Data Protection Privacy Notice for Referrers

Our practice records include some information about our Referrers. This privacy notice describes the type of personal information that we hold, why we hold it, and what we do with it. Please read this notice carefully and make sure that you understand it.

Information that we collect

We may collect the following information about you:

• Personal details such as your name, address, telephone number and email address
• Details of any issues that are raised or feedback received in connection with the service we mutually provide for your patients
• Issues that you raise with the practice

The Principal and Director of Ashley House SDG, T Neil Meekin, is responsible for keeping secure the information about you that we hold.

Those who have access to your personal information include the practice owner and the administrative staff who deal with your requests and your referred patients when we liaise with you about their treatment.

How we use your information

We need up-to-date and accurate personal information to:

• Ensure that we can liaise directly with you in a professional and timely manner and that you and the practice can understand and meet our respective obligations
• Help us to comply with the legal obligations required by the IOC, the GDC the CQC, and other regulators or government bodies.

We will use the contact details provided by you contact you by telephone, email or letter in relation to matters relating to or arising from the treatment of patients that you have referred to us. We will also use your details to update you with regard to changes to specialist Personnel and any services we feel might be of interest to you and your patients. We might also use your information to invite you to informal gatherings as a means of improving our services for you.

Sharing information

Your information is used only by the practice.

We will only disclose your information on a need-to-know basis within the practice and will limit any information that we share to the minimum necessary.

Keeping your information safe

We store your personal information securely on our practice computer system. Your information cannot be accessed by those who do not work at the practice. Only authorised team members have access to your information (on a need-to-know basis). They understand their legal responsibility to maintain confidentiality and follow practice procedures to ensure this.

We take precautions to ensure security of the practice premises and computers.

We use high-quality specialist dental software to record and use your personal information safely and effectively. Our computer system has a secure audit trail and we back-up information routinely.

We keep your records for as long as your patient remains an active patient at Ashley House and to meet the legal requirements relating to keeping patients clinical notes available.

Access to your information and other rights

You have a right to access the information that we hold about you and to receive a copy. You should submit your request in writing or by email. We do not charge you for copies of your information.

You can also request us to

• Correct any information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Erase information we hold although you should be aware that, for legal reasons, we may be unable to erase information, for example, concerning your original referral or any clinically valid details that we are unable to remove for legal purposes.

If you do not agree

If you do not wish us to use your personal information as described, please discuss the matter with us. If you have any concerns about how we use your information, you should contact The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF (0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745).

Date: 22/05/2018
Review date: 22/05/2018