Confidential Information

We ask for and keep information about you so that you can receive proper care and treatment when you need it, for as long as you need it.

Hospital staff will not give personal details (including information about your illness) to any other person without your express permission, except for hospital staff involved in your care.  When you are admitted to hospital, staff will ask you the names of the people you would like to know about your condition. They will also ask if there is anyone who may call who you would not like information given to.

Within the Trust, we also use information for:

·         Planning to make sure our services meet patient needs in the future;

·         Helping staff to review the care they provide to make sure it is of the highest standard;

·         Training and educating staff;

·         Producing statistical information on the work the hospital does.

It is not possible for anyone to personally identify you from reports produced for these purposes.

Who is responsible for keeping information confidential?

Everyone working in the NHS and those who work with us to provide your care has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.

In addition, each NHS organisation has a Caldicott Guardian, who holds ultimate responsibility for access to patient-identifiable information. The Caldicott Guardian for this Trust is Dr Kwee Matheson.

For further information on confidentiality and the Caldicott principles, please contact the PALS office