All patient information is considered to be confidential and we comply fully with the Data Protection Act. All employees have access to this information in relation to their role and have signed a confidentiality agreement. Information may be shared, in confidence, with other NHS organisations in the interests of patient care.

Please note that it is the practice’s policy to record all telephone calls for the purpose of patient and staff care, security, and dispute resolution. Recordings and their use will be at the partners’ discretion and will also comply with Data Protection Registration.

The practice will ask you for personal information so that you can receive appropriate care and treatment. This information is held on the practice’s computerised Medical Information System. Information concerning your medical history may also be shared with relevant secondary care providers i.e. hospitals etc.

The practice is registered under the Data Protection Act. The practice will ensure that the patient confidentiality is maintained at all times by all the members of the practice team.

Linden Medical Group’s Responsiblities

Linden Medical Group will ensure that employees fully understand all their responsibilities with regard to confidential data. The employees will sign a written statement of the responsibilities they are undertaking towards the security of the data.

The organisation will also ensure that arrangements are in place for the confidential disposal of any paper waste generated at work.

Linden Medical Group will strictly apply the rules of confidentiality and in general will not release patient information to a third party without proper valid and informed consent, unless this is within the statutory exempted categories such as in the public interest, in which case the release of the information and the reasons for it will be individually and specifically documented and authorised by the responsible clinician.

We will not divulge your information to any organisation or body outside the NHS without your written consent.

All patient information is considered to be confidential and we comply fully with the Data Protection Act. All employees have access to this information in relation to their role and have signed a confidentiality agreement. Information may be shared, in confidence, with other NHS organisations in the interests of patient care.

Please note that it is the practice’s policy to record all telephone calls for the purpose of patient and staff care, security, and dispute resolution. Recordings and their use will be at the partners’ discretion and will also comply with practice’s Data protection Registration.

The practice will ask you for personal information so that you can receive appropriate care and treatment. This information is held on the practice’s computerised Medical Information System. Information concerning your medical history may also be shared with relevant secondary care providers i.e. hospitals, etc.

The practice is registered under the Data Protection Act. The practice will ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained at all times by all the members of the practice team.

Caldicott Principles

Linden Medical Group actively supports, upholds and enforces the eight Caldicott Principles.

Principle 1: Justify the purpose(s) for using confidential information

Every proposed use or transfer of confidential information should be clearly defined, scrutinised and documented, with continuing uses regularly reviewed by an appropriate guardian.

Principle 2: Use confidential information only when it is necessary

Confidential information should not be included unless it is necessary for the specified purpose(s) for which the information is used or accessed. The need to identify individuals should be considered at each stage of satisfying the purpose(s) and alternatives used where possible.

Principle 3: Use the minimum necessary confidential information

Where use of confidential information is considered to be necessary, each item of information must be justified so that only the minimum amount of confidential information is included as necessary for a given function.

Principle 4: Access to confidential information should be on a strict need-to-know basis

Only those who need access to confidential information should have access to it, and then only to the items that they need to see. This may mean introducing access controls or splitting information flows where one flow is used for several purposes.

Principle 5: Everyone with access to confidential information should be aware of their responsibilities

Action should be taken to ensure that all those handling confidential information understand their responsibilities and obligations to respect the confidentiality of patient and service users.

Principle 6: Comply with the law

Every use of confidential information must be lawful. All those handling confidential information are responsible for ensuring that their use of and access to that information complies with legal requirements set out in statute and under the common law.

Principle 7: The duty to share information for individual care is as important as the duty to protect patient confidentiality

Health and social care professionals should have the confidence to share confidential information in the best interests of patients and service users within the framework set out by these principles. They should be supported by the policies of their employers, regulators and professional bodies.

Principle 8: Inform patients and service users about how their confidential information is used

A range of steps should be taken to ensure no surprises for patients and service users, so they can have clear expectations about how and why their confidential information is used, and what choices they have about this. These steps will vary depending on the use: as a minimum, this should include providing accessible, relevant and appropriate information – in some cases, greater engagement will be required.

For more information, please see The Caldicott Principles.