Information sharing

The trust is required to protect personal information about you and inform you about how personal information will be used as part of providing healthcare to you.

The primary legal basis used for sharing information about you is public task. It is important to note that me may also use information about you where there is another legal basis to do so.

We may need to share relevant personal information with other NHS or Non-NHS Organisations. Sometimes special permission will be given to use information that identifies you without your consent. This may be for medical research or checking quality of care.   This permission is given by the Secretary of State for Health on advice from the National Information Governance Board for Health and Social Care under strict conditions.

Approved research

For approved medical research, personal information will be anonymised to protect individual identities. If this is not possible, we will request approval from the Health Research Authority. If you would prefer that Oxford Health does not use personal information relating to you to be used for research please speak to your clinical team.

Research Secure Data Environment

Oxford Health and other NHS organisations contribute to the Thames Valley & Surrey Secure Data Environment (TVS SDE).  This is a large NHS data repository for research purposes hosted by Oxford University Hospitals.  NHS, university or industry researchers can apply to become approved users to access this data. Access to this system is strictly controlled.

National Clinical Audit of Psychosis

We are taking part in the National Clinical Audit of Psychosis to help improve the care people with Psychosis receive. We will be collecting information about the care received by people in Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services.

Third parties

The Trust may be required by law to share personal information with other parties. There may be occasions where this can be done lawfully without consent where there is a legal obligation.

This may occur in the following circumstances:

• Auditing or administering public funds, to prevent and detect fraud.
• Disclosure under a court order
• Sharing with the Care Quality Commission for inspection purposes
• For the prevention or detection of crime or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders
• Where there is an overriding public interest to prevent abuse or serious harm to others and other public bodies.

Other NHS organisations

Sharing personal information with other NHS Organisations would be for the purpose of healthcare.

These authorities would be:

• NHS England
• NHS Integrated Care Board
• Public Health England
• Other NHS Trusts
• General Practitioners (GPs)
• Ambulance Services
• Primary Care Providers.

This may also include those contracted to provide services (including private sector providers) to the NHS to support your healthcare needs.

Sharing personal information with Non-NHS Organisations from which you may be receiving care could include Social Services or private care homes.

Shared Care Record Systems

Oxford Health provides personal information to shared care record systems within the areas in which it operates. These systems allow instant, secure access to health and social care records about you for the professionals involved in your care.  This gives them up-to-date information making your care safer and more efficient.

• Thames Valley and Surrey Shared Care Record
• Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Record (BSW ICR)

National Data Opt Out

The Trust and NHS services use personal information for planning services, improving care, and for research into developing new treatments and preventing illness.

 You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way. To find out more about the wider use of confidential personal information and to register your choice to opt out please visit Your NHS data matters.