Information for patients

How to Access Health Records

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Who to contact and how: ______

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Diana, Princess of Wales General & District Hospital Hospital Hospital Road Cliff Gardens Woodland Avenue Scunthorpe Goole DN33 2BA DN15 7BH DN14 6RX 03033 306999 03033 306999 03033 306999 www.nlg.nhs.uk www.nlg.nhs.uk www.nlg.nhs.uk

For more information about our Trust and the services we provide please visit our website: www.nlg.nhs.uk

Information for patients

Introduction This leaflet has been designed to give you important information on how to access your Health Records. If you are a patient, you have the right to obtain Access to your Health Records under the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018. This means you have the right to apply for, and receive any information held on you by the hospital. If you are a relative, next of kin (NOK) or the personal representative of a patient, under the Access to Health Records Act 1990 (which also includes deceased patients), you also have the right to apply for, and receive any information held within the hospital on an individual concerned.

How do I make a request to access the Health Records? If you are a patient, the next of kin or a patient’s personal representative and wish to apply for Access to Health Records, the Subject Access Request Team (SAR) will advise the Applicant, at first contact, that although a paper application does not have to be submitted, it is far more beneficial for a paper application to be submitted highlighting the exact information the Applicant requires. The application form is supplied by the Subject Access Request Team. The Team are centralised at Scunthorpe General Hospital. You can collect a form from the Team or contact them on the telephone number below, and a copy can be sent to you in the post. The Application Form can also be sent to you electronically but the Application Form should be printed, completed, signed and scanned back to the Subject Access Request Team: Subject Access Request Team Scunthorpe General Hospital Cliff Gardens Scunthorpe DN15 7BH Direct Dial: 03033 302191 E-mail: [email protected] Although the main office is based at Scunthorpe General Hospital, arrangements can be made for Applicants to also view Health Records at Goole Hospital and Grimsby Hospital. The Team will strive to meet the needs of all Applicants. If special facilities or adjustments are required please contact the Subject Access Request Team to discuss further.

For more information about our Trust and the services we provide please visit our website: www.nlg.nhs.uk

Information for patients

Will I get charged for accessing a Health Record? Upon receipt of the application, the Subject Access Request Team will establish if there is to be a fee for supply of the information. In the majority of cases, the Trust will provide a copy of the information free of charge, however in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018; the Trust may charge a ‘reasonable’ fee when an application is manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly if it is repetitive or a duplicate. The fee is based on the administration time associated with the request. Should there be a fee for the information; the Subject Access Request Team will contact the Applicant to discuss. What is the process for accessing a Health Record? When the Subject Access Request Team receives the completed Access to Health Records Application Form, they will contact the Applicant if the team have any questions or are uncertain of the information requested. Once the Subject Access Request Team have full clarification on the information applied for, all relevant Healthcare Professionals will then be contacted for their consent to release the Health Record information. Once all relevant consents have been obtained from the Healthcare Professionals, the Applicant will then be contacted to arrange an appointment to view the Health Records. If during the viewing process the Applicant wishes for any of the Health Records to be photocopied, this can then be facilitated. If the Healthcare Professional does not grant access to certain sections of the Health Record then an application can be put in directly to the Speciality Consultant concerned by liaising with the Speciality Consultant secretary. This does not come through the Subject Access Request Team but the Subject Access Request Team will direct you to the right staff. The SAR Team would recommend that the Applicant comes in to the department to view the Health Records in order to select the correct information that is relevant. This is to prevent unnecessary copying of information that is not required.

Alternatives If it is not suitable for the Applicant to visit the department to view the Health Record, the relevant parts of the Health Record will be copied as requested.

How will I receive a copy of my Health Records after viewing? Paper copies of the relevant information from the Health Record will be provided to the Applicant after they have viewed the Health Records and decided which sections of the Health Record are relevant in paper format. If the information is posted, it will be sent out Special Delivery and the recipient’s signature will be required on receipt. For further information on obtaining copies of electronic information please contact the SAR Team.

For more information about our Trust and the services we provide please visit our website: www.nlg.nhs.uk

Information for patients

What if I do not agree with the information in the Health Record? If you do not agree with the information obtained from your Health Record or wish for amendments to be made to the information, you should contact the relevant Speciality Consultant Secretary to arrange an appointment with the Consultant concerned.

Contact Details for Further Information Subject Access Request Team Scunthorpe General Hospital Cliff Gardens Scunthorpe DN15 7BH Direct Dial: 03033 302191 E-mail: [email protected] Central Trust Hospital Number: 03033 306999

Any Comments, Compliments, Concerns or Complaints If you have any other concerns please talk to your nurse, therapist or doctor. Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) are available on 03033 306518 (Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Goole). You can also contact [email protected] As a Trust we value equality of access to our information and services, therefore alternative formats available on request at [email protected]

Date of Issue: May, 2019 Review Period: May, 2022 Author: Subject Access Request Team IFP-0952 v1.0

© NLGFT 2019

For more information about our Trust and the services we provide please visit our website: www.nlg.nhs.uk