropriate authorities in order to protect young people or members of the public.

Useful Websites:

We therefore respectfully ask parents, relatives and guardians not to request information regarding their relatives/friends or to complain on their behalf unless we have their written consent that you may do so. If consent is required we advise that the person concerned attends the Practice to complete the required form.

Proxy Access

Please check with the Practice if this service is available.

Giving another person access to your GP online services

Did you know that you can choose to give another person access to your GP online services on your behalf? You don’t need to know how to use these services or have a computer yourself to give another person access.

Who can have access?

You choose who you want to give access to. This could be your carer, partner, parent or another family member. You can also give access to more than one person. Giving access to another person is your choice. No-one can go to your GP surgery and ask for access to your online services without your permission.

You also choose which online services you want each person to use. These are booking appointments, ordering repeat prescriptions and looking at your GP record. You decide whether to let them use one, two or all of the services on your behalf.

Why you may want to give another person access

You may wish to allow another person to use your online services for different reasons. For example:

  • You are very unwell or just need help managing your health
  • You have a long term condition ,for example diabetes, heart disease, asthma or high blood pressure and would like support with checking test results, ordering repeat prescriptions and understanding your treatment
  • You are finding it more difficult to look after yourself, for example due to memory issues or speech difficulties
  • You have learning difficulties and want someone else to help you understand your health
  • You have a carer who can help you manage your health
  • You may be planning for the future or choosing someone to hold lasting power of attorney for health and social care for you
  • You are a young person and would like your parent or guardian to look after your health. Some surgeries only allow this for children under the age of 12
  • You work away from home or are just busy and need help with booking appointments or ordering repeat prescriptions.
  • You are not comfortable with using computers, smart phones, or tablets

For more information on GP online services for carers, see our leaflets ‘GP online services for carers including young carers’ and ‘Giving employed carers access to your GP online services’. These can be found at Getting started with GP online services.

Benefits

Before giving another person access, you should think about what the benefits will be for you. If you cannot think of any, then you should think very carefully whether allowing them access is the right thing to do. Some of the benefits are:

  • You have peace of mind that someone is supporting you with managing your health
  • The person you choose can help you make sure the information your surgery has about you is correct, for example your medication and allergies.
  • You know that someone else understands your medical information and can provide information when you are unable to. This could be when you are unconscious or too unwell to speak or when you need help explaining or understanding something
  • You can benefit from the convenience of using GP online services even if you do not use a computer or do not have access to the internet
  • One member of the family can book appointments for everyone in the household and make sure the appointments fit with your family activities

If you have a carer, using GP online services can save them time allowing them to spend more time looking after your needs.

What other patients who use this service had to say

‘I access my son’s online services to order his repeat prescriptions, it is definitely worthwhile and saves a trip to the surgery. As long as I can remember my login details, it is easy to use. I use this service every couple of months when prescriptions are due.’

Andy, Street Lane Practice.

‘My daughter having access to my GP records gives me peace of mind and the knowledge that I am being cared for.’

Freda, Rotherham Road Medical Centre.

‘This online system is brilliant and means I do not have to waste valuable doctors’ time phoning the practice, which is beneficial for all patients at the practice. I can login once a week to see if we have any issues with my three children. The system is secure with passwords and usernames which can be changed at any time for security purposes. I would recommend to all parents and patients that this is the best system to use for all
GP records of your children. A must have item for all parents and patients.’

Mr Thomas, Street Lane Practice.

How it works

The recommended and safest way to give another person access to your online services is for them to have their own username and password. If you use online services yourself, you should not share your username and password with anyone. If you share your username and password, your surgery cannot tell whether you or someone else accessed your online services. This may be a problem if someone else misuses your login details and your surgery has to look into this.

How to sign up

The steps below show how you can give another person access:

  1. You contact your surgery to let them know you would like to give your chosen person access to your GP online services. You may also choose to register for online services for yourself if you do not already use them
  2. The Practice will give your chosen person a short form to fill in. You will also need to sign to confirm you agree with the information on the form. You can also choose whether you only want them to book appointments or order prescriptions or use all the services on your behalf. It is up to you
  3. Your chosen person will need to show your surgery their photo ID and proof of address, for example, a passport or photo driving licence and a bank statement or council tax statement. If they don’t have the required ID, speak to staff at the surgery, who may be able to help confirm their identity in another way
  4. Staff at the Practice will make a decision on whether to give your chosen person access to your GP online services. If we decide not to give them access, we will discuss their reasons with you
  5. The staff will give your chosen person their own username and password to use to login to your GP online services.

Things to consider before giving another person access

  • Is there any information in your records you would not like anyone to see or know about?
  • Can you trust the person to keep your information safe and not share it with others or use it without your permission?
  • Is any one forcing you into sharing your online services with them or do you think someone could force you to share it with them? If so, we would advise that you do not give them access. If you have any concerns that someone has access to your online records without your permission, speak to your surgery and they can change your password or stop your online services
  • How long would you like your chosen person to have access for? This can be for a short time, for example when you are suffering from a certain illness and you need support with managing your health during that time. It can also be ongoing so they can help you for a long period of time. You can discuss this with the Practice.

Lasting power of attorney for health and welfare or court appointed deputy

When a person is unable to make decisions for themselves, another person, usually a partner or close family member can be given legal responsibility over decisions concerning their life by the courts. This is called Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney. A person with lasting power of attorney can ask the patient’s surgery for access to their online services. The GP will make a decision whether this should be allowed.

If you know that you would never want a particular person to have access to your online services if you become unable to make your own decisions, you should tell your GP and they will never share them with that person.

Why your surgery may refuse to give your chosen person access

On rare occasions, your GP could refuse to allow your chosen person to use GP online services on your behalf. If this happens, your GP will discuss their reasons with you. Some of the reasons your GP could have are:

  • Your GP does not think it is in your best interest for your chosen person to use these services on your behalf
  • You or your chosen people have misused online services in the past
  • The Practice is concerned that your chosen person will not keep your information safe
  • The Practice suspects someone is forcing you to give them permission to use your online services
  • You are not able to make decisions for yourself.

Why your surgery can stop the service

  • We believe your chosen person is forcing you to share your GP records with them or with another person.
  • Your chosen person has misused your GP information
  • You are no longer able to understand or remember that you gave your chosen person permission to use online services on your behalf
  • You have told the Practice in the past that if you become unable to make decisions for yourself, you do not wish for your chosen person or anyone to have permission to your online services
  • You have died.

How you can stop the service

You can choose to take away access to your GP online services from your chosen person at any time. To end the service, you need to let your surgery know you would like them to switch off online access for your chosen person and give them the reason. Your surgery will then stop the service and your chosen person will not be able to use their login details to look at your information.

Why you may want to stop access

Some of the reasons you can choose to end the service are:

  • You only needed your chosen person to support you for a short time, for example when you were suffering from a certain illness and you needed help with managing your health during that time
  • You want to give this responsibility to another person, for example, if you have a new carer or personal assistant
  • Your relationship with your chosen person has broken down
  • Your chosen person has misused information in your GP records, for example, they have collected medication in your name or they have shared your private information with someone without your permission.

Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act creates a right of access to recorded information and obliges a public authority to:

  • Have a publication scheme in place
  • Allow public access to information held by public authorities.

The Act covers any recorded organisational information such as reports, policies or strategies, that is held by a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and by UK-wide public authorities based in Scotland, however it does not cover personal information such as patient records which are covered by the Data Protection Act.

Public authorities include government departments, local authorities, the NHS, state schools and police forces.

The Act is enforced by the Information Commissioner who regulates both the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act.

The Surgery publication scheme

A publication scheme requires an authority to make information available to the public as part of its normal business activities. The scheme lists information under seven broad classes, which are:

  • who we are and what we do
  • what we spend and how we spend it
  • what our priorities are and how we are doing it
  • how we make decisions
  • our policies and procedures
  • lists and registers
  • the services we offer

You can request our publication scheme leaflet at the surgery.

Who can request information?

Under the Act, any individual, anywhere in the world, is able to make a request to a practice for information. An applicant is entitled to be informed in writing, by the practice, whether the practice holds information of the description specified in the request and if that is the case, have the information communicated to him. An individual can request information, regardless of whether he/she is the subject of the information or affected by its use.

How should requests be made?

Requests must:

  • be made in writing (this can be electronically e.g. email/fax)
  • state the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence
  • describe the information requested.

What cannot be requested?

Personal data about staff and patients covered under Data Protection Act.

For more information see these websites:

Your Rights and Responsibilities

Attending a busy GP Practice as a patient can be an anxious and worrying time for you. We aim to make your time here as short and as simple as possible and the following should help to explain what you, as a patient, can expect from our staff and what we, the staff, can expect from you.

Your Doctor’s Responsibilities

  • To treat you with respect and courtesy at all times
  • To treat you as an individual, and to discuss with you the care and treatment we can provide
  • To give you full information on the services we offer
  • To give you the most appropriate care by suitably qualified staff
  • To provide you with emergency care when you need it
  • To refer you to a suitable Consultant when necessary
  • To give you access to your health records, subject to any limitations in the law

Your Responsibilities as a Patient

  • To treat all staff with respect and courtesy at all times
  • To tell us if you are unsure about the treatment we are offering you
  • To ask for a home visit only when you are unable to attend the Practice through illness or infirmity
  • To request such a visit before 10.00 am, if possible
  • To ask for an out-of- hours visit only when necessary
  • Please ensure that you order your repeat medication in plenty of time allowing 48 working hours for your request to be processed
  • To keep to your appointment time (note: if you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment you may not be seen)
  • To notify us at least 24 hours prior to an appointment if you cannot attend
  • To notify us of any changes to your personal details (e.g. name, address, telephone number, mobile numbers etc).

ZERO TOLERANCE

It is our policy to be helpful and polite to all our patients regardless of age, ethnic origin, disability, gender or sexual orientation. We expect the same courtesy from our patients. Discriminatory, unsocial, threatening, violent or abusive behaviour towards staff, other patients or the premises will not be tolerated. The Practice will take action in these circumstances, which may involve the Police and result in the removal of the patient from our Practice list.

In England, please refer to NHS Constitution your rights and responsibilities for further information.

NHS Patient Rights

Citizens Advice England provides patients with a full array of information about  your rights within the NHS.

Your NHS Rights

Complaints

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our Practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong, resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would like the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To have your complaint investigated, you need to complain within 12 months of the event happening, or as soon as you first become aware of the issue you want to complain about.

The time limit can be extended in special circumstances.

Interpreting Service

We can arrange for a meeting with the Practice Manager and an Interpreter for any patient whose first language is not English and needs help with their complaint.

How to make a compliment or complaint

Whether you are happy or unhappy with the care and treatment that you have received, please get in touch and let us know your views.

Receiving compliments and complaints is important to ensuring good quality local healthcare in our Practice – helping us to find out more about what we’re getting right and what we can improve.

We hope this will help you to make your feelings and experiences known to the appropriate people. Should you have a complaint we hope this page will give you more information about what to do, who to contact and what happens next.

How do I raise a concern / informal complaint?

You can speak to any member of staff initially with your complaint. This gives you the opportunity to resolve any concern you may have without it going through a formal process.

Most complaints are best resolved within the practice and these should be made via the Practice Manager.

Formal Complaint

What we will do

We will contact you about your complaint within three working days and offer to discuss with you the best way to investigate it, including the time scales for a reply. We will aim to offer you an explanation within that time frame. Or a meeting with the people involved.

  • Find out what happened and what went wrong
  • Invite you to discuss the problem with those involved, if you would like this
  • Apologise where this is appropriate
  • Identify what we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again.

If you feel you do not want to contact the surgery directly, then you can contact the NHS Complaints team on:

NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT

If you are making a complaint please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line.

Contact Information

In General

If you have a complaint to make, you can either contact the Practice Manager or ask the Receptionist for a copy of our Complaints Procedure. We will endeavour to:

  1. acknowledge any letter or Complaints Form within 3 working days of receiving it.
  2. deal with the matter as promptly as possible – usually within 20 working days – dependent on the nature of the complaint.

Who can complain

  • Complainants may be current or former patients, or their nominated or elected representatives (who have been given consent to act on the patients behalf).
  • Patients over the age of 16 whose mental capacity is unimpaired should normally complain themselves or authorise someone to bring a complaint on their behalf.
  • Children under the age of 16 can also make their own complaint, if they’re able to do so.

If a patient lacks capacity to make decisions, their representative must be able to demonstrate sufficient interest in the patient’s welfare and be an appropriate person to act on their behalf. This could be a partner, relative or someone appointed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 with lasting power of attorney.

Appropriate person

In certain circumstances, we need to check that a representative is the appropriate person to make a complaint.

  • For example, if the complaint involves a child, we must satisfy ourselves that there are reasonable grounds for the representative to complain, rather than the child concerned.
  • If the patient is a child or a patient who lacks capacity, we must also be satisfied that the representative is acting in the patient’s best interests.

If we are not satisfied that the representative is an appropriate person we will not consider the complaint, and will give the representative the reasons for our decision in writing.

Time limits

A complaint must be made within 12 months, either from the date of the incident or from when the complainant first knew about it.

The regulations state that a responsible body should only consider a complaint after this time limit if:

  • the complainant has good reason for doing so, and
  • it’s still possible to investigate the complaint fairly and effectively, despite the delay.

Procedure

We have a two stage complaints procedure. We will always try to deal with your complaint quickly however if it is clear that the matter will need a detailed investigation, we will notify you and then keep you updated on our progress.

Stage one – Early, local resolution

  • We will try to resolve your complaint within five working days if possible.
  • If you are dissatisfied with our response, you can ask us to escalate your complaint to Stage Two.

Stage Two – Investigation

  • We will look at your complaint at this stage if you are dissatisfied with our response at Stage One.
  • We also escalate some complaints straight to this stage, if it is clear that they are complex or need detailed investigation.
  • We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and we will give you our decision as soon as possible. This will be no more that 20 working days unless there is clearly a good reason for needing more time to respond.

Complain to the Ombudsman

If, after receiving our final decision, you remain dissatisfied you may take your complaint to the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman is independent of the NHS and free to use. It can help resolve your complaint, and tell the NHS how to put things right if it has got them wrong.

The Ombudsman only has legal powers to investigate certain complaints. You must have received a final response from the Practice before the Ombudsman can look at your complaint and it will generally not look into your complaint if it happened more than 12 months ago, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Address:

Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman
Tower 30
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP

Phone: 0345 015 4033

E: email the Ombudsman 

Other organisations that can help you make a complaint about health services

Further information and guidance from Citizens Advice

Confidentiality

All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Where the investigation of the complaint requires consideration of the patient’s medical records, we will inform the patient or person acting on his/her behalf if the investigation will involve disclosure of information contained in those records to a person other than the Practice or an employee of the Practice.

We keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records will be kept separate from patients’ medical records.

Statistics and reporting

The Practice must submit to the local primary care organisation periodically/at agreed intervals details of the number of complaints received and actioned.

Give feedback or make a complaint

You can complain to a member of staff at the NHS service you went to, such as a GP surgery or hospital, or you can complain to the organisation in charge.

Give feedback or make a complaint from NHS UK