Privacy notice for Patients and Service Users - Easy Read

How We Use, Share and Keep Your Personal Information Safe

This is about what happens to the information that Shropshire Community Health Trust collects about you whenever you come to see us. It also tells you how we make sure it is kept safe

What do we collect?

We collect information about you such as:

• Your Name
• Why you are coming to see us
• Your birthday and year you were born
• Your address
• The name of the person who will generally bring you to your appointments
• Your Family Doctor (General Practitioner or GP)
• The reason that you are coming to see us
• Any information that your family doctor, you or your family gives us
• What we do to care for you

Why do we collect it?

Shropshire Community Health Trust’s main purpose is to deliver healthcare to our patients. We collect the data we need to care for you in the best way.

We ask for your address so that we know where we can contact you.

We ask for your date of birth as your age may be important to your care.

Each time you come to see us or stay with us we will write down things that you tell us, things that we tell you and any medicines or exercises we give you. That way, we can look back at what we have done for you to make sure we are treating you in the best way.

What do we do with it?

We keep the information we collect electronically and on paper. All of this information together is called your Health Record or we might call it your Casenote. We may use technology such as videos and mobile phone Apps.

When you first see us your Health Record will be given a number. Everyone’s Health Record number will be different.

Anyone involved in caring for you at Shropshire Community Health Trust can see what has been collected. This way we can all make the right decisions about your care with all of the information you have given us.

Who we share it with

We will share the information we record about you with your Family Doctor. That way they are kept up to date on what we are doing for you. You should get a copy of any letters we send to your doctor about your care. We might share it with other health professionals involved in your care. If you have a social worker we will share it with them too.

If you tell us something that makes us worried about your safety or the safety of someone else you know, we might have to share this with other people outside our organisation - even if you may not want us to. This is part of our job to keep you and others safe.

We also need to share information with the Care Quality Commission who regulates healthcare providers.

Keeping your records safe

Everyone working in our Community Trust understands that they need to keep your information safe. This is called keeping your information confidential or protecting your privacy.

When we train our staff we remind them about privacy and tell them that they are only allowed to look at your information if they are involved in your care.

Especially the information that identifies you; this might be your name or address and anything you come to see us about. We are not allowed to give any of this type of information to anyone who shouldn’t see it. This includes talking to them about it.

Checking we are doing our best

All Community Trusts are checked by organisations to make sure they are treating and caring for patients and families in the best way they can. The people who inspect us may ask to see a small number of Health Records. They check that notes are written clearly and are kept safe to ensure that we recording and storing your information safely.

How long do we keep the information for?

All Community Trusts treating adults and children must keep their information for a specified period e.g. for children until their 25th Birthday. After this period we will confidentially destroy it unless we feel it needs to be kept for your ongoing care or another reason

If we have an incident or complaint

Sometimes we need to use patient information to help us investigate incidents, complaints or legal claims. If a patient is identified, they or their guardian will be informed.

Am I able to see and/or have a copy of the information you collect about me?

Yes ! You or your family can contact a member of staff to help you with this request. This is called a Subject Access Request (SAR).

You can find more information on the Information Commissioner’s Office website – www.ico.org.uk/your-data-matters

If I think some of my information is wrong can I do anything about it?

Yes ! You can contact a member of staff or the Information Governance Team at shropcom.IGQ@infreemation.co.uk telling them what it is that you think is wrong.

If I’m unhappy with the way you’ve used some of my information can I do anything?

Yes ! Let us know by emailing us at shropcom.IGQ@infreemation.co.uk

You can also contact the Information Commissioners Office www.ico.org.uk

We hope this leaflet tells you what you need to know about the information we collect about you. If you want to know anything else please email us at shropcom.IGQ@infreemation.co.uk

Caldicott Guardian and Data Protection Officer

The Caldicott Guardian and Data Protection Officer for the Trust are responsible for ensuring information about you is processed in a confidential, legal and appropriate manner.

If you have any concerns about the use of your information you can contact these individuals at the email address below:

• Data Protection Officer
  Information Governance Team
  Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust
  William Farr House, Mytton Oak Road
  Shrewsbury
  SY3 8XL

shropcom.IGQ@infreemation.co.uk