Update June 2021

All GP practices in England are legally required to share data with NHS Digital for this purpose under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (2012 Act). More information about this requirement is contained in the data provision notice issued by NHS Digital to GP practices. You have the choice to opt out if you wish to you need to complete the attached form and send this to your Practice. You can learn more about how NHS Digital uses your data here: General Practice Data for Planning and Research: GP Practice Privacy Notice – NHS Digital. Please see section “Data Provision Notice For Planning And Research” if you wish to opt-out.

GDPR – General Data Protection Regulations

GPDR came into force on 25 May 2018

What is General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

  • Replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA)
  • Designed to match data privacy laws across Europe
  • Redesigned the way organisations across the region approach data privacy
  • Applies to ‘Data Controllers’ and ‘Data Processors’. Similar to the DPA – the controller says how and why personal data is processed
  • Applies to organisations outside the EU that offer goods or services to individuals in the EU

Why is it changing from the Data Protection Act 1998

  • The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) represents the biggest change to global privacy laws for over 20 years.
  • Many changes involving personal data have occurred since the Act was first introduced. Internet and Social Media now play a major part in society. Patients can now book their GP appointments via the internet and medical records can also be retrieved electronically – all of which were not as readily available in 1998 as they are now.
  • Whilst the GPDR is still based on the same data protection principles as before, it introduces new rights for data subject.

Privacy Policy 

This page explains how Dr Walji & Colleagues uses any information you give to us, and the way we protect your privacy. Protecting the privacy and personal data of the visitors to our site is of the utmost importance to us.

The Data Protection Act

In accordance with the Data Protection Act, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from you. We will only use your information for the purpose as described and we do not pass on your details to any other government department or third party unless you have given us permission to do so. You have a right to access your personal data and rectify any inaccuracies.

Site Usage 

We do not use cookies for collecting user information. Log files allow us to record visitors’ use of the site to enable us to enhance the future layout of the site. The data we gather in this way does not contain any personal information or information about which other sites you have visited. If you provide feedback on our website we will only use it to develop and improve the site.  We will keep the actual feedback for six months after which it will be deleted but analysis of feedback may be kept.

Changes to the policy

If the privacy policy changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page. Regularly reviewing the page ensures you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we will share it with other parties.

Privacy Notice – easy read

This notice is about what happens to the information that Dr Walji & Colleagues collects about you whenever you come to see us. It also tells you how we make sure it is kept safe.

What do we collect?

We collect information from you such as:

  • Your name
  • Why you are coming to see us
  • Your birthday and year you were born
  • Your address
  • The name of the person who will generally bring you to your appointments
  • The reason you are coming to see us
  • Detailed clinical information/experiences about you
  • What we do to care for you

Why do we collect it?

Dr Walji & Colleagues’ main purpose is to deliver healthcare to the community. We collect the data we need to care for you in the best way. We ask for your address so that we know where we can contact you. We ask for your date of birth as your age may be important to your care.

Each time you come to see us we will record things electronically that you tell us, things that we tell you and any medicines or advice we give you. That way, we can look back at what we have done for you to make sure we are treating you in the best way.

What do we do with it?

We keep the information we collect electronically and on paper. All of this information together is called your Health Record and will be held on our secure system.

Anyone involved in in caring for you at the practice can see what has been collected. This way we can all make the right decisions about your care with all the information you have given us.

Who we share it with 

We will share the information we record about you where it is clinically appropriate and will benefit your care and treatment. That way key people involved in your care is kept up to date on what we are doing for you.

If you tell us something that makes us worried about your safety or the safety of someone else you know, we might have to share this with other people outside of the practice – even if you don’t want us to. This is part of our job to keep you and others safe.

Access to information

All members of the practice team have access to patient information to differing degrees.  All staff have signed a confidentiality statement.  Patient data held on our computer system is protected by individual user passwords.

Request my medical records

All patients are entitled to have access to their medical records with a few exceptions. Please use Patient Access as its the easiest way to view your medical record. Otherwise please ask reception for further information.

Birmingham and Solihull Shared Care Record

Dr Walji & Colleagues works with other health and social care organisations to share information that will form part of your Shared Care Record. The Shared Care Record allows health and care professionals involved in your care to view your records to help them understand your needs and make the best decisions with you, and for you. Information we hold about you will be available, to read only, to other health and care professionals in Birmingham and Solihull, Coventry and Warwickshire, and Herefordshire and Worcestershire when they are involved in your health or social care.

For more information on how your data is used on the Shared Care Record and how to exercise your rights please see the full Privacy Notice or copy and paste this link: www.livehealthylivehappy.org.uk/birmingham-and-solihull-shared-care-record/privacy-notice/.

GP Connect

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/gp-connect/gp-connect-in-your-organisation/gp-connect-privacy-notice

Summary Care Record

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/summary-care-records-scr/summary-care-record-supplementary-transparency-notice

Access to Service Information (A2SI) Directory of Services (DoS): GDPR information

https://digital.nhs.uk/about-nhs-digital/our-work/keeping-patient-data-safe/gdpr/gdpr-register/access-to-service-information-a2si-directory-of-services-dos-gdpr-information

Dr Walji & Colleagues comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR)

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/what-are-pecr/