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Who we are?
We are a private care home group providing 24-hour health and social care services throughout Fife.
We have 9 different facilities specialising in the following:
- Specialist learning disability services
- Specialist dementia services
- Specialist brain injury and mental health services for younger adults
- Specialist palliative and end of live services
- Specialist care services for frail older adults
- Assessment services integrated with the local authority
We serve a resident population of over 350 people and we employ over 450 staff covering a range of expertise and specialisms.
What is a privacy notice?
A Privacy Notice is a statement by the company to our service users, visitors, carers, the public and staff that describes how we collect, use, retain and disclose personal information which we hold. This privacy notice is part of our commitment to ensure that we process your personal information/data fairly and lawfully.
Why issue a privacy notice?
Abbotsford Care recognises the importance of protecting personal and confidential information in all that we do and takes care to meet its legal and regulatory duties. This notice is one of the ways in which we can demonstrate our commitment to our values and being transparent and open, and commitment to our values.
This notice also explains what rights you have to control how we use your information.
What are we governed by?
The key pieces of legislation/guidance we are governed by are:
- Data Protection Act 1998 Human Rights Act 1998 (Article 8)
- Access to Health Records Act 1990
- Freedom of Information Act 2000
- Health and Social Care Act 2012, 2015
- Public Records Act 1958
- General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) – post 25th May 2018
Who are we regulated by?
- Information Commissioner’s Office - https://ico.org.uk/
- Care Inspectorate - http://www.careinspectorate.com/
Our nurses and healthcare professionals are registered support staff are also regulated and governed by professional bodies:
- Nursing and Midwifery Council
- Scottish Social Services Council
Why and how we collect information?
We may ask for or hold personal confidential information about you which will be used to support delivery of appropriate care and treatment. This is to support the provision of high quality care. These records may include:
- Basic details, such as name, address, date of birth, next of kin.
- Contact we have had with health professionals on your behalf, such as appointments and home visits.
- Details and records of treatment and care, including notes and reports about your health
- Results of blood tests, etc.
- Information from people who care for you and know you well, such as relatives.
- It may also include personal sensitive information such as sexuality, race, your religion or beliefs, like and dislikes and whether you have a disability, allergies or health conditions.
It is important for us to have a complete picture, as this information assists staff involved in your care to deliver and provide improved care, deliver appropriate care plans and to meet your needs.
Information is collected in a number of ways, via your initial pre-assessment before arriving at our services and professional, referral details from your GP or directly given by you or your family.
How your information will be used?
- To help inform decisions that we make about your care.
- To ensure that your treatment is safe and effective.
- To work effectively with other organisations who may be involved in your care.
- To ensure our services can meet future needs.
- To review care provided to ensure it is of the highest standard possible
- To inform healthcare professionals.
- There is huge potential to use your information to deliver care and improve health and care services across our company.
- The information can be used to help:
- Improve individual care.
- Understand more about disease risks and causes.
- Plan services.
- Improve resident safety.
It helps you because you will be able to see accurate and up-to-date information assists us in providing you with the best possible care.
Where possible, when using information to inform future services and provision, non-identifiable information will be used.
How information is retained and kept safe?
Information is retained in secure electronic and paper records and access is restricted to only those who need to know. It is important that information is kept safe and secure, to protect your confidentiality. The Data Protection Act 1998 regulates the processing of personal information. Strict principles govern our use of information and our duty to ensure it is kept safe and secure. Abbotsford
Care (Glenrothes) Ltd is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). Details of our registration can be found on https://ico.org.uk/esdwebpages/search.
Enter our registration number (Z7485161) and click ‘search register’. ZA338225
Our guiding principle is that we are holding your information in strict confidence. Everyone working for the company is subject to the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality and the Data Protection Act 1998. Information provided in confidence will only be used for the purposes to which you consent to, unless there are other circumstances covered by the law.
Under the Confidentiality Code of Conduct, all staff are required to protect information, inform you of how your information will be used and allow you to decide if and how your information can be shared. This will be noted in your records.
Students, such as student nurses and health and social care students, could be receiving training in the service that is caring for you. Staff will make you aware of their presence before allow them to take part in your care.
How long we keep your personal data?
We will only retain your information for as long as we need to support the purposes for which it was collected. Records are maintained in line with Abbotsford’s retention schedule which determines the length of time records should be kept. At the end of this period the information is destroyed or deleted in line with our confidential destruction procedures. We retain de-personalised statistical information to help inform our work, but no individuals are identifiable from that data.
Who will the information be shared with?
To provide best care possible, sometimes we will need to share information about you with others. We may share your information with a range of Health and Social Care organisations and regulatory bodies. You may be contacted by any one of these organisations for a specific reason; they will have a duty to tell you why they have contacted you.
Information sharing is governed by specific rules and law. However, we will not disclose any health information to third parties without your explicit consent, unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the health or safety of others is at risk or where the law requires the disclosure of information.
We may also be asked to share basic information about you, such as your name and parts of your address, which does not include sensitive information from your health records. In these circumstances, where it is not practical to obtain your explicit consent, we are informing you through this notice, which is referred to as a Privacy Notice, under the Data Protection Act. Where resident information is shared with other organisations and agencies, an information sharing agreement is drawn up to ensure information is shared in a way that complies with relevant legislation.
Your rights
You have the right to refuse/withdraw consent to information sharing at any time. We will fully explain the possible consequences to you, which could include delays in you receiving care. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) you have a number of rights with regard to your personal data. You have the right to request from us access to
and rectification or erasure of your personal data, the right to restrict processing, object to processing as well as in certain circumstances the right to data portability.
If you have provided consent for the processing of your data you have the right (in certain circumstances) to withdraw that consent at any time which will not affect the lawfulness of the processing before your consent was withdrawn.
Can I access my information?
At Abbotsford Care we promote person-cetred values therefore, you will be directly involved in creating and devising the plans of care which we will hold and these will always be available for you to consult, change or adapt. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 a person may request access to information (with some exemptions) that is held about them by an organisation.
You have the right to lodge a complaint to the Information Commissioners’ Office if you believe that we have not complied with the requirements of the GDPR or DPA 18 with regard to your personal data.
Identity and contact details of controller and data protection officer
Abbotsford Care (Glenrothes) Ltd is the controller and processor of data for the purposes of the DPA 18 and GDPR.
If you have any concerns as to how your data is processed, you can contact: Alyson Vale – Abbotsford Care Data Protection Offer at a.mckechnie@abbotsford-care.co.uk - Business Development Manager
Or
you can write using the address:
Abbotsford Care (Glenrothes) Ltd,
Unit 4,
Midfield Drive,
Kirkcaldy,
KY1 3LW
