Keeping your health information private
You can get this leaflet as a PDF file by clicking the icon at the top right.
Doctors and nurses need to know things about you to look after you. This is your personal health information.
They write some of these things down. They write down who you are and where you live. They write down things about you being ill. They write down that you have been to hospital. They write down about tests that you have.
The law says that doctors and nurses must keep the things they know about you private. But they are allowed to tell other doctors or nurses. For example your GP needs to tell hospital doctors about you if you go into hospital.
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Your Emergency Care Summary
Your doctor keeps important information about your health. This information might be needed in an emergency. Other doctors or nurses will ask you before they look at it, if you are well enough to answer.
Ask your doctor if you want to know more about this.
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Sometimes your information is used to help improve the health service. For example to count the number of cases of diseases or to plan how many staff they need.
Usually things like your name and address would not be passed on when this happens.
If you agree doctors and nurses can also give your information to your family or carers or social workers. If you have a welfare guardian they may have the right to see your information. 
Your rights
You have the right to know what they do with your information.
You have the right to see what they have written about you.
You can say that you do not want other people to be told things about you.
You can complain if you are unhappy with what happens to your personal health information. Get an advocate or advice service to help you.
To find out more about anything in this leaflet you can contact your local NHS Board.
To find out more about your rights you can contact:
- ENABLE Scotland
2nd Floor
146 Argyle Street
Glasgow
G2 8BL
Phone: 0141 226 4541 (this line is open between 1pm and 4pm on Monday to Friday for information and advice)
Fax: 0141 204 4398
E-mail: enable@enable.org.uk
Website: www.enable.org.uk
- People First (Scotland)
77-79 Easter Road
Edinburgh
EH7 5PW
Phone: 0131 478 7707
Fax: 0131 478 7474
E-mail: peoplefirst1@btconnect.com
Your comments please!
We want to know what you think about this leaflet.
Please give us your comments:
- by post to HRIS, Consumer Focus Scotland, FREEPOST GW5277, Glasgow G1 3BR
- by emailing us at hris@consumerfocus.org.uk or by completing the feedback form in the contact us section of our website
- by phoning us on 0141 226 5261
We have tried our best to make sure this leaflet is correct but the
law is much more complicated than this. If you plan to take legal
action, you should get an advocate, advice service or solicitor to help
you.
You can get a longer version of this information which explains things covered here in more detail. You can also get it in other languages and formats.
You
can get all of this information in a printed leaflet from your local
NHS Board. If you need help to get this contact the NHS helpline on
0800 22 44 88 (textphone 18001 0800 22 44 88).
Produced by
Health Rights Information Scotland, a project of Consumer Focus Scotland, for the Scottish Government Health Directorates.
Version 4
Produced April 2009
Revision date February 2012
Page last edited: 21 April 2010