The doctors and healthcare team caring for you need to keep records about your health and any treatment and care you are receiving.
The records help to ensure you receive the best possible care and may be written down (manual records) or held on a computer. These records may include:
- Basic details about you such as date of birth, address and next of kin
- Contact we have had with you such as doctor’s appointment, visits to the Practice Nurse
- Notes and reports about your health; details and records about your treatment and care
- Results of investigations such as laboratory tests and x-rays
- Copies of consultant letters and details of treatment received in hospital
- Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you and know you well
How do we use your records to help others?
The information in your records may be used in the following ways:
- Your doctor, nurse or healthcare professional involved in your care have accurate and up to date information to assess your health and decide the care you need when you visit in the future
- To help teach healthcare professionals
- To help in research and development – please also see page on Research Data Collection
How do we keep your records confidential?
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.
You may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS (e.g Social Services). We may need to share some information about you with them so we can all work together for your benefit. We will only ever pass information about you to them if:
- They have a genuine need for it
- We have your permission to do so
Anyone who receives information from us has a legal duty to keep it confidential.
