Riverview Medical Centre aims to ensure the highest standard of medical care for our patients.  To do this we keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided or plan to provide to you.

This Privacy Notice does not provide exhaustive details of all aspect of the collection and use of personal information by Riverview Medical Centre.  However, we are happy to provide any additional information or explanation needed.  If you wish to request further information please contact the Practice Manager, Jill Gibson by:

• Telephone: 01505 320208
• Letter: Riverview Medical Centre, 6 George Street Johnstone PA5 8SL

 How We Use Your Information

In order to provide for your care, we need to collect and keep information about you and your health on our records.  Your information is used to:

• Provide a basis for all health decisions made by care professionals with and for you;
• Make sure your care is safe and effective;
• Work effectively with others providing you with care;
• Send you text notifications to you about appointment reminders, flu clinics, health

promotion information, cancellation of clinics and changes in service provision. (You can opt out of the text notification service at any time by phoning the practice on 01505 320208 or sending us a letter. You can also speak with one of the reception staff during a visit to the surgery.

We may also use, or share, your information for the following purposes:

• Looking after the health of the general public;
• Making sure that our services can meet patient needs in the future;
• Auditing – Using patient health information to review and improve the quality of healthcare.

Patient identifiable information is only used within the practice. (Patients have the right to request that their health information is not included in audits);

• Preparing statistics on NHS performance and activity (where steps will be taken to ensure

you cannot be identified;

• Investigating concerns, complaints or legal claims;
• Helping staff to review the care they provide to make sure it is of the highest standards;
• Training and educating staff;
• Scientific research companies who offer studies we think you may be interested in (If the research would involve you personally, you will be contacted to provide consent).

How we use your medical records – important information for patients

• This practice handles medical records in-line with laws on data protection and confidentiality.
• We share medical records with those who are involved in providing you with care and treatment.
• We may also share anonymised medical records for medical research and to check the quality of care provided to you.
• In some circumstances we will also share medical records for medical research, for example to find out more about why people get ill. The data processing is carried out for the public benefit.
• We share information when the law requires us to do so, for example, to prevent infectious diseases from spreading or to check the care being provided to you is safe.
• You have the right to be given a copy of your medical record.
• You have the right to object to your medical records being shared with those who provide you with care.
• You have the right to object to your information being used for medical research and to plan health services.
• You have the right to have any mistakes corrected and to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Please see the practice privacy notice on the website or speak to a member of staff for more information about your rights.

For more information ask at reception for a leaflet OR visit our website riverviewmedicalcentre.com

Disclosure of Information to Other Health and Social Professionals

We work with a number of other NHS and partner agencies to provide healthcare services to you.  Below is a list of organisations that we may share your information with:

Our Partner Organisations

• Other NHS hospitals
• Relevant GP Practices
• Dentists, Opticians and Pharmacies
• Private Sector Providers (private hospitals, care homes, hospices, contractors providing services to the NHS)
• Voluntary Sector Providers who are directly involved in your care
• Ambulance Service
• Specialist Services
• Health and Social Care Clusters
• Out of Hours Medical Service
• NHS Scotland

We may also share your information with your consent, and subject to strict sharing protocols, about how it will be used, with:

• Health and Social Care
• Police and Fire Services

Risk Prediction

Risk prediction data tools are increasingly being used in the NHS to help determine a person’s risk of suffering a particular condition, preventing an unplanned or (re)admission and identifying a need for preventive information.  Information about you is collected from a number of sources in NHS Scotland including this GP Practice.  A risk score is then arrived at through an analysis of your

De-identifiable information by ISD Scotland and is only provided back to your GP’s Data Controller in an identifiable form.  Risk prediction enables your GP to focus on preventing ill health and not just the treatment of illness.  If necessary, your GP may be able to offer you additional services.

Scottish Primary Care Information Resource (SPIRE)

NHS Scotland uses information from GP patient records to help plan and improve health and care services in Scotland.  You have a choice about the information from your GP records being used in this way.  You can opt out from this at any time by contacting the Practice.

For further information of SPIRE contact NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88.

Emergency Care Summary (ECS)

Emergency care information such as your name, date of birth, the name of your GP, any medicines which your GP has prescribed, any medicines you are allergic to or react badly to, is shared with Out of Hours as this might be important if you need urgent medical care when the GP surgery is closed.

NHS staff (Doctors, Nurses, Accident and Emergency, Ambulance control and crews) can look at your ECS if they need to treat you when the surgery is closed. They will ask for your consent before they look at your records.

In an emergency and if you are unconscious, staff may look at your ECS without your agreement to let them give you the best possible care.

Whenever NHS staff looks at your ECS, a record will be kept so we can always check who has looked at your information.

Key Information Summary (KIS)

Key information summary (KIS) has been designed to support patients who have complex care needs or long term conditions.

KIS allows important information to be shared with health care professionals in unscheduled care in the NHS 24, A&E, Scottish Ambulance Service, Out of Hours, hospital and pharmacy environments.

Information contained in KIS summary includes, future care plans, medications, allergies, diagnosis, your wishes, carer and next of kin details.

You have the right to say that you do not want Care staff to see ECS/KIS.  Please contact the Practice on 01505 320208 to let us know.

Online Registration for Ordering Repeat Prescriptions and Making Routine Appointments

This service allows you to check your repeat medication, order repeat prescriptions and make routine GP appointments.  This is done through Patient Access.

You will need to register to use this service and can de-register at any time.

Mail to Patients

We send out own letters which could include information that has been requested or relevant information about your care.  On occasion we may send you marketing information by clinical research companies that we feel you may find of interest.  You can opt out of receiving this information from clinical research companies.

Medicine Management

The Practice may conduct Medicines Management Reviews of medications prescribed to its patients.  This service performs a review of prescribed medications to ensure patients receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost effective treatments.  This service is provided by our clinicians and Pharmacists provided by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

Computer System

This Practice operates a Clinical Computer System on which NHS Staff record information securely.  This information can then be shared with other Clinicians so that everyone caring for you is fully informed about your relevant medical history.

To provide around the clock safe care, unless you have asked us not to, we will make information available to trusted organisations.  Wherever possible, their staff will ask your consent before information is viewed.

We consider patient consent as being the key factor in dealing with your health information.

Shared Care Records

To support your care, and improve the sharing of relevant information to our partner organisations when they are involved in looking after you, we will share information to other NHS systems e.g. medication details for out of hours care.  The general principle is that information is passed to these systems unless you request this does not happen, but that system users should ask for your consent before viewing your record.

How We Keep Your Information Confidential and Secure

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, the Common Law of Confidentiality, The General Data Protection Regulation and the NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Security.  Everyone working in, or for the NHS must use personal information in a secure and confidential way.

We will only ever use or pass on your information if there is a genuine need to do so.  We will not disclose information about you to third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the law requires.

To protect your confidentiality, we will not normally disclose any medical information about you over the telephone, or by fax, unless we are sure that we are talking to you.  This means that we will not disclose information to your family, friends, and colleagues about any medical matters at all, unless we know that we have your consent to do so.

Anyone Who Receives Information From Us Is Also Under A Legal Duty to Keep It Confidential and Secure

All persons in the Practice sign a confidentiality agreement that explicitly makes clear, their duties in relation to personal health information and the consequences of breaching that duty.

Please be aware that your information will be accessed by non-clinical Practice staff in order to perform tasks enabling the functioning of the Practice.  These are, but not limited to:

• Typing referral letters to Hospital Consultants or allied Health Professionals
• Opening letters from hospitals and Consultants
• Scanning clinical letters, radiology reports and any other documents not available in

electronic  format

• Photocopying or printing documents for referral to Consultants
• Handling, printing, photocopying and postage of medico legal and life assurance reports and

other associated documents.

Right of Access to Your Health Information

The General Data Protection Regulation allows you to find out what information about you is held on computer and in manual records.  This is known as “right of subject access” and applies to personal information held about you.  If you want to see or receive information that the Practice holds about you:

• You will need to make a written request to the Practice Manager
• There may be a charge for excessive requests for information held about you
• We are required to respond to you within one month
• You will need to give us adequate information (e.g. full name, address, date of birth, NHS

Number etc, two forms of identification etc.,) to enable us to identify you and provide the correct information

Who Else May Ask to Access Your Information

• The Court can insist that we disclose medical records to them;
• Solicitors often ask for medical reports. We will require your signed consent for us to disclose information.  We will not normally release details about other people that are contained in your records (e.g. wife, children parents etc.) unless we also have their consent;
• Social Services – The Benefits Agency and others may require medical reports on you from time to time.  We will need your signed consent to provide information to them.
• Life Assurance Companies/Employers/Occupational Health Doctors frequently ask for medical reports on individuals.  These are always accompanied by your signed consent form.

We will only disclose the relevant medical information as per your consent. You have the right, should you request it, to see reports prepared for Insurance Companies, employers or occupational Health doctors before they are sent.

iGPR  – we use a processor, iGPR Technologies Limted (“iGPR”) to assist us with responding to report requests relating to your patient data, such as subject access requests that you submit to us (or that someone acting on your behalf submits to us) and report requests that insurers submit to us under the Access to Medical Records Act 1988 in relation to a life insurance policy that you hold or are applying for.

iGPR manages the reporting process for us by reviewing and responding to requests in accordance with our instructions and all applicable laws, including UK data protection laws.

The instructions we issue to iGPR include general instructions for responding to requests and specific instructions on issues that will require further consultation with the GP responsible for your care.

Practice Participation in Research

As a practice we feel that research is essential for progress in healthcare and is of considerable benefit to individual patients and the public as a whole.  We regularly take part in research studies with the help of experienced NHS staff who search medical records for people who might be suitable so that we can write to them asking if they are interested in taking part.  No personal identifiable data is removed from the NHS or provided to any researchers without a specific consent from patients. Patients have the right to opt out of being contacted about research studies.  Please let reception staff know if you wish to opt out.

Sharing Your Information without Consent

We will normally ask you for your consent, but there are times when we may be required by law to share your information without your consent, for example:

• Where there is a serious risk of harm or abuse to you or other people
• Where a serious crime, such as assault, is being investigated or where it could be prevented
• Where we encounter infectious diseases that may endanger the safety of others, such as meningitis or measles (but not sensitive information such as HIV/AIDS)
• Where a formal Court Order has been issued
• Where there is a legal requirement, e.g. if you had committed a road traffic offence

Riverview Medical Centre is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected.  Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using our website; you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

• Information you supply using any electronic form(s) on the practice website will only be used for the purpose(s) stated on the form.

Sending Information Abroad

We will not send any information outside the EU.

Retention Period

We will only retain your information as long as the NHS standards or any other body in authority allow.

Changes to This Privacy Notice

We keep our Privacy Notice under regular review.  This Privacy Notice will be reviewed again in May 2020.

Concerns about Sharing Your Information

If you have any concerns about how we use or share your information, or you do not wish us to share your information, please contact the Practice Manager on 01505 320208.

Complaints

If you have a complaint about how your information is managed at the practice, please contact the Practice Manager.  If you remain unhappy with the Practice’s response, you can complain to the Information Commissioner Office ico.org.uk

Change of Details

It is important that you tell us if any of your details such as your name, address or telephone number has changed or if any of your details such as date of birth is incorrect in order for this to be amended.   You have a responsibility to inform us of any changes so our records are kept accurate and up to date at all times.

CCTV

The following information surrounds our privacy policy and the use of our CCTV system:

• What information is being collected
• Who is collecting it and what are their contact details
• How is it being collected
• Why is it being collected
• Who will it be shared with
• How long do we intend to keep it?
• Will the data be transferred outside the EU?
• What are the individual rights to access personal information or raise a complaint.

What information is being collected?

We collect video images on our CCTV system of individuals using our premises.

Who is collecting it and what are their contact details?

The images are collected by the Practice Manager, Jill Gibson. She can be contacted at Riverview Medical Centre, 6 George Street, Johnstone PA5 8SL.   Telephone 01505 320208. She is also our Data Controller.

How is it being collected?

We use a 24 hour recording system to collect the images. We have a number of cameras around the inside of the premises recording any activity that is going on.  We have positioned our cameras so it should only image footage on our premises.

Why is it being collected?

It is being collected to ensure we keep individuals using our premises safe.

Who will it be shared with?

This information will only be shared in exceptional circumstances for patient safety or in accordance with the law.

How long do we intend to keep it?

Information is retained only for as long as necessary.  Our CCTV overwrites itself when the storage capacity is full.  We may keep a copy of any incident until the information is no longer needed.

Will the data be transferred outside the EU?

We do not see the need to transfer records outside the EU.

What are the individual rights to access personal information or raise a complaint?

If you wish to access this information please put your request in writing. Should you wish to raise a complaint please speak with reception staff who can advise the process for you.