Your information: a guide for children and young people
This explains, in simple terms, what information we keep about you, how we keep it safe, and the choices you have.
What is a privacy notice?
A privacy notice is a way of telling you how the doctor’s surgery uses information about you. That information is things like your name, address, date of birth, and the notes the doctor or nurse make when you come to see us. It also tells you how we keep your information safe.
Why do we need one?
We want to make sure your information is safe and looked after, and that everyone at the practice follows the laws that keep it secure. These laws are called the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Why do we collect information about you?
We help look after your health. To do that, we collect and keep things like your name, address, and phone number, so we know how to contact you, and the name of the person who usually brings you to your appointments.
Each time you visit, we write down what you tell us, what your family shares about you, things we tell you, and any medicines or treatments we give you. That way we can look back at what we’ve done and make sure we’re treating you in the best way.
What do we do with it, and how do we keep it safe?
We keep the information we collect about you. This is called your Health Record. Anyone involved in your care at the practice can see what’s been collected, which helps us make the right decisions when you’re poorly. Sometimes we share it with others, like a hospital, so the doctors and nurses there can treat you too.
We train every year so we know how to look after your information. Staff are only allowed to look at it if they’re involved in your care, and they must keep it safe. We’re only allowed to give your information to people who are allowed to see it.
Who do we share your information with?
We may share what we record about you with others involved in your care. We routinely share information with school nurses, but not directly with your school unless it’s important for them to know. We might also share with other medical teams, such as hospitals, if you need to see a special doctor or have an X-ray.
Your parents or guardians should get a copy of any letters the doctor sends about your care. Some of you might decide you don’t want information shared with your parents or guardians. If so, please talk to a member of our team, who can help.
If you have a social worker, we’ll share information with them too, so they’re kept up to date on what we’re doing for you. We may also have to share information with the police, the courts, and other people who have a legal right to see it.
Important: Keeping you safe
If you tell us something that makes us worried about your safety, or the safety of someone you know, we might have to share it with people outside the practice, even if you don’t want us to. This is part of our job to keep you and others safe.
Helping with research
Sometimes our surgery is asked to take part in medical research that might help you or other people in the future. We’ll always ask you, or your parent or an adult with parental responsibility, before we share any of your information for research.
Using AI to help your doctor spend more time with you
When you visit the doctor, they need to write down what you say so they can remember everything important. But writing notes takes time, and we want your doctor to spend as much time as possible talking with you and checking how you’re feeling.
That’s why we sometimes use special computer software called ambient AI. It listens carefully to your conversation with the doctor and helps write the notes for them. This means your doctor can look at you, listen to you, and focus more on helping you, instead of typing on a computer.
This software is really good at making sure the doctor’s notes are correct. But don’t worry: it doesn’t make any decisions about your health, and it only works if you and your parent or guardian say it’s okay. If you don’t want it used, that’s completely fine. Your doctor will still take care of you the same way. If you have any questions about how it works, just ask your doctor or nurse.
What if you don't want to share?
You can tell us you don’t want to share your information. This is called “opting out”, and every patient has the right to do it. You can choose to opt out of sharing your confidential information for research and planning, which is called the National Data Opt-Out. There may still be times when your information is used, for example when there’s a risk to your health or someone else’s.
How long do we keep your information?
We keep a copy of your information for as long as you’re registered with us. If you leave the practice, we make sure a copy goes to your new GP so they can carry on looking after you. We follow the NHS Records Management Code of Practice, which tells us how long to keep records. Once we’ve kept them for as long as needed, they’re safely deleted.
Can I have a copy of my medical records?
Yes. You or your parent or guardian can contact us to say what information you’d like to see. That could be a particular part of your record, an X-ray, or a report. If your parent or guardian is asking on your behalf, we’ll check who they are so we share your information properly, and we’ll ask for your consent if we need to.
What are your rights over your information?
You have these rights over the information we hold:
- You can see what information we have about you. Other people can ask on your behalf, but we’ll check they are who they say they are, so we don’t share your information with anyone who shouldn’t see it.
- If anything in your record is wrong, you or someone on your behalf can ask us to correct it, including adding anything missing. The law says we can’t remove it, even if you ask.
- If we’ve asked permission to share your information, you or someone on your behalf can tell us you’ve changed your mind. As soon as you tell us, we’ll stop sharing it.
- If you’d like to talk to us about not sharing your information, even if that means not sharing it with your parent or an adult with parental responsibility, please let us know. We’ll be happy to help.
Questions, or not happy?
If you have a question, or you’re not happy about how your information is used, you can email us at kiltearn.reception@nhs.net, visit the practice, or call us on 01270 441672 and talk to a member of our staff. We’ll do our best to help. You can also ask your parent or an adult with parental responsibility to speak to us for you.
If you’re still not happy after speaking with us, you can contact our Data Protection Officer by email at DPO.healthcare@nhs.net, or phone the team on 07946 593082.
If you’re still not happy with the advice you’ve had, you can contact an organisation called the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk (choose “Raising a concern”), or call them on 0303 123 1113.