Research Privacy Notice

How your information is used for medical research and to measure the quality of care

Medical research

Bay Medical Practice shares information from medical records:

  • To support medical research when the law allows us to do so, for example to learn more about why people get ill and what treatments might work best;
  • We will also use your medical records to carry out research within the practice.

This is important because:

  • The use of information from GP medical records is very useful in developing new treatments and medicines;
  • Medical researchers use information from medical records to help answer important questions about illnesses and disease so that improvements can be made to the care and treatment patients receive.

We share information with the differing medical research organisations with your explicit consent or when the law allows.

You have the right to object to your identifiable information being used or shared for medical research purposes. Please speak to the practice if you wish to object

 

Checking the quality of care - national clinical audits

Bay Medical Practice contributes to national clinical audits so that healthcare can be checked and reviewed.

  • Information from medical records can help doctors and other healthcare workers measure and check the quality of care which is provided to you.
  • The results of the checks or audits can show where hospitals are doing well and where they need to improve.
  • The results of the checks or audits are used to recommend improvements to patient care.
  • Data are sent to NHS Digital a national body with legal responsibilities to collect data.
  • The data will include information about you, such as your NHS Number and date of birth and information about your health which is recorded in coded form - for example the code for diabetes or high blood pressure. 

We will only share your information for national clinical audits or checking purposes when the law allows.

  • For more information about national clinical audits see the Healthcare Quality Improvements Partnership website or telephone: 020 7997 7370.
  • You have the right to object to your identifiable information being shared for national clinical audits. Please contact the practice if you wish to object. 
 

Bay Medical Group are required by law to provide you with the following information about how we share your information for medical research purposes

1. Data Controller Contact Details Bay Medical Group
1, Heysham Road,
Morecambe,
LA3 1DA
2. Data Protection Officer Contact details Dr Raed Amr
Bay Medical Group,
1, Heysham Road,
Morecambe
LA3 1DA
3. Purpose of the sharing Medical Research 
4. Lawful Basis for processing or sharing

Identifiable data will be shared with researchers either with explicit consent or, where the law allows, without consent. The lawful justifications are:

  • Article 6 (1) (e) may apply “ necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller”

And in addition

  • Article 9 justification Article 9 (2) (a) – ‘the data subject has given explicit consent…’ Article 9(2) (j) – ‘processing is necessary for… scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) based on Union or Member States law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and interests of the data subject’.
  • To check the quality of care (clinical audit): Article 9(2) (h) – ‘processing is necessary for the purpose of preventative…medicine…the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services...’ 
5. Recipient or categories of recipients of the shared data For medical research the data will be shared with Royal College of General Practitioners and CPRD
6. Rights to object You have a right to object under the GDPR and the right to ‘opt-out’ under the national data opt-out model. The national data opt-out model provides an easy way for you to optout of: Information that identifies you being used or shared for medical research purposes and quality checking or audit purposes. Contact the data controller or the Practice
7. Right to access and correct  You have the right to access any identifiable data that is being shared and have any inaccuracies corrected. Please speak to a member of the practice team for further details
8. Retention period  GP medical records will be kept in line with the law and national guidance. Information on how long records are kept can be found on the NHS Digital website, or speak to the practice.
Research data will be retained for the period as specified in the specific research protocol (s).
9. Right to complain You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. If you wish to complain please click here, or call the helpline 0303 123 1113. There are national offices for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales (see ICO website)