How we use your medical records

• This practice handles medical records in-line with laws on data protection and confidentiality.

• We share medical records with those who are involved in providing you with care and treatment.

• In some circumstances we will also share medical records for medical research, for example to find out more about why people get ill. 

• We share information when the law requires us to do so, for example, to prevent infectious diseases from spreading or to check the care being provided to you is safe.

• You have the right to be given a copy of your medical record.

• You have the right to object to your medical records being shared with those who provide you with care.

• You have the right to object to your information being used for medical research and to plan health services.

• You have the right to have any mistakes corrected and to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Please see the practice privacy notice on the website or speak to a member of staff for more information about your rights.

OPTIONS FOR ACCESS

Introduction

In accordance with the Access to Health Records Act 1990 individuals have the right to access health records held by a healthcare provider that has treated that individual, and/or to access a summary care record (SCR) created by the individual’s GP. The Data Protection Act (DPA 2018) gives individuals the right to ask for a copy of the information an organisation holds about them; this right is commonly known as a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR). In the case of health records, a request for information has to be made with the organisation that holds the individual’s health records, otherwise known as the data controller.

Data subjects have a right to receive:

•      Confirmation that their data is being processed
•      Access to their personal data
•      Access to any other supplementary information held about them

Practices have been obliged to allow patient’s access to their health record online. This service will enable the patient to view coded information held in their health record. Prior to accessing this information, you will have to visit the practice and undertake an identity check before being granted access to your records.

In addition, you can make a request to be provided with copies of your health record. To do so, you must submit a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) form which can be obtained from Reception or downloaded via this link  DSAR Form . You will need to return the completed copy of the DSAR to the practice. A fee will be charged for the records at the surgeries discretion if high volume of paper record photocopying is involved however the preferred method for no cost would be for the patient to be given their medical records electronically.

 Once the DSAR form is submitted, The Foxhayes Practice will aim to process the request within 21 days; however, this may not always be possible. The maximum time permitted to process DSARs is one calendar month. 

Exemptions

There may be occasions when the data controller will withhold information kept in the health record, particularly if the disclosure of such information is likely to cause undue stress or harm to you or any other person. 

Data controller

At The Foxhayes Practice the data controller is Gillian Champion and should you have any questions relating to accessing your medical records, please ask to discuss this with the named data controller. 

 Third Party Requests

The data controller must be able to satisfy themselves that the person requesting the data has the authority of the data subject. 

The responsibility for providing the required authority rests with the third party and is usually in the form of a written statement or consent form, signed by the data subject.