Data Protection

Practice Privacy Notice

Linen Court Surgery, 336 Beersbridge Road, Belfast BT5 5DY

Your information, privacy and the Law.  How we use your medical records…

The use and sharing of personal information forms an essential part of the provision of health and care, benefiting individual patients, often necessary for the effective functioning of Health & Social Services and sometimes necessary in the public interest.  Nevertheless your doctor has a strong legal and ethical duty to protect patient information and all information you share with your doctor is kept confidential. 

The Practice holds personal information relating to patients in paper and computer records.  This is important so that individuals can be accurately identified and treatment planned appropriately and safely.  Medical, nursing and administrative Practice staff who may have access to personal patient information receive training regarding preservation of confidentiality.  When a referral is made, for example to a hospital clinic, it is normal for relevant information to be forwarded from the Practice to facilitate the care process.

At times insurance companies, solicitors, employers may make a request for personal information.  We consider the preservation of confidentiality to be of particular importance.  We will, other than in very exceptional circumstances, only disclose information about a patient to a third party with the expressed and usually written consent of the patient.

The Practice is committed to observing the laws on data protection and confidentiality concerning your medical record and all uses of sharing your information

The Practice shares information about you with health professionals who are involved in providing you with care and treatment.  This is on a need to know basis and, normally, event by event

Some of your health information (including your name, address, allergies and medications) is automatically copied to the Northern Ireland Electronic Care Record

Some information about you is shared with national screening campaigns such as Flu and Diabetes eye screening 

Information about you in non–identifiable form is used to manage the NHS and make payments 

Information about you in non–identifiable form is used to check the quality of care provided by the NHS

Information about you in non–identifiable form may be used for medical research.  Where identifiable information may be required we will first seek your consent

We will share information when the law requires us to, for instance when we are inspected or reporting certain illnesses or safeguarding vulnerable people