NHS Digital Data Sharing Opt Out
In 2021 the Department of Health for England announced plans to undertake a mass data extraction from GP records as part of their 'General Practice Data for Planning and Research' (GPDPR) programme. Initially patients were only give to the 23rd June 2021 to opt out of this by submitting a Type 1 opt out form to their GP to avoid their data being shared. This was then extended to 1st September 2021.
This will not affect patients in NHS Scotland as health is devolved and NHS Digital have no jurisdiction in Scotland, therefore no NHS Scotland patient data will be shared with NHS Digital. Any patient registered with a Scottish GP will NOT require to opt out as their data is held separately within the NHS Scotland system.
Further information on how NHS Scotland handles your personal information is on the NHS Inform website: How the NHS handles your personal health information / NHS Inform.
National Services for Scotland are the organisation who are responsible for projects that affect all health boards in Scotland, like data sharing for national systems. If you are concerned about any sharing taking place nationally you can contact:
NSS Data Protection Officer
Gyle Square
1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh EH12 9EB
Tel: 0131 275 6000
Email: nss.dataprotection@nhs.scot
To provide you with the care you need, we hold the details of your consultations, illnesses, tests, prescriptions, and other treatments that have been recorded by everyone involved in your care and treatment (e.g. GP, Health Visitor, Practice Nurse). This information is usually stored on paper or electronically on computer file by practice staff.
We need to use some of your personal health information for administrative purposes. In order to receive payment for services provided to you, we have to disclose basic details about you to the NHS Board responsible for this area, and to the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service. These organisations have a role in protecting public funds, and are authorised to check that payments are being properly made. We are required to co-operate with these checks and the disclosure of your data is a necessary part of our provision of healthcare services.
Sometimes we may participate in studies that are designed to improve the way services are provided to you or to check that our performance meets required standards and benchmarks. Whenever we take part in activities such as these we will ensure that as far as possible any details that may identify you are not disclosed.
We are sometimes involved in health research and the teaching of student nurses, doctors and other health professionals. We will not use or disclose your personal health information for these purposes unless you have been informed beforehand and given your consent for us to do so.
Where you need a service jointly provided with a local authority we will seek your permission before giving them your details.
Sometimes we are required by law to pass on information (e.g. notification of births and deaths, certain infectious diseases, certain serious criminal offences).
Our use of your personal health information is covered by a duty of confidentiality, and is regulated by Data Protection Legislation . This gives you a number of rights in relation to how your personal information is used, including a right to access the information we hold about you. Please click here to view our data protection notice.
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential, and adheres to a Code of Practice on Protecting Patient confidentiality. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential. Further information about this can be found on the ICO website.
If you have any queries or concerns on how we use your personal health information, or would like to access your information, please contact our Practice Manager.
