Your information - How we use it

Why we collect information about you

The Hospital keeps records about the healthcare and treatment patients receive. This helps to ensure that patients receive the best possible care from us. 

How we keep your records confidential

Everyone working for the NHS must comply with the Common Law Duty of Confidence. Information you provide to the hospital in confidence will only be used for the purposes explained to you and to which you consented, unless there are circumstances covered by law. 

The hospital complies with the NHS Confidentially Code of Conduct. All our tsaff are required to protect your information, inform you of how your information will be used, and allow you to decide if and how your information can be shared. 

How your personal information is used to improve the NHS 

Your information will also help us manage the NHS and protect the health of the public by being used to: 

• Review the care we provide to ensure it is of the highest standard and quality, e.g. through audit or service improvement.
• Ensure our services can meet patients needs in the future.
• Investigate patient queries, complaints and legal claims. 
• Ensure the hospital receives payment for the care you receive 
• Prepare statistics on NHS performance 
• Audit NHS accounts and services 
• Undertake health research and development (with your consent - you may choose whether or not to be involved).
• Train and educate healthcare professionals.

Sharing information with other NHS organisations.

We share your personal information with other NHS organisations. For example, we may share your information for healthcare purposes with health authorities, other NHS trusts, general practitioners (GP's), ambulance services and primary care agencies. 

Information sharing with non-NHS organisations.

We may need to share information from your health records with other non-NHS organisations from which you are also receiving care, such as Social Services. However, we will not disclose any health information to third parties without your explicit consent unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the health and safety of others is at risk or where the law requires it. 

We may also be asked by other statutory bodies to share basic information about you, such as your name and address, but not sensitive information from your health records. This would normally be to assist them to carry out their statutory duties. In these circumstances, where it is nit practical to obtain your explicit consent we are informing you through this notice, which is referred to as a Fair Processing Notice, under the Data Protection Act. 

These non-NHS organisations may include, but are not restricted to:

• Social Services
• Education Services 
• Local Authorities 
• The Police
• voluntary Sector Providers
• Private Sector Providers

This Trust is required by law to protect the public funds it administers, It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud. 

Patient Satisfaction

We may use your details to contact you with regards to patient satisfaction surveys relating to services you have used within our hospital. This is to improve the way we deliver healthcare to you and other patients. 

Your right to withdraw consent for is to share your personal information. 

At any time you have the right to refuse/withdraw consent to information sharing. the possible consequences will be fully explained to you and could include delays in receiving care. 

Further Information. 

To learn more about how we use your information, please speak to the health professional concerned with your care, or contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) department (see link below) 

PALS

If you require more detailed information, please contact the Information governance team. 

Updated Data Protection Office (DPO) information. 

Mid-Mersey Digital Alliance (information Governance Team) - IG@midmerseyda.nhs.uk

Alexandra Business Park

Court Building 

Prescot Road

St Helens 

WA10 3TP