Say Yes – Sharing your data
Stockport CCG believes that allowing data sharing improves people’s experience of the health service. People don’t use just one part of the service – a hospital patient also has a record in the GP practice; people need specialist services in addition to General Practice. When data moves between services, patients will receive a smoother, more efficient service.
Your personal data
Information about your health and care helps us improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan local services and ensure you get the appropriate care at the right time and place.
In May 2018 the law about how personal data can be used was strengthened, to provide better protection for individuals. This means as an individual you have the right to choose how your data is used and shared.
For detailed information on how we use data please read our Privacy Notice.
Say Yes!
When you access services across Stockport you may be asked by staff if they can access your health records.
By saying ‘YES’ and giving permission to see your health and care information will help to improve your care and help in understanding any health conditions or care plans you have.
You do have the right to say no to sharing your information.
What we do with it
Different parts of the health service hold information on patients. The CCG is working with partner organisations to allow data sharing when this can be done safely and for the benefit of the individual.
Currently elements of a person’s data can be held of lots of different systems in Stockport. This may not matter if that data is only needed by one organisation but if patient care is shared between parts of the service then there it is in the patient’s best interest to share data efficiently and accurately. Computer systems are the best way to record and retrieve data as long as they are managed properly.
Viaduct services
The CCG works with Viaduct Care to provide additional services.in practices. The type of services Viaduct will provide are home visiting (Acute Home Visiting Service), weekend access to GPs, physiotherapy, pharmacy and community support (Well-Being Practitioners and Health Coaches).
The patient data which will be shared between the GP and Viaduct Care is strictly limited and controlled safely. An information sharing agreement has been drawn up for all the parties to sign.
How we keep it confidential and safe
Computer systems in the NHS are not generally accessible to other networks, they are within the NHS. Each system is controlled by the organisation responsible for it. In order to log into a system you will, as a minimum, need a user name and password. A person’s job role will allow them to view only parts of the patient record.
Many applications can only be used when the person logging on also has a card to act as another level of security. Data is stored in secure data centres and patterns of use are regularly checked to make sure access is for appropriate reasons.
Whenever records are shared from one system to another there is a detailed process to ensure that sharing is limited and appropriate.
All data sharing is governed by the rules of the General Data Protection Regulation which ensures the data sharing is limited and controlled. The right to opt-out and prevent a record being shared is possible and can be requested using the email below or by approaching the GP.
Each patient is entitled to see what data is held on them by an organisation. This is done by making a Subject Access Request. If anyone wants to make a Subject Access Request to the CCG or to their GP practice this can be done by email.
Complaints
If you wish to make a complaint about your data use please contact the Customer Services Department on 0161 426 9900 or stoccg.customerservices@nhs.net or the Information Commissioners Office via ico.org.uk.