Privacy, Data, Co-operation and Information Delivery Policy
Introduction
This policy is intended for all people who use AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd for GP consultations.
The AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd Terms and Conditions make up an integral part of this policy and are not separate.
We may amend this policy from time to time at our sole discretion. If we do amend this policy you will be notified via our website(s).
This is a Fundamental Standard to meet the requirements of regulation 12 and 17 (2014).
Procedure
Patient information on the AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd system is encrypted and only accessible to AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd two-point validated users. We use passwords to secure the information we hold and any information sent to patients is encrypted or password protected.
For full information regarding our security measures and the data we process please revert to our Privacy Policy.
All information sent from AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd is done so either directly to patients or to third parties, authorised by the patient, for example consultants or hospitals to facilitate referrals (with the exception of internal requirements and sharing, those obligations required of AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd under a relevant statute, legal authority or UK law).
The methods of delivery include email, text message and post (physical mail).
The delivery addresses (email, telephone number or postal/street address) for outward bound information (information that is processed by AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd on the patient and leaves the AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd system for an external address) is provided by patients.
When an address is applied into the system in relation to that patient’s account. The patient will be asked to check the address. If, for any reason, the address that the patient has checked and confirmed release of information to, is incorrect, it is solely due to the negligence of the patient not AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd, the consulting doctor or any member or agent of AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd. Patients should see AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd’s Terms and Conditions for more information on this matter, but are reminded, for their own safety and for the security of their information, to check all information they are presented with and inform AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd of any change in details, address or status.
As part of a patient’s consultation, or as part of the note release service offered by AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd patients may request certain information is sent to other third parties such as, for example, their own NHS General Practitioner, an Out of Hours Service or A&E team by way of letter or records/note release (as determined by the patient and delivery methods also to be determined by the patient). Such information will not be released unless the patient makes instruction to do so (in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Requests for release of information should be made by directly contacting AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd at info@privategpextra.com or by contacting the office on 0161 428 4464.
Please refer to our Chaperone, Confidentiality and Review Policies, which intrinsically, individually and together make up part of our general approach to the care of the user of AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd.
AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd requires all doctors to be DBS checked during the activation process (which precedes doctor gaining authorised access to the AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd platform as a doctor (not patient), whilst safeguarding certificates are held on file.
AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd requires notes of consultations to be kept in the AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd system when doctors see face to face or connect with patients in a consultation via AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd. These notes should be in accordance with the standards expected by the GMC and AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd and in such a form that should a patient connect more than once to a doctor using AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd, the notes of previous consultations, when accessed by the latest consulting physician can be understood easily whilst at the same time being accurate and an honest representation of the events that occurred. All consulting doctors are presented with previous consultation notes if they exist for a patient on the AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd system. Doctors should use the data and information in order to create a relevant and proper administration plan for each patient that they see on the platform.
In order to maintain care quality doctors are required to maintain high levels of notes of the consultations they hold with patients so that any other doctor seeing the patient on the platform from time to time can accurately understand what has previously occurred in an interaction with that patient via AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd. Any other information must come from the patient, and/or from appropriate questioning by the consulting doctor of the patient in front of them.
Patients upon registering with AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd agree and accept that information about them and notes that must be taken during the course of any consultation with AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd platform shall be held and stored on the AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd system and released to doctors accessing the platform as and when they seek to start a consultation or for any reason an authorised member of the AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd team needs to access the patients account from time to time.
When parents or guardians choose to use AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd to connect to a doctor for reasons concerning children (under the age of 16 years old) in their authorised and direct care, information about that child shall be linked information to the parent or guardian’s account only.
Referrals
Patient must agree to be being referred and to whom when in consultation with a doctor on AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd. All referrals are private and not NHS funded.
The patient will automatically receive (at no extra charge) a copy of any referral letter sent, via email once the referral letter has been approved by the referring clinician on the AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd system.
Information Transfer (and requests)
As part of a patients consultation, or as part of the note release service offered by AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd patients may request certain information is sent to other third parties such as, for example, their own NHS General Practitioner, an Out of Hours Service or A&E team by way of letter or records/note release (as determined by the patient and delivery methods also to be determined by the patient). Such information will not be released unless the patient makes instruction to do so (in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998). Requests for release of information should be made by directly contacting AJ Primus Healthcare Ltd at info@privategpextra.com or by contacting the office on 01614284464
Implementation
Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action being taken in line with the Disciplinary Policy.
All staff are responsible for implementing this policy and ensuring that the correct procedures are followed. This document may be amended at any stage as training requirements develop. The Manager should inform the Directors of the outcome of all disciplinary procedures.
Overall responsibility for ensuring the policy is implemented, monitored and reviewed rests with the Manager.
Audit
This policy should be reviewed annually or when there are changes in relevant legislation.