Your Privacy

We will keep your records safely. This Practice complies complies with the Data Protection Act (1998) and general Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018. This means that we will ensure that your information is processed fairly and lawfully.

What personal information do we need to hold?

· Your past and current medical & dental condition; personal details such as your age, address, telephone & medical practitioner

· We may need to request details of your NHS number, your height & weight for referrals to local hospitals and CARE UK

· Radiographs, clinical photographs & study models

· Information about treatment we have provided or purpose and it's cost

· Notes of conversations or incidents that might occur for which a record needs to be kept

· Records of consent to treatment

· Any correspondence relating to you with other health care professionals, for example in the hospital or community services

Why do we hold this information? We need to keep accurate personal data about patients in order to provide you with safe & appropriate dental care. We also need to process personal data about you if we are referring you to NHS hospitals and to ensure the proper management and administration of the NHS.

Retaining information. We are required to retain your dental records, x-rays and study models while you are a patient of this practice and after you cease to be a patient, for at least 11 years or until age 25, whichever is longer.

Security. Your information is held in the practice's computer system and in a secure manual filing system. The information is only accessible to authorised personnel. Personal information will not be removed from this practice without the patients authorised consent.

Your Personal information is carefully protected by the staff at this practice. All access to information is held securely and can only be accessed by regularly changed passwords. Data is encrypted and computer terminals are closed if unattended.

Why we may need to disclose your information. In order to provide proper and safe care to:

· Your general medical practitioner

· The hospital, CARE UK, or community dental services

· Other health professionals caring for you

· Private dental schemes of which you are a member

Disclosure will take place on a 'need to know' basis, so that only those individuals/organisations who need to know in order to provide care to you and the 

proper administration of Government (whose personnel are covered by strict confidentiality rules) will be given the information.

Only information that the recipient needs to know will be disclosed.

In very limited circumstances or when required by law or a court order, personal data may have to be disclosed to a third party not connected with your health care.

In all other situations, disclosure that is not covered by this code of practice will only occur when we have your specific consent.

Where possible you will be informed of these requests for disclosure.

Access to your records. You have the right of access to the data that we hold about you and to receive a copy. Parents may access their child’s records if this is in the child’s best interests and not contrary to a competent child’s wishes. Formal applications for access must be in writing to The Practice Manager.

If you do not agree. If you do not wish personal data that we hold about you to be disclosed or used in the way that is described in this Code of Practice, please discuss the matter with your dentist. You have the right to object; however, this may affect our ability to provide you with dental care.

You have a right to withdraw your consent at any time, however this will not be retrospective