National data opt-out compliance statement - Privacy notices

The national data opt-out applies to confidential patient data that originates within the health and adult social care system in England.

NHS and Local Authorities providing health and adult social care services are considered to be part of the health and adult social care system and must apply the national data opt-out. This includes health and care services commissioned by the Local Authority irrespective of the providing organisation.

The specific inclusions where services must consider opt-outs when processing for purposes beyond individual care, in line with wider policy, cover a number of organisations such as:

• Health service providers
• Private providers
• Local authorities
• Public health organisations 

Specific exclusions where this does not apply include:

• Children’s social care and education (regulated by Ofsted or Department of Education (DfE))
• Health related data which originates and is shared outside of the health and adult social care system in England, for example DWP, Court, HMRC  
• Any information generated solely for research purposes

Herefordshire Council publishes privacy notices for all services where personal data is processed to inform how it uses such data. Data Sharing Agreements are in place with any partner/organisation where onward disclosure is required under the terms of the privacy notice.

Herefordshire Council is one of many organisations working in the health and care system to improve care for patients and the public.

Whenever you use a care service through Herefordshire Council, important information about you is collected in a client record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care. The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance to help with:

• Improving the quality and standards of care provided
• Research into the development of new services
• Preventing illness and diseases
• Monitoring safety
• Planning services

This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations. Confidential patient information about your health and care is only used like this where allowed by law. Most of the time, anonymised data is used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified.

You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way. If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.

To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-datamatters.

On this web page you will:

See what is meant by confidential patient information

Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care

Find out more about the benefits of sharing data

Understand more about who uses the data

Find out how your data is protected

Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting

Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone

See the situations where the opt-out will not apply

You can also find out more about how patient information is used at: https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/ (which covers health and care research); and https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/what-you-need-know (which covers how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made). 

You can change your mind about your choice at any time.

Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.

Health and care organisations have until 2020 to put systems and processes in place so they can be compliant with the national data opt-out and apply your choice to any confidential patient information they use or share for purposes beyond your individual care.

Our organisation is compliant with the national data opt-out policy.