Use of Information - Medical Research

Last Updated: Tuesday, 29 August 2023

How your information is used for medical research and to measure the quality of care

Medical research

The Village & Freshfield Surgeries share information from medical records:

· to support medical research when the law allows us to do so, for example to learn more about why people get ill and what treatments might work best;

· we will also use your medical records to carry out research within the practice.

This is important because:

· the use of information from GP medical records is very useful in developing new treatments and medicines;

· medical researchers use information from medical records to help answer important questions about illnesses and disease so that improvements can be made to the care and treatment patients receive.

We only share information with medical research organisations with your explicit consent or when the law allows.

You have the right to object to your identifiable information being used or shared for medical research purposes. Please speak to the practice if you wish to object

Checking the quality of care - national clinical audits

The Village & Freshfield Surgeries contribute to national clinical audits so that healthcare can be checked and reviewed.

· Information from medical records can help doctors and other healthcare workers measure and check the quality of care which is provided to you.

· The results of the checks or audits can show where hospitals are doing well and where they need to improve.

· The results of the checks or audits are used to recommend improvements to patient care.

· Data are sent to NHS Digital, a national body with legal responsibilities to collect data.

· The data will include information about you, such as your NHS Number and date of birth and information about your health which is recorded in coded form - for example the code for diabetes or high blood pressure.

· We will only share your information for national clinical audits or checking purposes when the law allows.

· For more information about national clinical audits see the Healthcare Quality Improvements Partnership website: https://www.hqip.org.uk/ or phone 020 7997 7370

· You have the right to object to your identifiable information being shared for national clinical audits. Please contact the practice if you wish to object.

We are required by law to provide you with the following information about how we share your information for medical research purposes.

Data Controller contact details

Lisa Roberts

Freshfield Surgery

61 Gores Lane

Formby

01704 879430

Data Protection Officer contact details

Susan Lowe

The Village Surgery

12 Elbow Lane

Formby

01704 878661

Purpose of the processing

Medical research and to check the quality of care which is given to patients (this is called national clinical audit).

Lawful basis for processing

The following sections of the GDPR mean that we can use medical records for research and to check the quality of care (national clinical audits)

Article 6(1)(e) – ‘processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller’.

For medical research: there are two possible Article 9 conditions.

Article 9(2)(j) – ‘processing is necessary for… scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) based on Union or Member States law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and interests of the data subject’.

To check the quality of care (clinical audit):

Article 9(2)(h) – ‘processing is necessary for the purpose of preventative…medicine…the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services...’

Recipient or categories of recipients of the processed data

For national clinical audits which check the quality of care the data will be shared with NHS Digital.

Rights to object and the national data opt-out

You have a right to object under the GDPR and the right to ‘opt-out’ under the national data opt-out model. The national data opt-out model provides an easy way for you to opt-out of:

information that identifies you being used or shared for medical research purposes and quality checking or audit purposes.

Please contact the practice if you wish to opt-out.

To opt-out of your identifiable information being shared for medical research or to find out more about your opt-out choices please go to NHS Digital’s website: https://digital.nhs.uk/

Right to access and correct

· You have the right to access your medical record and have any errors or mistakes corrected. Please speak to a member of staff or look at our ‘subject access request’ policy on the practice website – www.thevillagesurgeryformby.nhs.uk

We are not aware of any circumstances in which you will have the right to delete correct information from your medical record; although you are free to obtain your own legal advice if you believe there is no lawful purpose for which we hold the information and contact us if you hold a different view.

Retention period

GP medical records will be kept in line with the law and national guidance. Information on how long records are kept can be found at: https://transform.england.nhs.uk/media/documents/NHSX_Records_Management_CoP_V7.pdf

or speak to the practice.

Right to complain

You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. If you wish to complain follow this link https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/ or call the helpline 0303 123 1113