How your information is shared so that this practice can meet legal requirements

The law requires us to share information from your medical records in certain circumstances. Information is shared so that the NHS or Public Health England can, for example:

• plan and manage services;
• check that the care being provided is safe;
• prevent infectious diseases from spreading.

We will share information with NHS Digital, the Care Quality Commission and local health protection team (or Public Health England) when the law requires us to do so. Please see below for more information.

We must also share your information if a court of law orders us to do so.

Summary Care Record (SCR)

Purpose: The SCR is an electronic record of important patient information, created from GP medical records. It provides authorised healthcare staff with faster, secure access to essential information about a patient.

Information Shared: Allergies, medications, and adverse reactions. Additional information can be added with patient consent

More info: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/summary-care-records-scr

Use Case: Emergency Care

Scenario: A patient is brought into A&E unconscious after a car accident.

How SCR Helps: The attending doctors access the patient’s SCR to quickly review critical information such as allergies, current medications, and any adverse reactions. This enables them to make informed decisions about immediate treatment without delay.

GP Clinical Systems (SystmOne and EMIS in Sussex)

Purpose: These systems are used by GPs to manage patient records, appointments, prescriptions, and other clinical tasks.

Examples: 

SystmOne: Foundry’s clinical system of choice that supports integrated care across different healthcare settings.

More info: https://www.tpp-uk.com/products/systmone/

Use Case: Routine GP Appointment 

Scenario: A patient visits their GP for a routine check-up.

How GP Clinical Systems Help: The GP uses the clinical system to access the patient’s full medical history, including past consultations, test results, and prescribed medications. This comprehensive view helps the GP provide personalised care and make informed decisions about the patient’s ongoing treatment plan.

GP Connect (SystmOne to EMIS Sharing,111 and Pharmacies coming soon)

Purpose: GP Connect enables authorised clinical staff to share and view GP practice clinical information and appointments across different healthcare settings.

Information Shared: Patient records, appointment booking, and clinical information.

More info: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/gp-connect

Use Case: Integrated Care

Scenario: A patient with chronic conditions is referred to a specialist.

How GP Connect Helps: The specialist accesses the patient’s GP records via GP Connect to review their medical history, current medications, and recent test results. This ensures continuity of care and avoids unnecessary duplication of tests.

NHS Spine

Purpose: The NHS Spine is a set of national services used by healthcare professionals to support the delivery of care. It includes services like the Personal Demographics Service (PDS) and the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).

Information Shared: Patient demographics, electronic prescriptions, and other essential healthcare data.

More info: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/spine

Use Case: Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)

Scenario: A GP prescribes medication during a consultation.

How NHS Spine Helps: The prescription is sent electronically via the NHS Spine to the patient’s chosen pharmacy. The patient can then collect their medication without needing a paper prescription, streamlining the process and reducing errors.

Electronic Prescriptions Service (EPS)

Purpose: EPS allows prescribers to send prescriptions electronically to a dispenser (such as a pharmacy) of the patient’s choice.

Information Shared: Prescription details.

More info: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/electronic-prescription-service 

Use Case: Repeat Prescriptions 

Scenario: A patient with a long-term condition needs a repeat prescription for their medication. 

How EPS Helps: The patient requests a repeat prescription online, which is approved by their GP and sent electronically to their preferred pharmacy. The patient receives a notification when the medication is ready for collection, making the process more convenient and efficient.

Anima

Purpose: Anima is designed to streamline the process of consulting with GPs by allowing patients to submit their symptoms and requests online.

Features:

• Symptom Submission: Patients can submit detailed information about their symptoms and health concerns.
• Request Management: Patients can request repeat prescriptions, sick notes, and other administrative tasks.
• Secure Messaging: Allows for secure communication between patients and their GP practice.
• Triage System: Helps practices prioritise and manage patient requests efficiently.
• Integration: Integrates with existing GP clinical systems (SystmOne) to ensure seamless data flow and record-keeping.

More info: https://animahealth.com/

These systems provide patients with convenient access to their medical records and other healthcare services, helping them to manage their health more effectively.

NHS App

Purpose: The NHS App allows patients to access a range of NHS services on their smartphone or tablet.

Features: View medical records, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view test results, and access NHS 111 online.

More info: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/

Use Case: Accessing Medical Records

Scenario: A patient wants to review their recent blood test results.

How NHS App Helps: The patient logs into the NHS App and views their medical records, including the blood test results. They can also book follow-up appointments and order repeat prescriptions through the app.

SystmOnline

Purpose: SystmOnline is an online service provided by TPP’s SystmOne clinical system.

Features: Book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view medical records, and access test results.

More info: https://www.tpp-uk.com/products/systmonline/

Patients Know Best (PKB) – used by secondary care services in Sussex

Purpose: PKB is a patient-controlled medical records system that allows patients to manage and share their health information.

Features: View medical records, access test results, share information with healthcare providers, and manage long-term conditions.

More info: https://www.patientsknowbest.com/

Use Case: Patient-Controlled Health Records

Scenario: A patient with a complex medical history wants to share their records with a new specialist.

How PKB Helps: The patient uses PKB to share their health records securely with the specialist. The specialist can review the patient’s history, test results, and treatment plans, enabling a more informed consultation and personalised care.

These are some of the systems our patients use at Foundry, there other applications that do the same thing.

Here are some you may have heard of:

• MyGP 
• Wiggly Amps
• Evergreen Life
• Patient Access

• NHS Digital is a national body which has legal responsibilities to collect information about health and social care services.
• It collects information from across the NHS in England and provides reports on how the NHS is performing. These reports help to plan and improve services to patients.
• This practice must comply with the law and will send data to NHS Digital, for example, when it is told to do so by the Secretary of State for Health or NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
• More information about NHS Digital and how it uses information can be found at: https://digital.nhs.uk/home

• The CQC regulates health and social care services to ensure that safe care is provided.
• The law says that we must report certain serious events to the CQC, for example, when patient safety has been put at risk.
• For more information about the CQC see: http://www.cqc.org.uk/

• The law requires us to share data for public health reasons, for example to prevent the spread of infectious diseases or other diseases which threaten the health of the population.
• We will report the relevant information to local health protection team or Public Health England.
• For more information about Public Health England and disease reporting see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notifiable-diseases-and-causative-organisms-how-to-report

Data Controller contact details:

Foundry Healthcare Lewes, c/o School Hill Medical Practice, School Hill House, 33 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN2 2LU

Data Protection Officer contact details:

Dr James Annis

Tel: 01273 480888

Email: hwlhccg.foundryhealthcarelewes@nhs.net

Purpose of the processing:

Compliance with legal obligations or court order.

Lawful basis for processing:

The following sections of the GDPR mean that we can share information when the law tells us to.

Article 6(1)(c) – ‘processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject…’

Article 9(2)(h) – ‘processing is necessary for the purpose of preventative…medicine…the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services…’

Recipient or categories of recipients of the processed data:

• The data will be shared with NHS Digital.
• The data will be shared with the Care Quality Commission.
• The data will be shared with our local health protection team or Public Health England.
• The data will be shared with the court if ordered.

Rights to object and the national data opt-out:

There are very limited rights to object when the law requires information to be shared but government policy allows some rights of objection as set out below.

NHS Digital

• You have the right to object to information being shared with NHS Digital for reasons other than your own direct care.
• The national data op-out model provides you with an easy way of opting-out of identifiable data being used for health service planning and research purposes, including when it is shared by NHS Digital for these reasons.

To opt-out or to find out more about your opt-out choices please go to digital.nhs.uk. They also offer further information here.

• This means you will not be able to object to your data being shared with NHS Digital when it is legally required under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

Public health

• Legally information must be shared under public health legislation. This means that you are unable to object.

Care Quality Commission

• Legally information must be shared when the Care Quality Commission needs it for their regulatory functions. This means that you are unable to object.

Court order

• Your information must be shared if it ordered by a court. This means that you are unable to object.

Right to access and correct:

Your information must be shared if it ordered by a court. This means that you are unable to object.

• You have the right to access your medical record and have any errors or mistakes corrected. Please speak to a member of staff or look at our Subject Access Request Policy.

We are not aware of any circumstances in which you will have the right to delete correct information from your medical record; although you are free to obtain your own legal advice if you believe there is no lawful purpose for which we hold the information and contact us if you hold a different view.

Retention period:

GP medical records will be kept in line with the law and national guidance. Information on how long records are kept can be found at: https://digital.nhs.uk/article/1202/Records-Management-Code-of-Practice-for-Health-and-Social-Care-2016 or speak to the practice.

Right to complain:

You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. If you wish to complain follow this link https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/ or call the helpline 0303 123 1113