Data Sharing
For more information about this visit NHS Digital
As of 1st July 2021 your data will be shared with NHS Digital to help improve health, care and services.
Patient data from GP medical records kept by GP practices in England is used every day to improve health, care and services through planning and research, helping to find better treatments and improve patient care. The NHS is introducing an improved way to share this information - called the General Practice Data for Planning and Research data collection.
NHS Digital will collect, analyse, publish and share this patient data to improve health and care services for everyone. This includes:
- informing and developing health and social care policy
- planning and Commissioning health and care services
- taking steps to protect public health (including managing and monitoring the coronavirus pandemic)
- in exceptional circumstances, providing you with individual care
- enabling healthcare and scientific research
Any data that NHS Digital collects will only be used for health and care purposes. It is never shared with marketing or insurance companies.
Find out more at digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research
NHS Digital will not collect any patient data for patients who have already recorded a Type 1 Opt-out in line with current policy. If this changes patients who have recorded a Type 1 Opt-out will be informed.
If you do not want your patient data shared with NHS Digital, you can record a Type 1 Opt-out with us. You can record a Type 1 Opt-out at any time. You can also change your mind at any time and withdraw a Type 1 Opt-out.
Data sharing with NHS Digital will start on 1st July 2021.
If you have already recorded a Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice your data will not be shared with NHS Digital.
If you wish to record a Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice before data sharing starts with NHS Digital, this should be done by returning this form (EXTERNAL DOWNLOAD LINK) to us by 23 June 2021 to allow time for processing it. If you have previously recorded a Type 1 Opt-out and you would like to withdraw this, you can also use the form to do this. You can send the form by post or call 01342 823121 for a form to be sent out to you.
If you record a Type 1 Opt-out after your patient data has already been shared with NHS Digital, no more of your data will be shared with NHS Digital. NHS Digital will however still hold the patient data which was shared with us before you recorded the Type 1 Opt-out.
If you do not want NHS Digital to share your identifiable patient data with anyone else for purposes beyond your own care, then you can also record a National Data Opt-out. There is more about National Data Opt-outs and when they apply in the National Data Opt-out section below.
Opt out form (EXTERNAL DOWNLOAD LINK)
You can return the completed form by post or by hand.