WHAT IS A PRIVACY NOTICE AND WHY DOES IT
APPLY TO ME?
A Privacy Notice tells people how organisations use information that they hold about
them. A new law called the UK General Data Protection Regulation 2018, also known as
UK GDPR, says that we need to provide you with this Privacy Notice and let you know:
▪ What information we hold about you
▪ How we keep this very important information safe and secure and where
we keep it
▪ How we use your information
▪ Who we share your information with
▪ What your rights are
▪ When the law gives us permission to use your information
WHY DOES THE LAW GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO
USE MY INFORMATION?
The law gives us permission to use your information in situations where we need it to take
care of you. Because information about your health is very personal, sensitive and private
to you, the law is very strict about how we use it.
So, before we can use your information in the ways we have set out in this Privacy Notice,
we have to have a good reason in law, which is called a ‘lawful basis’. Not only do we
have to do that, but we also have to show that your information falls into a special group
or category, because it is very sensitive. By doing this the law makes sure we only use
your information to look after you and that we do not use it for any other reason.
If you would like more information about this please ask to speak to our Data Protection
Officer (DPO) mentioned in this Privacy Notice who will explain this in more detail.
ABOUT US
We, at the The Bay Medical Practice, Broadway, Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 9GA and 1
Carter Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, PO37 7HR are responsible for collecting, storing and
handling your information when you registered with us as a patient. Because we do this,
the law says we are Data Controllers. Sometimes we may use your information for a
particular purpose and when we do so, the law says we are Data Processors.
WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU HOLD ABOUT ME?
We hold information about you such as:
▪ Your name
▪ Address
▪ Mobile number
▪ Information about your parent(s) or person with parental responsibility
▪ All your health records
▪ Appointment records
▪ Visits to see your GP
▪ Treatments you have had
▪ Medicines prescribed for you and any other information to help us look
after you
HOW DO YOU KEEP IT SAFE?
▪ The law says that we must do all we can to keep your information private,
safe and secure.
▪ We use secure computer systems and we make sure that any written
information held about you is under lock and key and kept in a safe place.
This includes taking great care with any passwords we use which we
change on a regular basis. We also train our staff to respect your privacy
and deal with your information in a manner that makes sure it is always
kept and dealt with in a safe way.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH MY INFORMATION?
▪ We only usually use your information to help us care for you. That means
we might need to share your information with other people who are
concerned and involved with looking after your health.
▪ We might need to share your information with the police, courts, social
services, solicitors and other people who have a right to your information,
but we always make sure that they have a legal right to see it (or have a
copy of it) before we provide it to them.
WHO ELSE WILL SEE MY INFORMATION?
▪ Usually only doctors, nurses and other people who work with us are
allowed to see your information.
▪ Sometimes though, if you need to go to the hospital or be seen by a
special doctor, we will share your information with them but this only so
that we can take care of you.
▪ Sometimes we might be asked to take part in medical research that might
help you in the future. We will always ask you or your parent(s) or adult
with parental responsibility if we can share your information if this happens.
▪ Possibly the police, social services, the courts and other organisations and
people who may have a legal right to see your information.
WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS?
▪ If you want to see what information we hold about you then you have a
right to see it and you can ask for it.
▪ To ask for your information you will usually need to put your request in
writing and tell us what information you want us to give you.
▪ We usually need to answer you within one month. Your parent(s) or adult
with parental responsibility can help you with is if you need help.
▪ Usually we will give this to you free of charge.
▪ If you think there are any errors in the information we hold about you then
you can ask us to correct it but the law says we can’t remove any of the
information we hold about you even if you ask us to. This is because we
need this information to take care of you.
▪ You have a right to ask us not to share your information.
▪ If you would like to talk to us about not sharing your information, even if
this means you don’t want us to share your information with your parent(s)
or adult with parental responsibility, please let us know. We will be happy to
help.
WHAT IF I HAVE A QUESTION?
▪ A member of our staff/receptionist will be happy to talk to you about any
questions you may have and we will do our best to help you.
▪ The Surgery has a person called a Data Protection Officer (DPO) who deals
with all queries about patient information. Our receptionist may put you in
touch with this person who will listen to your concerns and give you the
advice you need.
▪ Our DPO can be contacted though The Bay Medical Practice.
WHAT IF I HAVE A SERIOUS COMPLAINT ABOUT
HOW YOU LOOK AFTER MY INFORMATION?
▪ We will always do our best to look after your information and to answer
your questions.
▪ If you are still not happy with something we have done with your
information you can speak to our DPO.
▪ If our DPO has not been able to help you or if you prefer not to speak to
our DPO then you have a right to pass your complaint to an organisation
called the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who will look into what
has gone wrong. For more information visit ico.org.uk
UPDATES TO THIS PRIVACY NOTICE
▪ The law says we must keep all information we provide in this Privacy Notice
up to date.
▪ We regularly review and update our Privacy Notice. This Privacy Notice was
last updated on 11 July 2023