Fair Processing Notice

Why we collect information about you

In TalkPlus we aim to provide you with the highest quality psychological treatment. To do this we must keep records about you and the care we have provided or plan to provide to you.

These records are stored on a central computer database and may include:

basic details about you, such as your address, date of birth.
contact we have had with you, such as clinical sessions.
notes and reports about your wellbeing.
details and records about your treatment and care

How your records are used to help you

The way that health information is recorded has changed over time and we now have electronic tools that enable us to provide a better level of care because the people caring for you have accurate and up-to-date information about your treatment.

Your treatment records are used to ensure that:

Psychological therapists looking after you have accurate and up-to-date information about you to help them decide on any future care you may require
Full information is available should you see another therapist or be referred to a specialist or another part of the NHS
there is a good basis for assessing the type and quality of care you have received
your concerns can be properly investigated if you need to complain.

How your records are used to help the NHS

In order for TalkPlus to make the best use of its resources we need to understand what care we are providing and to whom. Therefore we will need to understand trends in groups of patients. On these occasions we will only use your information in an anonymised form. Your information can help the NHS to:

plan services to ensure we meet the needs of our population in the future
report events to the appropriate authorities when we are required to do so by law
undertake clinical audit of the quality of services provided
report and investigate complaints, claims and untoward incidents
prepare statistics on our performance for our local Integrated Care System (Frimley ICS) and NHS England / Digital
review our care to make sure that it is of the highest standard
teach and train psychological therapists
conduct health research and development.

Further information on data sharing in the NHS can be found here:
https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/

How we keep your information safe

There may be other uses to which anonymised data may be of assistance to the NHS.

However, from time to time, there may be a need to share some or all of your information with other health care professionals or NHS organisations so that we can work together to provide the best possible care for you. We will only ever share your information if it is in your best interests.

We will not disclose any information that identifies you to anyone without your express permission unless in exceptional circumstances, such as where we are required to do so by law or where there is danger of harm to a child or a vulnerable adult.

You have the right to confidentiality under the General Data Protection Regulations 2016 (GDPR), the Human Rights Act 1998 and the common law duty of confidence. The Disability Discrimination and the Race Relations Acts may also apply.

You also have the right to ask for a copy of all records about you:

Your request must be made in writing (email is acceptable) to the organization holding your information.
There may be a charge to have a printed copy of the information held about you.
We are required to respond to you within 30 days. You will need to give adequate information
(e.g. full name, address, date of birth, NHS number) and you will be required to provide identification before any information is released to you.

If you think that there are inaccuracies in your record, you have the right to request that these be corrected or annotated. If you have any concerns about how your information may be shared, please discuss them with your health care provider.

How we keep your records confidential

Everyone working in TalkPlus, the NHS or for Social Services has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential under the General Data Protection Regulations 2016 (GDPR).

Records will be kept in line with the Department of Health Records Management Code of Practice which determines the minimum length of time that records should be kept for.

Your information is looked after by the following key roles within the organisation.

Senior Information Risk Owner – This role is the responsibility of the NHUC Chief Executive and:

Is accountable
Fosters a culture for protecting and using data
Provides a focal point for managing information risks and incidents
Is concerned with the management of all information assets

The Caldicott Guardian – This is the responsibility of the TalkPlus Clinical Director or Medical Director and:

Is advisory
Is the conscience of the organisation
Provides a focal point for the patient confidentiality & information sharing issues
Is concerned with the management of patient information

Our guiding principle is that we hold your records in strict confidence.

We have a duty to:

maintain full and accurate records of the care we provide to you
keep records about you confidential, secure and accurate provide information in a format that is accessible to you (for example, in large type if you are partially sighted).

We only share information that identifies you, if;

It ensures you receive the best care possible
You ask us to do so
We ask and you give us specific permission
We have to do this by law
We have special permission for health or research purposes
We have special permission because the interests o the public are thought to be of greater importance that your confidentiality.

How you can arrange to see your own health records

Patient’s rights to accessing their health records is legally based on the General Data Protection Regulations 2016 (GDPR). The Key Points of GDPR are:

Individuals have the right to access their personal data and supplementary information
The right to access allows individuals to be aware of and verify the lawfulness of the processing.

Under the GDPR, individual will have the right to obtain:

Confirmation that their data is being processed
Access to their personal data; and
Other supplementary information – their largely corresponds to the information that should be provided in a privacy notice.

The GDPR clarifies that the reason for allowing individuals to access their personal data is so that they are aware of and can verify the lawfulness of the processing.

Standard subject access requests are not chargeable, however if the request of manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly if it is repetitive, a reasonable fee may be charged. The fee must be based on the administrative time taken to deliver the request.

Please contact the following organisations to see or obtain a copy of your records:

For your TalkPlus treatment records please contact TalkPlus directly (at the address below)

In some cases, if you have received hospital treatment this may not be included in the health care records that TalkPlus holds, so please contact the hospital directly.

You will need to apply in writing to the individual healthcare professional or organisation that has treated you or provided care.

Refusing or Withdrawing Your Consent

TalkPlus is part of the NHS Primary Care provision and share data for patient care with other NHS organisations.

If you wish to withdraw from data sharing within the NHS, it is important for you to know that this withdrawal is from the entire NHS data sharing process.

Full information on this and access to the links to withdraw consent can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/

How to Contact Us

If you need to contact us:

for more information;
to access your health records with TalkPlus; or
to refuse or withdraw your consent

Please submit a written request to the Information Governance Lead via post at

TalkPlus
The Meads Business Centre
19 Kingsmead
Farnborough
Hampshire
GU14 7SR

Or via email at: frimleyicb.talkplus@nhs.net

We are committed to responding as soon as possible but certainly within 30 days.