Important changes to how we handle your personal data
There are changes occurring in how we protect the confidential and personal information that we record in your medical records. The changes make it a legal obligation for us to share your information (see leaflet for details). The proposed benefits of sharing identifiable data are to help to plan and monitor effective patient services, especially where patients receive care from several different organisations.
We feel it is vital that you, as our patient, are made aware of these changes. This leaflet has been produced to help you understand what currently happens to information you share with your health professional and how that information may be used outside of your direct care.
The official NHS England poster,England information leaflet and NHS England FAQ are available here, or from the NHS England Website.
Some of us didn’t feel that these gave patients complete information about these changes and have collaborated to produce alternative information:
EMIS National User Group website
Recommended Patient information leaflet
If you decide that you would like to prevent your information from being used in this way, you can complete this opt-out form and return it to the surgery. If you change your mind later, you can use the same form to opt back in.
Leeds Care Record
What is the Leeds Care Record?
At the moment, every health and social care organisation that you use has a different set of patient records for you. These records may duplicate information or one record might hold information about your treatment, care and support that another one doesn’t.
What kind of information will be shared?In Leeds, we have developed a virtual system called the Leeds Care Record. If you live in Leeds you will have a Leeds Care Record created for you. It will be held on a secure computer system and will include some key health and social care information about you. The information is taken from other medical records you may have such as your GP record, hospital records or social care records.The Leeds Care Record will hold certain information about each patient so that whenever you are being treated or cared for by the NHS or adult social care services the people looking after you will have the most up-to-date information:Address and telephone number – so we have one set of contact details for you.
Problem diagnosis list – to make sure your health or social care professional has a complete record of your care.
Medications – so everyone treating you can see what medicines you’ve been prescribed.
Allergies – to make sure you aren’t prescribed or given any medicines you could have an adverse reaction to.
Test results – to speed up your treatment and care.
Referrals, clinic letters and discharge information – to make sure the people caring for you have all the information they need about other treatment you’re having elsewhere.
Why do you need to share my information?
GPs and other health and social care professionals will be able to provide much better support if all of the information they need to know about you is available in one place. When information is shared, it means you won’t have to keep repeating the same information to different professionals. It also means your care will be safer because health and social care staff will be able to see information about the medicines you have been prescribed and any allergies you have.
There are benefits for the health and social care system too. By having instant access to the information they need, the people caring for you won’t have to spend time phoning around different organisations. They’ll be able to do their job safely and more quickly, making services more streamlined, cost effective and efficient.
Can anybody see my records?
No. Your medical records will still be confidential. They will only be looked at by people who are directly involved in your care. We won’t share your information with anyone who doesn’t need it to provide treatment, care and support to you. Your details will be kept safe and won’t be made public, passed on to a third party who is not directly involved in your care, or used for advertising.
How do I know my records are kept secure?
By law, everyone working in, or on behalf of, the NHS and adult social care must respect your privacy and keep all information about you safe.
The Leeds Care Record will be held on a secure, encrypted system at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals. The system keeps a record of everyone who has accessed a patient record, the time and date when they accessed it and the information they were viewing.
The laws on data protection are clear and we take them very seriously. We regularly check to make sure that only people who need to see your patient record are viewing it.
Can I opt out of my records being shared?
Yes, you can choose not to have a Leeds Care Record. It is your choice but sharing your medical and social care information through a Leeds Care Record will make it easier to provide the best quality care and support for you. If you have any doubts about your records being shared you can talk to your GP in the first instance. If you wish, we can ensure that your GP records are not shared outside the practice. You can also contact the information governance team at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Their telephone number is 0113 20 64102 or you can write to:
Access to Health Records
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
St James University Hospital
Lincoln Wing/Chancellor Wing Link Corridor
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF
Can I access my Leeds Care Record?
Patients have the right under the Data Protection Act 1998 to request access to any information that an organisation holds about them. This includes copies of paper, electronic and hybrid patient Health Records. A copy of this can be requested via the Trust website and information about this can be found on the Leeds Teaching Hospitals website – www.leedsth.nhs.uk – under the Freedom of Information heading or by writing to the address above.
Is this the same as the Summary Care Record (SCR) or care.data?
No.
The Summary Care Record consists only of medication and allergies and can only be accessed at time of emergency or unscheduled care.
The care.data extract will be used for secondary uses such as national and local planning.
The patient opt-outs for these three services are completely separate. You can opt in or out of theses services individually.
If you have already opted out of SCR, you will not be automatically opted out of care.data or the Leeds Care Record.
Further information
You can download a patient infromation leaflet about the LCR.
You can view the Leeds Care Record website.
Test Results
For blood tests please leave 10 days before you telephone for your results. For Ultrasound Scan and X-Ray Results please leave 2 weeks before you telephone for your results.
Please avoid calling between 8-9am when the phones are particularly busy. If when you call your test result has been received however the GP has yet to view it, the receptionist will let you know the next time the GP requesting the test has administrative time to review results (each doctor has time set aside each day), and they will ask the GP to prioritise your result so you know when the GP will look at it. Please do not ask for an urgent ring back with the on call GP to discuss test results as this slows our ability to respond quickly to patients who require urgent medical attention on the same day, and results are best reviewed by the GP who originally requested the test.
Thank you.
Urine Samples
Requests for Private Work
Where a fee is due this is payable in advance of the report/lform/letter being released. If you request private work and then no longer need it, please inform us straight away so we can cancel your request.
Doctor's Notes for Time off Work Due to Illness (Fit Notes)
If you require a doctor’s note for absence of more than seven days (including days you don’t normally work) please make an appointment with a GP. If you’re under the care of a hospital, your note may be issued by the hospital, rather than by your GP.
If you feel well enough to return before your note runs out, you can return to work without seeing the doctor and without getting a new note. In rare instances employers insist on a note from the GP to say you are now fit to work. Please book an appointment to see the GP in these instances.
There is never a charge for providing a doctor’s note if you are off work due to illness for more than 7 days. Some employers may request a doctor’s note for absences of less than 7 days, for example, from employees who repeatedly take time off sick. There is a fee of £15 for doctor’s notes for less than 7 days.
Practice Profile 2016
- There are just over 7000 patients registered at Hillfoot Surgery and our numbers have grown by 10% over the past 10 years.
- Compared to the Leeds average, we have relatively:
- More children (21% of our population is aged 15 or under)
- Less young people (32% of our patients are aged 16-40)
- More patients age 45+ (32% of our patients are aged 41-65, 6% of our population are aged 66-74, 9% of our population are aged 75 or older)
- Our deprivation is relatively low. 3% of our patients are classified as ‘comfortably off’. Nonetheless we have 410 patients who are classified as ‘struggling families’.
- Just under 15% of our patients smoke, compared to the Leeds and CCG area average of just over 20%
- Our recorded obesity rates (body mass index greater than 30) of 22% are slightly higher than the Leeds average (21.5%).
- 3% of our patients have a cancer diagnosis (Leeds average 2.8%)
- Our emergency admission rates are low relative to other Practices.
- 29% of our population are living with a long term condition.
- 78% of our population aged 75 or older are living with one or more long term conditions.
- Our male patients can expect to live on average until they are 78.7 years (average for North and West Leeds is 78.6), and females can expect to live until they are 82.6 (average for North and West Leeds is 82.4).
We Value Your Views
We welcome suggestions on how we can improve our service to you, our patients. We also welcome your general comments and compliments when we do a good job.
Please take the opportunity to feed back your thoughts by completing a slip and placing it in our comments box next to reception. If you would like to discuss any concerns or make a complaint about any aspect of our service please ask to speak to the Practice Manager who will do her best to help resolve the problem.
Complaints Procedure Patient Info V5 2020
Complaints Procedure Information for Patients
The people who look after your health will do whatever they can to ensure you are treated properly and promptly, but sometimes things do go wrong. If you have a complaint or a concern about the service your have received from the doctors or any of the staff working at this Practice please let us know.
We will investigate the concerns you raise promptly, and with respect and courtesy. We aim to give a thorough response along with the opportunity for you to discuss any matters further.
Who Can Make a Complaint?
- Anyone who is receiving, or has received, services from the surgery.
- Anyone who is affected, or likely to be affected, by the action, omission or decision of the surgery.
- A representative acting on behalf of a person who:
- Has died;
- Is a child (where it is deemed the complaint is in the child’s best interests);
- Is unable to complain themselves due to physical or mental incapacity (where it is deemed the complaint is in that person’s best interests);
- Has requested (in writing to the practice) the representative to act on their behalf.
Time Limit for Making a Complaint
- A complaint can be made up to 12 months after the date on which the matter which the subject of the complaint occurred; or
- If later, the date on which the matter which the subject of the complaint came to the notice of the complainant.
The time limit may be extended if the practice is satisfied that the complainant had good reasons for not making the compliant within 12 months; and notwithstanding the delay, it is still possible to investigate the complaint effectively and fairly.
How to Make a Complaint
Informal Complaints
You can make an informal complaint by asking to speak to the Practice Manager (or Deputy Practice Manager in her absence).
The Practice Manager will investigate the issue promptly and endeavour to feed back to you the next working day, or later if both parties agree (e.g. if staff/doctor involved not due to be at surgery within this timescale).
If the practice manager (or deputy practice manager) is not available we would recommend that complaints are communicated to the practice in writing – email to [email protected] or by letter to Hillfoot Surgery, 126 Owlcotes Road, Pudsey, Leeds LS28 7QR. This will ensure they have a complete record of your concerns when they return.
If you are unable to write to us some concerns can be dealt with verbally – however this is not recommend when the complaint relates to a specific member of staff. We would prefer written details so we can fully investigate.
Most problems can be resolved in this way, but if you are not happy with the outcome of the informal complaint you can make a formal complaint.
Formal Complaints
Y
Who can a formal complaint be made to?
ONLY TO – either the practice -OR – NHS England
In the event of anyone not wishing to complain to the practice they should be directed to make their complaint to NHSE at:
By telephone: 03003 11 22 33
By email: [email protected]
By post: NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT
In those cases where the complaint is made to NHS England, the practice will comply with all appropriate requests for information and co-operate fully in assisting them to investigate and respond to the complaint.
A formal complaint to the practice can be made verbally, in writing or electronically to the Practice Manager (or Assistant Practice Manager in her absence). The practice will acknowledge the complaint in writing within 3 days of receipt and provide:
-
- An explanation of how the complaint will be handled;
- Details of how long the investigation is likely to take. (6 months allowable under regulations, but at Hillfoot Surgery we aim to respond to all complaints within 3 weeks);
- An offer to discuss the outcome with you once you have received a report of the investigation, or an earlier mutually agreeable date if you wish.
- The Practice Manager will co-ordinate the investigation of all complaints and produce a report that includes:
- An explanation of how the complaint has been considered;
- Conclusions reached, including any areas for remedial action and clarification of whether such action has been taken or is planned.
- Details of your right to take the complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman.
- If a response is not sent within the timescales agreed the Practice Manager will notify you in writing and explain the reason why; and send a written response as soon as is reasonably practicable.
Annual Review of Complaints
The practice will produce an annual complaints report to be sent to the local Commissioning Body (NHSE) and will form part of the Freedom of Information Act Publication Scheme.
The report will include:
- Statistics on the number of complaints received
- The number considered to have been upheld
- Known referrals to the Ombudsman
- A summary of the issues giving rise to the complaints
- Learning points that came out of the complaints and the changes to procedure, policies or care which have resulted
Care must be taken to ensure that the report does not inadvertently disclose any confidential data or lead to the identity of any person becoming known.
Confidentiality
All complaints must be treated in the strictest confidence and the practice must ensure that the patient etc. is made aware of any confidential information to be disclosed to a third party (e.g. NHSE).
The practice must keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records must be kept separate from patients’ medical records and no reference which might disclose the fact a complaint has been made should be included on the computerised clinical record system.
Unreasonable or Vexatious Complaints
Where a complainant becomes unreasonable or excessively rude or aggressive in their promotion of the complaint, some or all of the following formal provisions will apply and must be communicated to the patient by the Responsible Person in writing:
- The complaint will be managed by one named individual at senior level who will be the only contact for the patient
- Contact will be limited to one method only (e.g. in writing)
- Place a time limit on each contact
- The number of contacts in a time period will be restricted
- A witness will be present for all contacts
- Repeated complaints about the same issue will be refused unless additional material is being brought forward
- Only acknowledge correspondence regarding a closed matter, not respond to it
- Set behaviour standards
- Return irrelevant documentation
- Detailed records will be kept of each encounter
Leeds CCG Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
The following services are available and will continue to support patients in Leeds:
- Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust PALS – support for all complaints, comments, concerns and compliments regarding hospital services
Telephone 0113 2066261 or email [email protected] - Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust PALS – support for all complaints, comments, concerns and compliments
Telephone 0800 052 5790 or email [email protected] - Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust PALS – support for all complaints, comments, concerns and compliments for community service
Telephone 0113 220 8585 or email [email protected] - All primary care complaints are to be directed to the GP practice or alternatively NHS England on telephone 0300 311 22 33 or email [email protected]
- All commissioning related concerns or feedback can be directed to the CCG at [email protected]or formal complaints to [email protected]
There is an independent advocacy service within Leeds, Advonet, available to provide support to people wanting to make a complaint.
Telephone 0113 244 0606 or email [email protected]
If you remain dissatisfied with the way your complaint has been handled
You may ask the Health Service Ombudsman to look into the matter further. You can contact the Health Service Ombudsman at:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 015 4033
or visit their website at www.ombudsman.org.uk
National Data Opt Out
How the NHS and care services use your information
Hillfoot Surgery is one of many organisations working in the health and care system to improve care for patients and the public. 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/your-nhs-data-matters. This web page link will allow you to:
o See what is meant by confidential patient information
o Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care
o Find out more about the benefits of sharing data
o Understand more about who uses the data
o Find out how your data is protected
o Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting
o Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone
o 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.
Health and care organisations have until 2020 to put systems and processes in place so they can be compliant with the national data opt-out and apply your choice to any confidential patient information they use or share for purposes beyond your individual care. Our organisation reviewing all its policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the national data opt-out policy.