This Practice aims to provide you with the highest quality of Healthcare. To do this we
must keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided or plan to
provide.
These records may include:
- Basic details about you, such as address, date of birth, next of kin;
- Notes and reports about your health;
- Records of appointments or contact we have had with you such as home visits or telephone calls;
- Details and records about your treatment and care;
- Results of x-rays, laboratory tests etc.
- Relevant information from people who care for you and know you well, such as health
professionals and relatives.
The people who care for you use your records to:
- Provide a good basis for all health decisions made by you and care professionals;
- Make sure your care is safe and effective;
- Work effectively with others providing you with care.
We may also need to use records about you to:
- Check the quality of care;
- Protect the health of the general public;
- Help investigate any concerns or complaints you or your family have about your
health care
We will not share information that identifies you for any reason, unless:
- You ask us to do so;
- We ask and you give your consent;
- It is clinical emergency;
- We have to do this by law
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you
confidential.
We have a duty to:
- Maintain full and accurate records of the care we provide to you;
- Keep records about you confidential, secure and accurate;
- Provide information in a format that is accessible to you (eg in large type if you are
partially sighted).
You have the right
- You have the right to confidentiality under the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA), The
General Data Protection Regulations 2018, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the
common law duty of confidentiality.
- You also have the right to ask for a copy of your records to enable you to verify the
lawfulness of the processing of data held about you – Please write to the Practice
FAO Data Controller at the normal surgery address detailing the information you
require.
The Data Controller for this Practice is: Sharon O’Brien-Rocks – Practice Manager
The Data Protection Officer for this Practice is: Dr M F Amin
What to do if you have any questions Should you have any questions about our privacy policy or the information we hold about you, you can:
- Write to the Data Controller at Burnett Edgar Medical Centre, Central Drive, Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 3HY
Complaints
In the unlikely event that you are unhappy with any element of our data-processing methods, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office. For further details, visit ico.org.uk and select ‘Raising a concern’.
Changes to our privacy policy
We regularly review our privacy policy and any updates will be published on our website, and on posters to reflect the changes. This policy is to be reviewed and updated on an ad hoc basis.
If you would like a copy of our How We Use Your Personal Information leaflet please ask at reception.
We also have a leaflet available at reception which is designed as an information leaflet to help children understand the new General Data Protection Regulations.
Making a complaint
Most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily, often at the time they arise with the person concerned and this may be the approach you try first.
Where you are not able to resolve your complaint in this way and wish to make a formal complaint you should do so, preferably in writing as soon as possible after the event and ideally within a few days, as this helps us to establish what happened more easily. In any event, this should be:
• Within 12 months of the incident,
• or within 12 months of you discovering that you have a problem.
State your case clearly giving as much detail as you can. If you are a registered patient you can complain about your own care. You are unable to complain about someone else’s treatment without their written authority. See the separate section on this page. We are able to provide you with a separate complaints form to register your complaint and this includes a third-party authority form to enable a complaint to be made by someone else. Please ask at reception for this. You can provide this in your own format providing this covers all the necessary aspects.
Send your written complaint to: F.A.O Sharon Rocks/Sharna Collins
Burnett Edgar Medical Centre
Central Drive
Walney Island
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria LA14 3HY
Or email it to: lscicb-mb.bemcpatient@nhs.net
Download our complaints information
What we do next
We look to settle complaints as soon as possible.
We will acknowledge receipt within 5 working days and indicate the timeframe in which you can expect a response from us. You may then receive a formal reply in writing, or you may be invited to meet with the person(s) concerned to attempt to resolve the issue. If the matter is likely to take longer than this we will let you know, and keep you informed as the investigation progresses.
When looking into a complaint we attempt to see what happened and why, to see if there is something we can learn from this and make it possible for you to discuss the issue with those involved if you would like to do so.
When the investigations are complete a final written response will be sent to you.
Where your complaint involves more than one organisation (e.g. social services) we will liaise with that organisation so that you receive one coordinated reply. We may need your consent to do this. Where your complaint has been sent initially to an incorrect organisation, we may seek your consent to forward this to the correct person to deal with.
The final response letter will include details of the result of your complaint and also your right to escalate the matter further if you remain dissatisfied with the response.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
We keep to the strict rules of medical and personal confidentiality. If you wish to make a complaint and are not the patient involved, we will require the written consent of the patient to confirm that they are unhappy with their treatment and that we can deal with someone else about it.
Where the patient is incapable of providing consent due to illness or accident it may still be possible to deal with the complaint. Please provide the precise details of the circumstances which prevent this in your covering letter.
Please note that we are unable to discuss any issue relating to someone else without their express permission, which must be in writing, unless the circumstances above apply.
We may still need to correspond direct with the patient, or may be able to deal direct with the third party and this depends on the wording of the authority provided.
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome
You have the right to approach the Ombudsman. The contact details are:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower, Millbank
London SW1P 4QP Tel: 0345 0154033 Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk
Other useful contact details
The Customer Care Team Integrated Care Board (ICB)
Email: lscicb-fw.patientexperience@nhs.net
Telephone: 0800 032 2424
Level 3, Christchurch Precinct, County Hall
Fishergate Hill, Preston
Lancashire PR1 8XB
Advocacy Access:
This service offers advocacy support with any NHS or Social Care related issue or complaint.
54 Blackburn Road Accrington BB5 1LE Tel: 0345 456 3210
Text phone 07886 744634 Fax 0300 323 0966 www.advocacyaccess.org.uk contact@advocacyaccess.org.co.uk
The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:
- To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
- To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
- When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.
If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.
Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.
Freedom of Information
Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.
Access to Records
In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice manager and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
INTRODUCTION:
“Gerry’s treehouse”.
There are a number of children, including BARRY and LUCY, running and playing. GERRY is a large, somewhat rubbery looking Giraffe, wearing a bowtie and a stethoscope. The children immediately gather round him to hear what he has to say.
GERRY – Hi Kids!
It’s me, Gerry the GDPR Giraffe, and I’m here to tell you all about GDPR!
(Loud cheers)
BARRY – What’s GDPR Gerry?
GERRY – What a great question!
GDPR stands for “General Data Protection Regulation” and it’s an exciting new bunch of rules from Europe, all about how we handle the information we have about you! But don’t worry – just like all the other rules we blame on the EU, we fully intend to keep these after Brexit – so the fun won’t stop!
LUCY – What do you mean “information we have about you”?
GERRY – Well Lucy, here at Gerry’s Treehouse of Fun and Burnett Edgar Medical Centre, we have to keep records about all our friends and patients and to help us keep track of their medicines, and make sure we know which of you like cookies with their bedtime milk. There are already very strict rules about who we can share this information with, but now with GDPR we can have even more!
(The children cheer again.)
For instance, we will now have to keep a record of all the different types of data we hold – like data about health, data about cookies, or data about whether you love rainbows or unicorns best.
We will then have to say which laws allow us to keep or share that data, list all the people that we might want to give it to and why, and describe all the security measures we are going to take. To ensure big bad men don’t take it away and sell it to the Americans to rig elections – like they did with your Facebook entries.
LUCY – Well, that’s good to know Gerry! Should I tell all my friends?
GERRY – No need Lucy! Every practice will have to produce a simple, easy to understand Privacy Notice by the time the new rules start on the 25th May – so everyone can experience the joy of reading data protection regulations!
But that’s not all! Everyone will be able to access all their records either themselves, or through another person, if you give permission. Not just things on the computer, but all the silly little pieces of paper that someone shoved into a folder 30 years ago that no-one was planning on ever looking at again – but first we’ll have to go through them all, and make sure there are no naughty references to other people, or things that would make you super-duper-sad.
BARRY – Wow! That sounds fun Gerry!
GERRY – Yes! So much fun, that we won’t be able to charge you for it. No matter how long it takes.
(More cheering)
LUCY – This sounds amazing Gerry, can we join in?
GERRY – Of course you can Lucy! In fact, we have to have a designated Data Protection Officer so perhaps you’d like the job?
(The children laugh.)
No, seriously. We can’t find anyone. I’m not allowed to do it despite knowing all about it, because it would be a “conflict of interest”. (GERRY does air quotes with his hooves.) You’ll need expert knowledge all about data protection law and the GDPR itself, as well as an extensive understanding of how General Practice works – so you might need to read a few books.
LUCY – I love reading!
GERRY – Great! Because we can’t find anyone else, and we certainly can’t afford to pay an adult. You’ll work for cookies, right? Oh, and speaking of not being able to afford things, guess how much we can be fined if we get it wrong?
BARRY – (Whispers) One hundred pounds?
GERRY – Not quite Barry. Nice try.
LUCY – One million Squishies.
GERRY – Closer. It’s 10 million Euros.
(Children all go “oooooh”)
That’s certainly an awful lot of squishies, isn’t it kids? Now, why don’t you go and play with Jim the GMC Jackal whilst I go sit in the corner and weep?
All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients as each practice.
GP Earnings 2021/2022
The average pay for GPs working in Burnett Edgar Medical Practice in the last financial year was £114,194 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 1 full time GP and 2 locums who worked in the practice for more than six months.”
No more hanging on the telephone. With online services, you can use your local GP services at home, work or on the move. Order repeat prescriptions and view your medical records when it’s convenient for you.
- Order repeat prescriptions
- Book and cancel appointments
- View and share your medical record
- Message your practice
find out more on our online services page
It’s Your Practice: A patient guide to GP services has been put together by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) for patients.
This guide has been produced as part of the RCGP’s aim to build stronger relationships between you and your doctors and encourage the involvement and inclusion of you in your own care.
The guide provides helpful information on all aspects of using GP services: from finding and choosing a practice and how to get the most out of a GP consultation to accessing health records and understanding patients’ rights and responsibilities.
It is split into several sections including:
- General Practice explained
- Choosing the right practice for you
- Registering with a GP practice
- Seeing your GP – consultations
- Seeing your GP – the next steps
- After your GP consultation
- Your health record
- Your rights and responsibilities as a patient
- Get involved with your practice
The publication is part of a push by the NHS as a whole to encourage you to understand how you can get the most out of primary care – which also includes how you can become more involved in monitoring your own health.
Download A Patient Guide to GP Services
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Why do I need a Summary Care Record?
Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.
Who can see it?
Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.
How do I know if I have one?
Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record. You can find out whether Summary Care Records have come to your area by looking at our interactive map or by asking your GP
Do I have to have one?
No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery. You can use the form at the foot of this page.
More Information
For further information visit the NHS Care records website
Your health records contain a type of data called confidential patient information. This data can be used to help with research and planning.
You can choose to stop your confidential patient information being used for research and planning. You can also make a choice for someone else like your children under the age of 13.
Your choice will only apply to the health and care system in England. This does not apply to health or care services accessed in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
This information is also available in other languages and formats.
To find out more, please read the national data sharing overview page. If you then wish to opt out of sharing, please read the information on the ‘How confidential information is used’ page and complete the process on the ‘make your choice’ page.
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.