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Scarborough Hull York Pathology Service (SHYPS) privacy notice

Why are we collecting your information?

This Privacy Notice has been written to inform you that York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) processes information about you in order to provide health care services. The Pathology team keep records about your medical tests you receive from the NHS. These help ensure that you receive the best possible care from us.

The Trust may also use information to:

  • Review the care we provide to ensure it is of the highest standard and quality
  • Ensure our services can meet service user needs in the future
  • Investigate service users’ queries, complaints and legal claims
  • Prepare statistics on the Trust’s performance
  • Audit Trust accounts and services
  • Undertaking heath research and development (with your consent - you may choose whether or not to be involved and using anonymous data where possible)
  • Helping to train and educate healthcare professionals.

Who do we collect your information from? 

Much of the information we use will be collected directly from you or your family members. We also use information received from:

  • GPs
  • Other NHS bodies
  • Other Care Providers, such as private sector providers

Who are we?

The Trust is a ‘Data Controller’, this means that we determine the purposes for which, and the manner in which, your personal data is processed. We have a responsibility to you and your personal data and will only collect and use this in ways which are compliant with data protection legislation. 

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust work in partnership with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) as joint controllers. This effects patients being treated in HUTH, it means your information is shared with York and Scarborough as part of SHYPS so that we can do all of the pathology work on behalf of HUTH. We have contract and agreement in place for this, and you can contact HUTH or York and Scarborough for any additional information regarding this relationship. 

The Trust has appointed Rebecca Bradley (Head of Information Governance) to be its Data Protection Officer (DPO). The role of the DPO is to ensure that the Trust is compliant with Data Protection legislation and to oversee data protection procedures. 

The DPO contact details are:

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
York Hospital
Wigginton Road
York
North Yorkshire
YO31 8HE

yhs-tr.Information.Governance@nhs.net

What Information are we collecting?

  • Basic information about you, such as name, address, date of birth and NHS number.
  • Contacts we have had with you
  • Notes and reports about your medical tests

We may also process special categories of information that may include:

  • Nationality, racial and/or ethnic origin
  • Health information:
    • e.g. results of laboratory tests
  • Notes and reports about your health, treatment and care.

What is our lawful basis for processing your information?

Any personal data we process is done so in accordance with the UK GDPR. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 and the Care Act 2014 are the laws that tell us we have to keep records about the care and treatment you receive. Our lawful basis for processing are:

  • Article 6(1)(e) Public Task: the processing is necessary to perform a task in the public interest, or our official functions, which have a clear basis in law.

Where we process your special category information our lawful basis are: 

  • Article 9(2)(h) Health and Social purposes; Schedule 1, Part 1 (c) medical diagnosis, (d) the provision of health care or treatment, or (f) the management of health care systems or services or social care systems or services.
  • Article 9(2)(i) The processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, such as protecting against serious cross-border threats to health or high quality and safety of health care and medicinal products or devices.
  • Article 9(2)(j) The processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, Schedule 1, Part 1 scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89 (1)

We do not need your consent to use your personal information for the delivery of direct care because we have a public task to do this. We use personal information because it is necessary for us to use this to carry out our activities as an NHS organisation.

How long do we keep your information for?

The Trust follows NHS Digitals recommended retention schedule which can be found in the Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2016.

Who do we share your information with?

We will share information with the following main partner organisations: 

  • Other NHS trusts, hospitals that are involved in your care
  • Other testing laboratories partnered with the Trust
  • General practitioners (GPs)

Do we transfer your information outside the UK?

The majority of the information we collect is held in the UK. In some circumstances we may transfer your information outside of the UK, for example where servers are held in the EU.   We will take all reasonable steps to make sure your data is not processed in a country that the UK government does not see as ‘safe’. If we do need to send your data out of the EU we will ensure that necessary safeguards are in place.

What rights do you have over your data?

Under GDPR data subjects have the following rights in relation to the processing of their personal data:

  • to be informed about how we process your personal data. This notice fulfils this obligation
  • to request access to your personal data that we hold, and be provided with a copy of it
  • to request that your personal data is amended if inaccurate or incomplete
  • to request that your personal data is erased where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing
  • to request that the processing of your personal data is restricted
  • to object to your personal data being processed

If you have any concerns about the way we have handled your personal data or would like any further information, then please contact our DPO on the address provided above. To put in a Subject Access Request please contact: 

01904 725680

yhs-tr.SubjectAccessRequests1@nhs.net

If we cannot resolve your concerns you may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (the Data Protection Regulator) about the way in which the Trust has handled your personal data. You can do so by contacting:

First Contact Team
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow 
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

casework@ico.org.uk // 0303 123 1113

Version 2
20/03/2023

Looking down a long bright hospital corridor with treatment rooms on the left and windows on the right. At the bottom of the corridor is one member of staff in a blue nursing uniform

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