Each time you speak to a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional in your Primary Care Network (PCN), or when you use one of our services, we update your electronic patient record. This record includes information such as:

• notes made by GPs or other health care professionals

• information about your care and treatment

• results from blood tests, X-rays or scans

• details of your medications

• correspondence between you and your GP or other services

• basic information about people connected with you, such as your next of kin or children

GPs and other health and care professionals working across your PCN use this information to provide you with safe, joined-up care and treatment.

We also share information from your records with other health and care services so they have the latest details about you. This helps them understand your needs and make the best decisions about your care. It also means that you don’t have to repeat the same information each time you see someone new.

Data from your patient record may also be shared with other health and care services or approved organisations to help plan and improve services, develop new medicines or treatments, or find better ways of preventing illness.

The data shared for these purposes is in a coded format and does not normally contain information that could identify you (such as your name, date of birth, or postcode). This is known as anonymised data.

NHS and social care services, including your PCN, take respecting your privacy and keeping your information safe very seriously. Strict rules and processes are followed to protect your information and data. Legal agreements must be in place before any information is shared or accessed by another organisation. All sharing is carried out using secure IT systems that meet industry standards and are kept up to date against the latest cybersecurity threats.

NHS and social care services have a legal basis for sharing information from your health and care records under the Data Protection Act 2018.

You also have the right to object to your information being shared:

• If you do not want your information shared between health and care services providing you with care and treatment, you should contact your GP practice, who can provide you with an ‘opt-out’ form. Please note that sharing information can help make sure you receive the right treatment at the right time, and may be critical in an emergency.

• If you do not want data from your health and care records shared for purposes such as planning, service improvement, or research, you can register your choice online or by telephone through the national data opt-out service.

For more information on how NHS and social care services – including your PCN – share information from health and care records, please visit the NHS webpage - Your data.