Data Collection

The staff at this practice record information about you and your health so that you can receive the right care and treatment.  We need to record this information, together with the details of the care you receive, because it may be needed if we see you again.

We may use some of this information for other reasons, for example, to help us to protect the health of the general public generally, to plan for the future, to train staff and to carry out medical and other health research for the benefit of everyone.

We are currently involved in research studies for which we provide anonymised information from patients' notes.  The risk of you being identified from this information is extremely low as all directly identifiable details (name, address, post code, NHS number, full date of birth) are removed from your notes before they are collected for research, and automatic programs to de-personalise any free text (non structured or coded data) are run after information is collected.  Individual patients' records are added into a much larger anonymous database, containing records from millions of patients across the UK.  This information is used by researchers outside this practice. 

 These databases are managed by companies outside of the NHS which does not have access to your personal details, only to anonymous medical records.  The data are used for research into such topics as drug safety, disease patterns, prescribing patterns, health economics and public health.  Many of these studies provide useful information to medical staff on diseases, the use of drugs or outcomes of disease or treatment.

These studies may be performed by academic researchers or commercial companies amongst others.  However, no researcher has access to your full details such as your name and address, initials or your full date of birth.  The researchers are not given information about the GP nor the practice name, address or post code.

If you would like to opt out of this data collection scheme, please let your doctor know and no data from your records will be collected for use in research.  This will not affect your care in any way.

If anything to do with the research would require that you provide additional information about yourself, you will be contacted to see if you are willing to take part: You will not be identified in any published results.

Some examples of the type of National Research that we contribute to are the National Diabetes Audit and the National Chronic Kidney Disease Audit. These are just examples; and we contribute to different audits as when we are requested to do so.

 


 NHS Digital - GPDPR - Type 1 Opt Out

The first GDPR Data Extraction will take place on 1st September 2021.  For more information on how your data will be used, please visit NHS Digital.

If you wish to opt out from your data being extracted by NHS Digital, please inform the Practice either by telephone or by completing and returning the Type 1 Opt Out Form.


NHS Digital - Research and Planning - National Data Opt Out

Choose how data from your health records is used for research and planning.  Follow the link below to learn how your data is used, to enable you to make an informed decision.

https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/


 The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD)

The Practice contributes to CPRD, which is a not-for-profit government organisation that makes anonymised primary care data available for approved medical research projects. CPRD services enable many types of observational and interventional research that are beneficial to improving and safeguarding public health. CPRD has over 20 years of experience working with this data with a proven track record in patient confidentiality. CPRD utilises the comprehensive ‘journey of care’ patient records that are unique to the NHS for the benefit of patients.

To find out further information, including a bibliography of research papers based on CPRD data, visit www.cprd.com.


Note that you have a right of access to your health records.  If at any time you would like to know more, or have any concerns about how we use your information, you can speak to your GP or Alison Napier on 01323 727531.

EVERYONE WORKING FOR THE NHS HAS A LEGAL DUTY TO KEEP INFORMATION ABOUT YOU CONFIDENTIAL



 
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