In order to exercise your rights under data protection law, we will need to check your identity for your security reasons.
You can contact us by emailing dataprotection.requests@nhsdorset.nhs.uk, or by writing to us at:
NHS Dorset,
Vespasian House,
Barrack Road,
Dorchester,
Dorset.
DT1 1TG
How to get a copy of your personal information
You can request a copy of your personal information from us, as well as why we hold that personal information, who has access to that personal information and where we got that personal information from at any time. This is known as the ‘right of access’. Once we have received your request, we will respond within 30 days.
NHS Dorset does not directly provide health care services and therefore does not hold personal healthcare records. If you wish to have sight of, or obtain copies of your own personal health records, you will need to apply to your GP practice, the hospital or NHS organisation which provided your healthcare.
Letting us know if your personal information needs updating
You have the right to question any information we hold about you that you believe is wrong, out of date or incomplete. If you do, we will take reasonable steps to check its accuracy and correct it.
If you need to update your contact details, you can do so by contacting us using the details above.
If you want us to stop using your personal information
Information directly collected by NHS Dorset
You have the right to object to our use of your personal information, or to ask us to delete, remove or stop using your personal information if there is no need for us to keep it. This is known as the ‘right to object’ and the ‘right to erasure’ or ‘right to be forgotten’.
We may be able to restrict the use of your personal information so that it can only be used for certain things, such as legal claims or to exercise legal rights. In this situation, we would not use or share your information in other ways while it is restricted.
You can ask us to restrict the use of your personal information if:
If you want to object to how we use your personal information, or ask us to restrict how we use it, please contact us using the details above.
If you want us to erase your personal information
If you feel that we should no longer be using your personal information, or that we are illegally using your data, you can request that we erase the personal information we hold on you. When we receive your request, we will confirm whether the personal information has been deleted or tell you the reason it cannot be deleted. There may be legal reasons why we need to keep your personal information.
If you want to request that we erase your personal information, please contact us using the details above.
Obtaining your personal information in a portable format
You have the right to get copies of your personal information from us in a format that can be easily re-used. You can also ask us to pass on your personal information to other organisations. To request this, please contact us using the details above.
How the NHS and care services use your information
Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending accident & emergency or using community care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment.
The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance to help with:
This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations. Confidential patient information about your health and care is only used like this when allowed by law.
Most of the time, anonymised data is used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified in which case your confidential patient information isn’t needed.
You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way. If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.
To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit NHS UK.
On this web page you will:
You can also find out more about how patient information is used at:
Information about patients – NHS Health Research Authority – covering health and care research.
Understanding Patient Data – What you need to know – covering how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made.
You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.
Health and care organisations are required to have systems and processes in place, so they are compliant with the national data opt-out and apply your choice to any confidential patient information they use or share for purposes beyond your individual care. NHS Dorset is compliant with the national data opt-out policy.
Your right to complain
If you are not satisfied with our response or believe that we are not processing your personal information in accordance with the law, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) by e-mailing casework@ico.org.uk or telephoning 0303 1231113. Alternatively, you can write to the ICO using the contact details set out on their website.
Changes to this privacy notice
This privacy notice does not provide exhaustive detail of all aspects of NHS Dorset’s collection and use of personal information. However, we are happy to provide any additional information or explanation needed.
We regularly review our privacy notice. We will publish any updates on our website. You can request a copy of our privacy notice by using the details above.
