Award winning dermatology service, with over 20 years of experience
Short waiting lists, on some occasions offering same week appointments
Safe environment, in Care Quality Commission approved facilities
Privacy Notice
We collect personal data from you when you are referred to our clinic or use our services. We will always aim to keep this data secure and use it only for the purposes that we are legally allowed.
For example, we collect and store information that we receive from your GP and other health professionals when you are sent to us for care. We will also gather information from you at your appointments and may request historic information from other health clinics of past health episodes if these are relevant to the care we are providing you. Some of the information we hold we recognise will be sensitive. The information we hold will include contact details (name, address, telephone numbers, e-mail), personal details (gender, date of birth, GP practice, emergency contacts) and medical information. We may also take and store photos of your skin complaint.
We use this information and medical records primarily to ensure the safe and effective delivery of care. Parts of the records will be used for the efficient management of the NHS; to undertake medical audits that improve our overall care for patients and occasionally in medical research. We will also use your mobile phone number to send you appointment reminders.
Who else has access to your data
At times, we do need to share information with other health service bodies, to ensure you receive the best care from us and the health service generally, and so that we can administer the service. We will only send the minimum level of information that is necessary in these cases.
We do employ the services of other organisations who will process your data on our behalf – particularly our computer system providers. These companies will not use your data in anyway outside of this privacy policy and we are ensuring we have agreements in place that makes this clear.
We also need to comply with the any legal requests for information from public bodies – such as the police and government bodies – or to protect you, ourselves and others.
Your rights over your data
You have the right to be informed how we use your data. If you have any queries over and above the contents of this policy then please contact our data protection officer, Mr Paul Haycox, on [email protected].
You can also request a summary of the information that we hold on you or for us to correct any factual data that is inaccurate. The first request for information will be provided free of charge, but a charge of £10 may be charged for subsequent requests, if they are felt to be excessive.
You may ask us to delete information that we hold on you, which we will consider. However, it is a legal requirement to maintain medical records for a defined period of time (we abide to the current retention schedules contained in the “Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2016”) and so these will be
considered alongside any request.
To make a request for any of the above, please email us at [email protected].
Finally, if you are unhappy with how we are managing your personal data, or aren’t happy with our response at any time, then you have the right to file a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Security
We use reasonable and modern methods to protect your data, but unfortunately no data transmission or storage system is 100% secure. If you feel that the security of your information has been compromised in anyway then please contact us immediately. If we become aware of any security issue, then we will contact any
individuals that are affected.
How the NHS and care services use your information
Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending Accident & Emergency or using Community Care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment.
The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for
instance to help with:
- improving the quality and standards of care provided
- research into the development of new treatments
- preventing illness and diseases
- monitoring safety
- planning services
This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations. Confidential patient information about your health and care is only used like this where allowed by law.
Most of the time, anonymised data is used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified in which case your confidential patient information isn’t needed.
You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way. If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.
To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit www.nhs.uk/yournhs-data-matters. On this web page you will:
- See what is meant by confidential patient information
- Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care
- Find out more about the benefits of sharing data
- Understand more about who uses the data
- Find out how your data is protected
- Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting
- Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone
- See the situations where the opt-out will not apply
- You can also find out more about how patient information is used at:
https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/ (which covers health and care research); and https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/what-you-need-know (which covers how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made) - You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
- Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.
Contact Us
Data and Privacy Policy Enquiries: [email protected]
General Enquiries: Telephone: 01743 590010; Email: [email protected]
Address: St Michael’s Clinic, St Michael’s Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2HE
The legal conditions for processing personal data is public interest or in exercise of official authority and contractual necessity. The legal condition for processing special categories of personal data are Health and Social care or vital interests.
This privacy policy was last updated on 8th June 2022
