Why Your personal Information matters

Advice and Information - 3 October 2018

Your health and adult social care information is important to the NHS as it helps them research, plan and improve health and care services in England.
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Unless you choose to opt out, your confidential patient information could be used for research and planning.

The NHS collects confidential patient information from:

  • All NHS organisations, trusts and local authorities
  • Private organisations, such as private hospitals providing NHS funded care
  • Research bodies and organisations can request access to this information. This includes:
  • University researchers
  • Hospital researchers
  • Medical royal colleges
  • Pharmaceutical companies researching new treatments.

Who cannot use confidential patient information

Access to confidential patient information will not be given for:
 
  • marketing purposes
  • insurance purposes

(unless you request this)

Any choice you make will not impact your individual care

If you don’t want your personal information to be used for research and planning, you can opt out without it affecting your health care in any way.

To find out more on how your data is protected or to opt out or manage your preferences, you can use the NHS online service, request a hard copy form, or make your choice using the NHS telephone service - call 0300 303 5678 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

You can also use these services to manage a choice on behalf of someone else (for example, if you are a parent or guardian of a child under the age of 13).

Visit NHS UK for more information.

 

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The NHS app

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You must be aged 13 or over to use the NHS App. You also need to be registered with a GP surgery in England or the Isle of Man.
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South West London Healthwatch Accessible Information Standard Project

Healthwatch Sutton, together with the other Healthwatch organisations in South West London (Healthwatch Croydon, Merton, Kingston, Richmond, Wandsworth), are currently working with patients, carers, and GP practices on a project about the Accessible Information Standard.
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