Patient confidentiality

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.

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

How we use your medical records

  • Our practices and services handle medical records in-line with laws on data protection and confidentiality.
  • We share medical records with those who are involved in providing you with care and treatment.
  • In some circumstances we will also share medical records for medical research, for example to find out more about why people get ill.
  • We share information when the law requires us to do so, for example, to prevent infectious diseases from spreading or to check the care being provided to you is safe.
  • You have the right to be given a copy of your medical record.
  • You have the right to object to your medical records being shared with those who provide you with care.You have the right to object to your information being used for medical research and to plan health services.
  • You have the right to have any mistakes corrected and to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Date published: 10th October, 2014
Date last updated: 25th July, 2023