DATA PROTECTION PRIVACY NOTICE FOR PATIENTS
This data protection notice sets out what data Rosyth Dental Care collects and how it protects information that you provide.
In providing your dental care and treatment, we will ask for information about you and your health. Occasionally, we may receive information from other providers who have been involved in providing your care. This privacy notice describes the type of personal information we hold, why we hold it and what we do with it.
About us
We are Rosyth Dental Care Ltd operating at 103 Queensferry Rd, Rosyth KY11 2PS.
The practice owner is responsible for keeping secure the information about you that we hold. Those at the practice who have access to your information include dentists and other dental professionals involved with your care and treatment, as well as reception staff and the practice manager responsible for the management and administration of the practice.
Our Data Protection Officer ensures that the practice complies with data protection requirements to ensure that we collect, use, store and dispose of your information responsibly. You can contact the practice by phone on 01383 223 500.
Information that we hold
We can only keep and use information for specific reasons set out in the law. If we want to keep and use information about your health, we can only do so in particular circumstances. Below, we describe the information we hold, why we hold it, and the lawful basis for collecting and using it.
Contact Details
We hold personal information about you including your name, date of birth, NHS number, address, telephone number and email address. This information allows us to fulfil our contract with you to provide appointments.
We may also use this information to send you reminders and recall appointments as we have a legitimate interest in ensuring your continuing care and in making you aware of services available at the practice.
Dental Records
We hold information about your dental and general health, including:
- Clinical records made by dentists and other dental professionals involved with your care and treatment
- X-rays, clinical photographs, digital scans of your mouth and teeth, and study models
- Medical and dental histories
- Treatment plans and consent records
- Notes of conversations with you about your care
- Dates of your appointments
- Details of any complaints you have made and how these complaints were dealt with
- Correspondence with you and other health professionals or institutions
We collect and use this information to fulfil our contract with you by discussing treatment options and providing dental care that meets your needs. We also use this information to ensure the quality and continuity of the treatment we provide.
Financial Information
We hold information about the fees charged, payments made and some payment details. This information forms part of our contractual obligation to provide dental care and allows us to meet legal and financial requirements.
Where your dental care is provided under NHS arrangements, we are required to complete statutory forms to allow payments to be processed in accordance with NHS requirements.
How We Use Your Information
To provide dental care and treatment, we require accurate and up-to-date information about you.
We may share relevant information with NHS services or private dental schemes of which you are a member in connection with your dental treatment.
We may also:
- Contact you to conduct patient surveys or obtain feedback about the care you received
- Ask your preference for how we contact you regarding appointments and dental care (such as telephone or letter)
- Use your contact details to inform you about services available at the practice
Sharing Information
Your information is normally used only by those working at the practice, but there may be occasions where it needs to be shared, for example with:
- Your doctor
- Hospitals, community dental services or other healthcare professionals involved in your care
- Specialist dental or medical services to which you may be referred
- NHS payment authorities
- The Department for Work and Pensions where you are claiming exemption or remission from NHS charges
- Dental laboratories
- Debt collection agencies where necessary
- Private dental schemes of which you are a member
Information will only be shared on a need-to-know basis, and only the minimum information necessary will be provided.
In certain circumstances, or where required by law, information may also need to be disclosed to third parties not directly involved in your healthcare, such as HMRC or law enforcement or government agencies.
Keeping Your Information Safe
Your personal information is stored securely on the practice computer system. Access is limited to authorised members of the practice team who understand their responsibility to maintain confidentiality.
We take appropriate measures to ensure the security of:
- The practice premises
- Filing systems and records
- Computer systems and digital data
We use specialist dental software designed to manage patient information safely and effectively. The system maintains a secure audit trail and data is backed up routinely.
Some information may be stored using secure cloud-based systems. Agreements with service providers ensure that patient information is stored securely and in compliance with data protection requirements.
We normally keep patient records for 11 years after the date of the last visit, or until a patient reaches 25 years of age, whichever period is longer. At your request, certain non-essential information may be removed before the end of this period where possible.
Access to Your Information and Your Rights
You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to receive a copy of it. Copies are normally provided free of charge, although we may explain if a fee applies in exceptional circumstances.
You also have the right to request that we:
- Correct any information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete
- Remove certain non-clinical information where legally permitted
- Stop using your information for particular purposes such as appointment reminders or service information
- Provide your information electronically to another dental professional
If we rely on your consent to use personal information for a specific purpose, you may withdraw that consent at any time.
Requests regarding your personal information should be made directly to Rosyth Dental Care.
If You Have Concerns
If you do not wish your personal information to be used as described in this notice, please discuss the matter with a member of the dental team. In some circumstances, this may affect the ability of the practice to provide dental care.
If you have concerns about how your information is handled and feel unable to raise the matter with the practice, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
