Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.
 
This means that we must share information only with those who have a genuine need to know. This may include people who provide care to you from other organisations as well as the NHS. They also have a legal duty to keep information confidential, and wherever possible we will remove details that identify you. 

How is your record used?

We aim to provide you with the highest quality of healthcare. To do this, we must keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided or plan to provide you. It will also be used to audit/assure the quality of healthcare provided. Your records are used, by the people who care and provide healthcare services to:

• Provide a basis for all healthcare decisions made by you and healthcare
  professionals 
• Allow you to work with those providing your care
• Make sure your care is safe and effective
• Work effectively with others providing you with care
• Check the quality of care (called clinical audit)
• Provide administrative support for the delivery of health services  

Information within your record may also be used to help the NHS to:

• Protect the health of the general public
• Review and plan services to meet the needs of patients in the future
• Audit NHS accounts and services
• Prepare statistics on NHS performance
• Help investigate any concerns or complaints you or your family have
  about your healthcare
• Teach and train healthcare workers
• Help with patient satisfaction surveys
• Research into better methods of healthcare
• Manage healthcare services, which encompasses sharing information
  with the Department of Health and NHS managers, occupational health
  practitioners, bodies with statutory investigative powers, NHS complaint
  committees, NHS litigation authority and national registries which assist
  with the study and monitoring of specific diseases, eg cancer registries.

In some situations we have a legal duty to report information to the appropriate authorities, for example:

• Notification of new births
• Reporting of certain infectious diseases which might seriously affect the
  health of other people, (eg meningitis or measles, but not HIV/AIDS)
• Where a formal court order has been issued

How can you see the information we hold about you?

The Data Protection Act 1998 gives patients the right of access to their own records, held either electronically or on paper.

• If you are receiving treatment, you may arrange to discuss your records
  informally with your doctor or other health professional. Otherwise, you
  can write to the medical records manager.

• When we receive a written request we will send you a form to complete.  
  This will provide us with the necessary information including proof of
  identity, which is required to enable us to answer your request.  We are
  required to give you access to your record within 40 days of receiving your
  completed form.

• We have a duty to make any medical or technical terms in your record
  understandable to you. You may wish to make an appointment to
  discuss anything you do not understand.

• If you feel there is an error in your medical record you should write to tell
  us, so that the correction can be added to the record or your comments
  documented. In exceptional cases, information from your medical record
  may be withheld if your doctor believes it is likely to cause serious harm
  to your physical or mental health.
 
• If you are asking to see the records of a patient that has died, under the
  Access to Health Records Act 1990, you will need to prove that you are
  the patient’s legal personal representative or that you have a claim
  resulting from the death.

Can you see your child's record? 

You are entitled to see your child’s record if you have legal parental responsibility and your child has understood and consented to the request.  If your child is too young to give consent, you can obtain access if it is considered to be in the child’s best interest.

Children (16 and under) can also apply to see their own medical records.  A request from a child will be considered but only where it is felt that the child can fully understand the information held. 

The best interest of the child is paramount at all times.

Can somebody else request to see your record under the Data Protection Act 1998?

The person applying must have written authorisation from you.  If you become incapable of giving authorisation, it must be given by the person appointed by a court to manage your affairs.

Will we charge you to see your records?

• There will be no charge for you to view your paper records if these have
  been added to within 40 days prior to the receipt of your written request. 
  If they have not been added to then a charge of £10 may be made prior to
  allowing access to your records.
• If you wish to be given copies of your records a charge of up to a
  maximum of £50 may be made on receipt of the request.

For further information please contact:

Medical mecords manager
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Mandeville Road
Aylesbury
Bucks
HP21 8AL
Tel:  01296 315865

The Trust operates a complaints procedure through the:

Chief executive’s office
Trust Headquarters
Amersham Hospital
Whielden Street
Amersham
Bucks HP7 0JD