Records & Confidentiality

We take confidentiality very seriously. If you wish to discuss something of a confidential nature away from the desk, feel free to ask the receptionist to take you to the side room.

As an NHS organisation dealing with sensitive patient information, we are bound by the Data Protection Act 1998. This means that identifiable patient data will not be released without consent or ethical approval.

* We are bound to use personal data for the purpose of looking after the health of our patients and other health-related purposes.

* We are bound to keep personal data adequate, relevant and not excessive for the above purpose.

* We are bound to keep personal data accurate and up-to-date.

* We are bound to keep personal data which has been processed no longer than is necessary. Thsi is usually for as long as the information is relevant for the patient's health.

* We are bound to make sure that our organisation takes measures to keep personal data safe from damage, loss or destruction.

* We are bound to make sure that personal data is not transferred outside of the European Union or any country which does not have similar laws protecting personal data.

Confidentiality

We are able to share personal data only if:


* Patient provides explicit consent
* Patient provides implicit consent when he/she agrees to any medical purpose, for example, a referral, and processing of this data is necessary for this purpose. It has to be carried out by a qualified health professional.

In addition, we are able to share personal data WITHOUT CONSENT in rare circumstances, for example:

* If it is our statutory (legal) duty.
* If ordered by a Court of Law.
* If the interests of the public or another person(s) over-rides the rights of the person about whom the personal data is about.

Under these circumstances, it is usual (unless it jeopardises the safety of another) for us to notify you that this information is being shared, the purpose of this sharing and with whom. A common example of this happening is when we have to share relevant information in order to protect a child under the 1989 Children's Act.

Who has access to my medical records?

All our staff and related health professionals are bound by a common law Duty of Confidentiality, and must abide by the Data Protection Act.

* All health professionals working within our practice, including training clinical staff.
* Health professionals contracted by the practice to deliver services, for example, counsellors or osteopath.
* Named community nursing staff, for example, the district nurses and health visitors attached to our practice.
* Data entry, administrative clerks and reception staff.

In addition, we share relevant medical information in order to manage the collective health of our patients, for example, in order to improve access for our patients. We belong to a larger local Neighbourhood group of GP practices and we all share relevant data with the objective of managing better health access for its member practices.

If you object for any relevant data in your medical records being shared with other Lewisham GP practices as mentioned, please complete and submit FORM 2 in the Forms Section. Your request will be recorded and your medical records tagged accordingly.

You can read the Care Record Guarantee document recently issued by the Department of Health ("Connecting for Health") by clicking on the link below.

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Sharing of NHS Health Records Guarantee

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All queries from Benefits Agencies, insurance companies etc have prior signed consent from the patient to release medical information. Sensitive, non-significant or irrelevant health data is generally not disclosed.

Young people who have competence to make a decision about their own medical records will generally be asked for their consent to release medical information. Thus, a person with parental responsibility cannot assume that they have an automatic right to view their child's records.

Generally, we cannot discuss another person's medical records without that person's consent. This includes releasing results of investigations to a relative.



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Electronic access to your own medical records (PAERS)

Enquire at reception about PAERS (Patient Access to Electronic Records System). After a thumbprint registration, you would be able to access your full medical records from a computer point in the waiting area. You will be able to print out any pages, although there is a small charge for this. In addition, you can also use this to register your arrival for an appointment, rather than to queue at reception.





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