Noticeboard

Flu jabs 2017


 


It’s time to think about getting a flu vaccination.


This winter could see a very high number of flu cases in the country.


Australia is currently in the grip of its worst flu outbreak on record and the global circulation of the virus means that episodes in the Antipodes are indicators of the likelihood of outbreaks in Europe later in the year.


For many people a bout of flu will result in symptoms such as headaches, aches, pains and tiredness.


However for people in “at-risk” groups flu can have serious consequences, leading to existing health conditions getting worse or the development of an illness such as bronchitis or pneumonia.  For example, if you have asthma the symptoms may become more severe if you catch flu. For people with diabetes flu can potentially cause high blood sugar levels. Pregnant women should know that a bout of the flu could leave their child with a life-long health condition.


That’s why it is so important that people in these “at-risk” groups arrange to have a flu vaccination.


You are eligible for a free flu vaccination from your GP practice if you:



  • Are aged 65 years or over

  • Are pregnant

  • Receive a carer’s allowance or are a Ccarer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill

  • Are living in a long-stay residential care home or other long-stay care facility

  • Are aged between six months and 65 years and have a heart problem, a chest complaint or breathing difficulties, lowered immunity due to disease or treatment, liver disease, had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack(TIA), diabetes, a neurological condition or a problem with or removal of the spleen e.g. sickle cell disease

  • Are a child born between 1 Sept 2013 – 31 August 2015 – plus children in reception class and school years one, two and three.


If you know someone in one of these categories please remind them of the importance of protecting their health this winter.



Please speak to a member of Staff if you would like any further information or to book an appointment.

Privacy Notice

How we use your personal information

This fair processing notice explains why the GP practice collects information about you and how that information may be used.

The health care professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have received previously (e.g. NHS Trust, GP Surgery, Walk-in clinic, etc.). These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.

NHS health records may be electronic, on paper or a mixture of both, and we use a combination of working practices and technology to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure. Records which this GP

Practice hold about you may include the following information;

    • Details about you, such as your address, carer, legal representative, emergency contact details

    • Any contact the surgery has had with you, such as appointments, clinic visits, emergency appointments, etc.

    • Notes and reports about your health

    • Details about your treatment and care

    • Results of investigations such as laboratory tests, x-rays etc

    • Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you

To ensure you receive the best possible care, your records are used to facilitate the care you receive. Information held about you may be used to help protect the health of the public and to help us manage the NHS. Information may be used within the GP practice for clinical audit to monitor the quality of the service provided.

Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we do this, we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified. Sometimes your information may be requested to be used for research purposes – the surgery will always gain your consent before releasing the information for this purpose.

Medicines Management Reviews

The Practice may conduct Medicines Management Reviews of medications prescribed to its patients. This service performs a review of prescribed medications to ensure patients receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost effective treatments. This service is provided to practices within Ipswich and East Suffolk CCG.

How do we maintain the confidentiality of your records?

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with:

    • Data Protection Act 1998(and the provisions of the new Data Protection Act 2018, effective from 25 May 2018)

    • Human Rights Act 1998

    • Common Law Duty of Confidentiality

    • Health and Social Care Act 2012

    • NHS Codes of Confidentiality, Information Security and Records Management

    • Information: To Share or Not to Share Review

Every member of staff who works for an NHS organisation has a legal obligation to keep information about you confidential.

We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to any third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. life or death situations), where the law requires information to be passed on and / or in accordance with the new information sharing principle following Dame Fiona Caldicott’s information sharing review (Information to share or not to share) where “The duty to share information can be as important as the duty to protect patient confidentiality.” This means that health and social care professionals should have the confidence to share information in the best interests of their patients within the framework set out by the Caldicott principles. They should be supported by the policies of their employers, regulators and professional bodies.

Who are our partner organisations?

We may also have to share your information, subject to strict agreements on how it will be used, with some of the following organisations;

    • NHS Trusts / Foundation Trusts

    • GP’s

    • NHS Commissioning Support Units

    • Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists

    • Private Sector Providers

    • Voluntary Sector Providers

    • Ambulance Trusts

    • Clinical Commissioning Groups

    • Social Care Services

    • Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC)

    • Local Authorities

    • Education Services

    • Fire and Rescue Services

    • Police & Judicial Services

    • Voluntary Sector Providers

    • Private Sector Providers

    • Other ‘data processors’ which you will be informed of

You will be informed who your data will be shared with and in some cases asked for explicit consent for this happen when this is required.

We may also use external companies to process personal information, such as for archiving purposes. These companies are bound by contractual agreements to ensure information is kept confidential and secure.

Access to personal information

You have a right under the General Data Protection Regulations to request access to view or to obtain copies of what information the surgery holds about you and to have it amended should it be inaccurate. In order to request this, you need to do the following:

    • Your request must be made in writing to the Data Protection Officer for the practice– for information from the hospital you should write direct to them

    • You have a right of access to a copy of all of the information held about you free of charge.

    • We are required to respond to you within one month.

    • You will need to give adequate information (for example full name, address, date of birth, NHS number and details of your request) so that your identity can be verified and your records located

Objections / Complaints

Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed at the practice, please contact the Data Protection Officer for the surgery. If you are still unhappy following a review by the GP practice, you can then complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) via their website (www.ico.gov.uk).

If you are happy for your data to be extracted and used for the purposes described in this privacy notice then you do not need to do anything. If you have any concerns about how your data is shared then please contact the practice.

Change of Details

It is important that you tell the person treating you if any of your details such as your name or address have changed or if any of your details such as date of birth is incorrect in order for this to be amended. You have a responsibility to inform us of any changes so our records are accurate and up to date for you.

Notification

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires organisations to register a notification with the Information Commissioner to describe the purposes for which they process personal and sensitive information.

This information is publicly available on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk

The practice is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).

Who is the Data Controller?

The Data Controller, responsible for keeping your information secure and confidential is: Dr Jon Herman

Mendlesham Medical Group - (ICO No: Z4603065)

Complaints

Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed by the Practice please contact the Practice Manager at the following address:

Mendlesham Medical Group

Chapel Road

Mendlesham

Stowmarket

Suffolk

IP14 5SQ

If you are still unhappy following a review by the Practice you can then complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). www.ico.org.uk, casework@ico.org.uk, telephone: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745

 



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