Privacy Notice

How we use your information for providing your care

Prescriptions

Where you have given consent, we will share your prescription information with pharmacies.

Test requests and results

Where we carry out tests for you—such as blood tests—we will send your sample, along with details of the tests requested, to the most appropriate pathology laboratory. The information shared with the laboratory will include your NHS number, name, the type of test requested, and any health information necessary to perform the test and produce the result or report. Once completed, the laboratory will return the results to us in digital or paper form, and these will be stored in your electronic patient record (EPR).

Out of hours

We work closely with out‑of‑hours providers, including NHS 111, to ensure that if you need care from a doctor outside normal surgery hours, they can access your electronic patient record when necessary to provide the best possible care. This care may be delivered in various ways, such as through a telephone consultation.

Primary Care Networks

Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan, designed to enable neighbouring GP practices to work more closely together by sharing services, improving access, and enhancing the delivery of patient care. Your information may be shared with services operating at PCN level—for example, when you are referred to a specialist clinic that is available to patients from all practices within the PCN.

Patient referrals

With your agreement, your healthcare professional may refer you to services that are not provided by the practice, or they may work with other organisations to help deliver your care within the practice. Information required for these referrals or shared‑care arrangements will usually be shared digitally—most commonly through shared record systems or secure email, and in some cases by letter.

Once you have been seen, the receiving service will provide us with details of the treatment or support they have given you, along with any actions your GP needs to take. This information is added to your electronic patient record. Referrals may be made to a range of services as appropriate for your care, such as smoking‑cessation services, social prescribers, voluntary organisations, and other health and care agencies.

Hospital, Community or Social Care Services

Sometimes the staff caring for you need to share certain information with other professionals who are also involved in supporting your care. This may include hospital or community‑based specialists, nurses, health visitors, therapists, or social care services. Information will be shared with organisations providing your care both locally and, where necessary, in other parts of the country—for example, if you require specialist treatment or emergency care while away from home.

Somerset Integrated Digital Electronic Record (SIDeR)

Health and social care services have developed—and continue to improve—systems that allow important information to be shared efficiently and safely. This ensures that the professionals involved in your care have timely access to the details they need, whether during routine appointments or in urgent situations such as attending A&E, calling NHS 111, or using an out‑of‑hours service. Shared records help reduce delays and avoid the need for staff to gather information by phone or email.

In Somerset, the Somerset Integrated Digital e‑Record (SIDeR) Programme supports this by enabling authorised health and care staff to view relevant information from the different services involved in your care. This helps them quickly understand your needs and provide the right treatment at the right time. Your information will only be available to staff directly involved in your care, and only when they need it.

Access to these shared systems is strictly controlled. Only authorised staff can view the information, and each person can see only the parts of your record necessary for their role. Shared record systems do not contain all of your data—only the information that participating services have agreed is essential for delivering safe and effective care.

For more information about shared care records, please visit: SiDER+ webpage

Clinical Digital Tools

We also use a range of digital tools to support improved patient care and experience. These tools may relate to specific conditions and help with diagnosis, clinical decision‑making, prescribing, and the management of long‑term or acute health needs. Many of these digital systems are developed and managed by third‑party organisations contracted by the NHS to provide specialist services that contribute to high‑quality patient care. Your information may be shared with, or processed by, these organisations where it is relevant and necessary for your care.

Digital Tools

We use a range of digital tools to improve patient experience and support administrative functions within the practice. These tools include services for patient registration, online appointment booking, text messaging, online consultations, appointment reminders, and SMS campaigns that help us keep you informed about services, changes, and important updates at the practice.

Some of these digital tools—both clinical and administrative—may also incorporate automation or artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance accuracy, safety, and operational efficiency.

Safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults

If we have significant concerns, or receive information indicating that a child or vulnerable adult may be at risk of harm, we may share relevant information with other organisations involved in safeguarding and ensuring their safety. This may include local authorities, social care teams, and the Police.

Further information can be found in our Safeguarding Statement Policy.

Medicines Management

We work with the local Medicines Management Team at NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB) to help ensure that patients receive the most effective and appropriate medicines for managing their conditions. This work generally uses anonymous data; however, the team may sometimes support the practice in reviewing medication for patients with more complex needs. Our clinicians may also seek advice and guidance from the Medicines Management Team on specific prescribing queries.

Identifying health risks

We use systems known as risk stratification tools to help identify individuals who may be at higher risk of developing certain conditions. This enables us to focus on preventing ill health before it develops and to offer additional support where appropriate. These tools use information from a range of sources, including hospitals and the practice. Using this information helps us identify patients who may benefit from further care, monitoring, or preventative services to improve their health.

Population Health Management

Health and care services work together as part of Integrated Care Systems (ICS) and share data for several important reasons:

• To understand the health and care needs of the local population, including identifying health inequalities and areas where support is needed most.
• To target resources and support where they will have the greatest impact on improving outcomes and reducing inequalities.
• To identify early interventions that help keep people well, not only supporting those already receiving care but also joining up services across different organisations to provide more coordinated and proactive care.

Multidisciplinary Team

For some long‑term conditions, such as asthma, the practice takes part in meetings with staff from other organisations involved in providing your care. These meetings help us plan and coordinate the most appropriate care for patients with complex or long‑term health needs.

National Services (including screening programmes)

There are several national NHS services—such as the National Diabetes Audit and the National Cancer Screening Programmes—that collect and securely hold information from across the NHS. This allows the NHS to know when to contact you about important services, including cervical, breast, or bowel cancer screening.

You can find out more about how the NHS holds and shares your information for national screening programmes by visiting the NHS Screening website.

Information may also be shared for public health purposes when necessary—for example, if someone contracts a communicable disease such as measles. Sharing this data helps health authorities monitor and manage public health risks and support the safety of the wider population.

Clinical Audit

Information may be used by the Integrated Care Board (ICB) for clinical audit purposes to monitor the quality of care provided to patients with long‑term conditions. In some cases, information is held centrally and used for statistical or audit purposes—for example, contributions to national programmes such as the National Diabetes Audit. When this happens, strict measures are applied to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified from the data.

Clinical Research

We occasionally receive requests from external organisations to use patient information for research purposes. If such a request involves identifiable information, we will always ask for your explicit permission before any information is shared.

Improving Diabetes Care

Information that does not identify individual patients is used to support practice‑led local diabetes review meetings between healthcare professionals. Using anonymised data in this way enables focused discussions about how to improve the management and support of patients with diabetes, without revealing any personal information.

Individual Funding Request

An Individual Funding Request (IFR) is a request made on your behalf, with your consent, by a clinician to seek funding for specialised healthcare that falls outside the range of services routinely commissioned by the Integrated Care Board (ICB). An IFR may be considered when your clinician is able to demonstrate that there are exceptional clinical circumstances which make your case significantly different from other patients with the same condition at a similar stage of illness, or when the treatment requested is new or experimental and there are no comparable patients who might benefit from it.

Once the ICB has reviewed the request, a detailed response—setting out the decision and the criteria considered—will be provided to your GP.

Invoice Validation

Invoice validation is an important process that helps ensure healthcare providers are paid correctly for the services they deliver. It involves using your NHS number to identify which Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for funding your treatment. Section 251 of the NHS Act 2006 provides a legal basis for the use of patient information for invoice validation purposes. Your NHS number may also be used to check whether your care should be funded through specialised commissioning, which is paid for by NHS England. This process ensures that payments are accurate and made to the appropriate organisations.

National Fraud Initiative - Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office uses data for data‑matching exercises under statutory authority provided by Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. These exercises are carried out to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. The use of information for this purpose does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under data protection legislation. All data‑matching undertaken by the Cabinet Office is subject to a published Code of Practice, which sets out how the data must be handled securely and lawfully. 

For further information see the UK Government website.

National Registries

National registries, such as the Learning Disabilities Register, have statutory permission under Section 251 of the NHS Act 2006 to collect and hold identifiable patient information without the need to obtain consent from each individual. This permission allows these registries to gather the information necessary to support planning, monitoring, and improving services for specific patient groups.

NHS App integration

Registered patients who use the NHS App can access and use the online services functionality through the app, giving them greater accessibility to healthcare services and advice from the practice.

This integration has been commissioned by NHS England, who—together with the GP practice—act as Joint Data Controllers for the data processed through online consultations accessed via the NHS App. It is important to note that NHS England does not have access to your GP patient record as part of these arrangements.

Summary Care Record (SCR)

The NHS in England uses a national electronic record called the Summary Care Record (SCR) to support patient care. Your SCR contains key information extracted from your GP record. It provides authorised healthcare professionals with fast, secure access to essential information about you in an emergency or when you require unplanned care—situations where your full medical record may not be available.

SCRs are designed to improve the safety and quality of the care you receive. The core SCR includes your:

• allergies
• adverse reactions
• current medications

With your agreement, an SCR with additional information can also include:

• the reason for prescribed medications
• vaccinations
• significant diagnoses and long‑term problems
• significant procedures
• anticipatory care information
• end‑of‑life care preferences

Adding this additional information can improve the care you receive, especially in urgent or unplanned situations.

Please be aware that if you choose to opt out of having an SCR, NHS healthcare staff treating you outside of this practice may not have immediate access to important details such as your current medications, allergies, or past reactions to medication. This may affect their ability to treat you safely in an emergency. If you opt out, your information will only be shared using traditional methods such as letter, email, or telephone.

You can opt out of the Summary Care Record either by completing the online opt‑out process or by filling in an SCR opt‑out form and returning it to the practice.

Supporting Locally Commissioned Services

Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) support GP practices by auditing anonymised data to monitor locally commissioned services, assess local health needs, and improve data quality. This data does not include any information that can identify you. It is used solely to support the planning and delivery of patient care and to ensure providers are accurately reimbursed for the services they provide.

 

Reviews of and Changes to our Privacy Notice

We will keep our Privacy Notice under regular review. This notice was last reviewed in January 2026.