This GP Practice, as the data controller may collect personal information from visitors to this site. This will not include any information that can be used to identify any individual.

This information is used only to respond to enquiries, monitor site usage and to enhance the use of certain technologies – such as activity based information. Cookies and logging of IP addresses are used to enable the GP Practice to monitor site traffic and repeat visitor statistics.

The GP Practice will at all times comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.

• Privacy Information Leaflet 1.1

The NHS operate a Zero Tolerance Policy with regard to violence and abuse and the Practice has the right to remove violent patients from their list with immediate effect, in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety.

In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.

Where patients are disruptive and display aggressive and/or intimidating behaviour and refuse to leave the premises, staff are instructed to dial 999 for Police assistance, and charges may then be brought against these individuals.

It is our policy to be helpful and polite to all our patients regardless of age, ethnic origin, disability, gender or sexual orientation. We expect the same courtesy from our patients. Discriminatory, unsocial, threatening, violent or abusive behaviour towards staff, other patients or the premises will not be tolerated. The Practice will take action in these circumstances, which may involve the Police and result in the removal of the patient from our Practice list.

In England, please refer to NHS Constitution your rights and responsibilities for further information.

Data Protection Legislation is Changing from 25th May, the current UK Data Protection Act 1998 is being replaced by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.

The new legislation is very similar to the 1998 Act but provides some enhanced rights for individuals around how the Practice uses your information.

Why do we Need Your Information?

The NHS Act 2006 and Health and Social Care Act 2012 invests statutory functions on GP Practices to promote and provide the health service to improve quality of services, reduce inequalities, conduct research, review performance of services and deliver education and training.

To do this we will need to process your information in accordance with the current data protection legislation to:

• Protect your vital interests
• Pursue our legitimate interests as a provider of medical care, particularly where the individual is a child or vulnerable adult
• Perform tasks in the public’s interests
• Deliver preventative medicine, medical diagnosis, medical research, and manage the health and social system and services

Should you require any further information on GDPR or the Data Protection Act, this can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website:

• https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/

You can also contact the Practice’s Data Protection Officer. When contacting the Data Protection Officer please ensure you include the details of the Practice:

Data Protection Officer: Mr James Carroll

Tel No: 0191 404 1000 (Ext 3436)

E-mail address: stsft.dposunderlandpractices@nhs.net

For Subject Access Requests, the practice needs to be contacted directly and not the DPO: stsft.dposunderlandpractices@nhs.net