Collection of Information

Collection Of Information

This practice is required to supply personal health data to comply with its legal obligations from time to time, as directed by the secretary of state for health, or other recognised statutory authority.

From January 2016, the health and social care information centre (HSCIC) will soon begin to collect anonymous data from the general practice clinical system on patients who have been issued with a fit note.

This information is required by the HSCIC under section 259(1) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. In line with section 259(5) of the Act, all general practices in England must comply with this requirement and provide information to the HSCIC in the form, manner and period specified in this data provision notice. This notice is issued in accordance with the procedure published as part of the HSCIC duty under Section 259(8).

Anonymised data on the use of fit notes is being provided to the HSCIC on behalf of department of health, and the department for work and pensions. This will enable the department for work and pensions to undertake research analysis to inform policy relating to employment and sickness absence, including evaluation of fit for work.

The data collected includes the type and duration of the fit note, recommendations for adjustments to enable a return to work, diagnostic codes, geographic area and gender.

You may want to prevent confidential information about you from being shared or used for any purpose other than providing your care. If you do not want information that identifies you to be shared outside your GP practice, please inform the practice and we will make a note of this in your medical record. You can contact us by completing a request online

This will prevent your confidential information from being used other than in special circumstances required by law, such as a public health emergency. This is known as a type 1 objection.

The HSCIC also makes national collections of information from other places where you receive care, such as hospitals and community services. They only release this information in identifiable form where there is legal approval to do so.

You can opt out of this identifiable information leaving the HSCIC for purposes beyond your direct care. This is known as a type 2 objection. The only exceptions to this are very rare circumstances, such as a civil emergency or a public health emergency.