Patient Records: how Nottingham and Nottinghamshire NHS use your personal information
We are using patient data in smart ways to help improve the wellness of the people in our community across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
By joining up data between different organisations we can see the bigger picture that helps us to improve local health, prevent illnesses, ensure public money is better spent and to reduce hospital admissions. We connect data from:
- GP practices
- Social care
- Hospitals
- Community care
- Out of hours care.
This only works if we have access to the right data, and this comes from citizens health and care records. But don’t worry, the data in pseudonymised, which means it cannot be personally identified unless it is required by your clinician or GP for Direct Patient Care purposes.
Data is analysed with the aim to shift the focus from more reactive care to more of a proactive approach through preventative care called Population Health Management.
For example, the data could identify neighbourhoods with high levels of cancer diagnosis so the ICB can use relevant resources to make sure we have the right level of cancer check programmes in place or it could identify neighbourhoods where vaccine update is lower so clinicians can increase efforts and resource to vaccinate people that maybe at higher risk.
Keeping your data safe
To help improve the health of people in our area we analyse information from health and care records and share data with other public sector organisations. However, this will never include your name or anything that could identify you as data is pseudonymised.
Data is stored within a secure environment, into a central database known as the General Practitioners Repository for Clinical Care (GPRCC). It can then be viewed through a web-based software called eHealthScope over the National Health Service broadband network.
Access to the data is restricted to specific roles and responsibilities and access is maintained and reviewed by relevant data controllers. Access to patient identifiable data is only available for direct care purpose and any access is logged.
Governance
There are robust governance processes in place. All data providers are required to follow strict data protection law, sharing agreements and data protection impact assessments are completed before data is shared.
The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board successfully applied for a Section 251 for Population Health Management. This allows the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board to use your personal information without consent. The application was reviewed by the Confidentiality Advisory Group (CAG).
CAG are an independent group of lay people and professionals which provide expert advice on the use of confidential patient information without consent. They recommended that the ICBs application should be supported, and the Secretary of State for Health approved this in late 2022.
It is important to us that you have control over the how your data is used and that you are aware of how your data is stored and managed within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire NHS.
Opting out
As a citizen of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire you have the right to Opt-Out of providing your data for Non-Research purposes. There are three options you can take to Opt-Out:
- Through your GP Practice
- Through the National Opt Out Programme. (National NHS England opt-out programme on 0300 303 5678, (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays)).
- Locally by contacting nnccg.saiudatarequest
We would like to hear from you!
We would like your feedback. Help us to understand what you think about what we use data for, what we don’t use it for and the benefits that sharing data can provide. No confidential information is captured or stored through the survey.
