DATA PROTECTION AND CONFIDENTIALITY

 

Patients are entitled to have access to their own medical records, in accordance with the Data Protection Act.  Please contact the surgery if you wish to view your own records and you will be given further information together with a form to complete.  We will need to see some form of photo identification before you can view your records.  This is to help us ensure that your records remain confidential.

 

Patients are entitled to absolute confidentiality of personally identifiable medical records maintained by the practice, subject to any provisions for disclosure imposed or allowed by law.  A leaflet is available in reception entitled “Your Personal Information and the NHS in Central Cheshire”.

 

Anonymised data may sometimes be used for research that is in the best interests of patients and the NHS, but this would always be with the approval of a regulatory body, e.g. RCGP, BMA, Ethics Committee

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000

 

Under the The Freedom of Information Act 2000, General Practices receiving funding from public monies are required to participate in the publication scheme, regulated by the Information Commissioner.

Further information is available from the website of the Information Commissioner’s Office and the practice publication can be downloaded from here.