Subject access requests: Viewing your medical information

Wanting to access your health records? Click here to find out how

Why we collect information about you

Your doctor and other health professionals caring for you (e.g. nurse or physiotherapist) keep records about your health and treatment so they are able to provide you with the best possible care.

These records are called your ‘Health Care Record’.

Your Health Care Record may be stored in paper form or on computer databases, and may include information such as:

Your name, address and date of birth
Details of your next of kin or named emergency contact
Details of your hospital appointments
Notes about your health and any treatments and/or procedures you have undergone
Test results – e.g. laboratory and X-ray results

How your Health Care Record is used to help you

Your Health Care Record is used to ensure that:

Health care professionals looking after you have accurate and up-to-date information about you, to help them assess and decide on any future care you may require.
We are able to assess how well you have been looked after
Your concerns can be properly investigated should you make a complaint

How your Health Care Record is used to help the NHS

Health Care Records are used to assist with:

Looking after the health of the general public – e.g. notifying central NHS groups of outbreaks of infectious diseases
Reporting events to the appropriate authorities when we are required to do so by law – e.g. notification of births
Paying your GP or hospital for the care you have received
The audit of NHS accounts and clinical audit of the quality of services provided
Reporting and investigation of complaints, claims and untoward incidents
Service planning to ensure we meet the needs of our population in the future
Preparing statistics on our performance for the Department of Health
Reviewing our care to ensure that it is of the highest standard
Teaching and training health care professionals
Conducting health research and development
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a research-active Trust involved in developing future treatments and care. You might be asked to take part in a research study. If you are, the researcher will explain the study in detail to you, including why it is necessary and what it will involve. If you decide that you would like to be involved, you will be asked to sign a consent form. If you do not want to take part, this will not affect your treatment in any way.

How we keep your information safe

Everyone working for the NHS has a duty to keep your information confidential and secure.

However from time to time there may be a need to share some, or all, of your information with other health care professionals, NHS organisations or other qualified health care providers so that we can work together to obtain the best possible care.

We will only ever share your information if it is in the best interests for your care.

We will not disclose any information that identifies you to anyone outside your care team without your express permission, unless we are required to do so by law or in the best interests of your continuing care.

Summary Care Record (SCR)

The Summary Care Record (SCR) is a web based application and facilitates the access to patient information held on the NHS Care Records Service (NHS CRS).

For a patient to receive the best care from the NHS it is necessary for their information to be available wherever and whenever it is needed. Electronically held patient information will be accessible whenever they present for treatment anywhere in England.

The Summary Care Record is available nationally to authorised healthcare professionals and is accessed using the smartcard.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/thenhs/records/healthrecords/Pages/servicedescription.aspx

How you can arrange to see your own health records

The Data Protection Act (1998) entitles you to view the information contained in your Health Care Record.

If you would like to see or obtain a copy of your record you will need to make a written subject access request, providing proof of your identity, to the Subject Access Request Team at Worthing Hospital or at St Richard’s Hospital (addresses below).

Please note that there is a charge for the time and administration involved.

You should be aware that in certain circumstances your right to see some details in your health care record may be limited in your own best interests.

You have a right to request that any inaccuracies be corrected or annotated. Your family and friends are not allowed to ask to see your records without your written consent.

Access to health records:

To contact the Subject Access Request teams:

Worthing

Email: SubjectAccessRequest.Worthing@wsht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01903 205111 Extension 85648
Write to:
Subject Access Request Team
Worthing Hospital
Lyndhurst Road
Worthing
West Sussex BN11 2DH

St Richard’s Hospital

Email: SubjectAccessRequest.Chichester@wsht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01243 788122 Extension 33181
Write to:
Subject Access Request Team
St Richard’s Hospital
Spitalfield Lane
Chichester
West Sussex PO19 6SE

Patient confidentiality

By law, everyone working for or on behalf of the NHS or other qualified health care providers must respect your confidentiality and keep your information secure.
We reassure you that the computer systems we use are subject to strict access controls and only staff who are involved in your care will have access to your records.
We will always obtain your consent before sharing your information with other health professionals unless exempted by law.
When we do share your information we will always endeavour to use the most secure method available where possible

Further information

Visit the Information Commissioner’s Office website at www.ico.gov.uk

If you have any concerns over the use of your medical information, please discuss these with your health professional during your next hospital visit.

Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998. We collect and keep information about you in order to give you the best possible care.

We keep your information on paper and on computer. We keep your information secure and by law you are entitled to ask to see a copy

By law

Everyone working in the NHS and Social Services must keep your information confidential
Everyone must keep your information secure
We will only share your information with consent or as the law permits

We may use information about you to:

Make sure your care is of the highest standard
Plan future services
Investigate complaints; claims and untoward incidents
Check how well we are performing against government targets
Help train staff and support research
Fund your care

For more information, please contact the Information Governance Team at Worthing Hospital on 01903 205111 ext 85402