Protection and use of patients’ and service users’ information

Protection of your Personal information

Patient information is personal information obtained about you in the course of your care and treatment by Rossendale Hospice. It is recorded in your Hospice medical notes and may be stored electronically in our computer systems.

We keep this information, together with details of your care, because we need it in the event that we see you again.  At times, we may need to share information with other health care professionals so we can work together for your benefit.

The Data Protection Act 1998 explains how personal information should be processed. This applies to all information; whether held on paper, or electronically on computer systems. We ensure that personal information is processed fairly, lawfully and as transparently as possible in accordance with the Act.

We will not normally pass on information about other people e.g. relatives that may be contained in your records unless we have their consent.

Why personal information is required

The main reasons we ask for personal information about you are to: 

• Ensure you receive appropriate  health care and treatment
• Review the care provided to ensure it is of the highest possible standard – this may include audit of your clinical notes
• Protect the health of the general public
• Plan and manage the affairs of the Hospice effectively
• Train and educate staff (but you can choose whether or not to be personally involved)
• We may use texting or email to contact you e.g. appointment reminders, or distribution of service information. If you do not want us to contact you this way, please let us know.

Code of Confidentiality

• All persons working for Rossendale Hospice have a legal duty to keep information about you confidential, except in exceptional circumstances, such as when your health and safety and that of others is at risk, or the law requires us to share personal information.
• Anyone who receives personal information from us is also under a legal duty of confidentiality
• You may be receiving care from agencies other than the Hospice.  In order to work together for your benefit, we may need to share personal  information about you
• Sharing very sensitive personal information is strictly controlled by law
• Information legitimately shared may be used only as authorised and for specific purposes
• Wherever we can, we will remove details that could identify you
• If you agree, your relatives, carers and friends may be kept up to date with your progress
• You have a right to know who else has access to your Hospice records
• If you have preferences or specific instructions regarding the use of your personal information, these will be recorded in your notes to ensure those caring for you follow your wishes
• Unless you tell us otherwise, we will send a letter to your GP with information about your care and treatment

You have the right to see your own health records

If, at any time, you wish to have access to your health records or you would like to know more about how we use your personal information, please speak to the person in charge of your care or contact our Chief Executive Officer on 01706 393870

What you should do if you are concerned about how your information is used

If you are concerned about how information about you is used, please speak to the person in charge of your care, or our Chief Executive Officer on 01706 393870 .  If you wish to raise a more formal complaint about how your personal information is used, please follow our complaints procedure