The Use of Personal Information

We keep records about your health to enable you to receive the care and treatment that you need, now and in the future. This information is personal to you and all our staff have a duty to keep it confidential. This confidentiality means that only the information which is essential is used and will only identify you where it is absolutely necessary.

Health records will be kept both on paper and in computer files.
The purpose for which some of the information in your health record may be used include:

	Review or survey by doctors, nurses and other health professionals of the care they provide to ensure it is of the highest standard.
	Management of the National Health Service, for example planning local health service, investigation complaints, reviewing how effective health services are.
	Education and training of doctors, dentists, nurses and other health professionals.
	Approved research and audit into health and health service monitoring and promoting the health of the public. For some types of research we might need to get in touch with you to confirm details or fill out a questionnaire.

Where appropriate we may also provide your details to the local authority Social Services Department to enable them to provide you with appropriate social care and, on rare occasions, it may also be necessary to give information to the courts, following the receipt of a 'Court Order' requiring disclosure.

Doctors, dentists, nurses and other health professionals are encouraged to share with you the information they record. You, of course, also have a legal right of access to your own health records, subject to certain limitations laid down by Parliament in the Data Protection Act. If you wish, your relatives, friends or carers can be kept up-to-date with the progress of your treatment. Should you NOT wish your records to be used as described above please notify us in writing.

Access to and disclosure of information may incur a fee.