If we need to share your personal information

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. You may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS (e.g. Social Services). We may need to share some information about you with them so we can all work together for your benefit. We will only ever pass information about you to them if they have a genuine need for it and we have your permission.

We will not disclose your information to a third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the health and safety of others is at risk or if the law requires us to pass on information. Anyone who receives information from us has a legal duty to keep it confidential.

Who might we share personal information with?

We may share information with the following main partner organisations:

• Strategic Health Authorities and other NHS bodies
• Other NHS Trusts that are involved in your care
• General Practitioners (GPs)
• Ambulance Services

We may also share your information, subject to strict agreement about how it will be used, with:

• Adult or Children’s social services
• Education Services
• Local Authorities
• Voluntary Sector Providers working with the NHS
• Private Sector Providers working with the NHS

How your personal information might be used to improve the NHS

Your information may also be used to help protect the health of the public, and to help us manage the NHS, by being used to:

• Pay your GP or dentist for the care you receive
• Audit NHS accounts and services
• Investigate patient queries, complaints and legal claims
• Make sure our services can meet patients’ needs in the future
• Prepare statistics on NHS performance
• Review the care we provide to ensure it is of the highest standards

The following will be with your consent:

• To help in health research and development
• To help teach healthcare professionals