Privacy Notice

Paul Ursell – Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

We will keep your records safely

This practice complies with the Data Protection Act (1998) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018. This means that we will ensure that your information is processed fairly and lawfully.

What personal information do we need to hold?

Your past and current medical condition; personal details such as your age, address, telephone number and your general medical practitioner including but not exclusively:

  • Radiographs, pathology and radiology reports, OCT scans, visual field tests, biometry

  • Information about the treatment that we have provided or proposed and its cost

  • Notes of conversations or incidents that might occur for which a records needs to be kept

  • Records of consent to treatment

Any correspondence relating to you with other healthcare professionals, for example in the hospital or community services 

Why do we hold this information?

We need to keep accurate personal data about patients in order to provide you with safe and appropriate medical care. We also need to process personal data about you if we are providing care under private hospital arrangements and need to access your NHS records and to ensure the proper management and administration of your care privately.

Retaining information

We are required to retain your medical records, X- rays while you are a patient of this practice and after you cease to be a patient, for at least ten years or until age 21, whichever is the longer.

Security

Your information is held in the practice’s computer system .

The information is only accessible to authorised personnel. Personal information will not be removed from this practice without the patients authorised consent.

Your personal information is carefully protected by the staff at this practice. All access to information is held securely and can only be accessed by regularly changed passwords. Data is encrypted and computer terminals are closed if unattended.

We may need to disclose your information

In order to provide proper and safe medical care to:

  • Your general medical practitioner

  • The hospital or community services

  • Other health professionals caring for you

  • Private medical insurance schemes of which you are a member

Disclosure will take place on a ‘need-to-know’ basis, so that only those individuals/organisations who need to know in order to provide care to you and for the proper administration of Government (whose personnel are covered by strict confidentiality rules) will be given the information. Only information that the recipient needs to know will be disclosed.

In very limited circumstances or when required by law or a court order, personal data may have to be disclosed to a third party not connected with your health care. In all other situations, disclosure that is not covered by this Code of Practice will only occur when we have your specific consent. Where possible you will be informed of these requests for disclosure.