How we use your data

How is my personal data collected and safeguarded?

Confidentiality affects everyone. The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust collects, stores and uses large amounts of personal data every day, such as medical records, personal records and computerised information. This data is used by many people in the course of their work.

We take our duty to protect your personal information and confidentiality very seriously and we are committed to taking all reasonable measures to ensure the confidentiality and security of personal data for which we are responsible, whether computerised or on paper.

At Trust Board level, we have appointed a Senior Information Risk Owner who is accountable for the management of all information assets and any associated risks and incidents, and a Caldicott Guardian who is responsible for the management of patient information and patient confidentiality.

Can I request a copy of my own health record?

Patients are able to obtain a copy of their own health records. To do this please complete the application form on the Freedom of Information page and email a copy of your identification to [email protected]. On receipt of these, the Trust is legally allowed 30 calendar days to process the request.

Electronic prescribing and medicine administration data collection

NHS England is collecting information for medicine given to patients by hospitals in England when that data is recorded on a computer system. Protection has been put in place to ensure the information is securely transferred from hospitals to NHS England, is stored safely, and can only be accessed by organisations that have a legal basis and legitimate need to use it.

The information will be analysed with the main objective being that it will improve safety for patients. Some examples of what this data will be used for are to examine how antibiotics are used in hospitals, to see how new medicines are used, and to monitor medicine usage. NHS England will collect the information every week from 13 January 2025, and will collect older information back to June 2018 (or from when the computer system started to be used if after June 2018.

To read more about the information NHS England collects, the reasons for collecting this information and what choices and rights patients have, see the NHS England keeping patient data safe web page. NHS England has published a Transparency Notice which shows the legal basis for collecting and sharing this data. Because legal Directions have been issued for this collection patients cannot opt-out of this data being provided to NHS England, but can opt-out of NHS England providing it for research to organisations applying through the Data Access Request Service.

The Federated Data Platform (FDP)

Every day, NHS staff and clinicians are providing care in new and innovative ways, achieving better outcomes for patients, and driving efficiency. Scaling and sharing these innovations across the health and care system in England is a key challenge for the NHS.

Harnessing the power of digital, data and technology is the key to recovering from the pandemic, addressing longer-term challenges, and delivering services in new and more sustainable ways.

Referral To Treatment

Referral to Treatment (RTT) is used when a patient is referred by a GP (or another healthcare professional) to a consultant-led service for non-emergency treatment. It’s part of the process that tracks how long patients wait to start their treatment after being referred. The FDP helps us manage and report on referrals to treatment so we can provide the best possible care while ensuring we operate efficiently and meet our obligations.

Patient Level Information and Costing Systems

Patient Level Information and Costing Systems enable the NHS to better understand how NHS monies are being used. This is through the use of personal information (called ‘personal data’ under data protection laws) about patients who are receiving treatment. This information is only accessible by the care organisations providing you with treatment.

Leeds Care Record

The Leeds Care Record gives health and social care professionals directly in charge of your care access to the most up-to-date information about you. It does this by sharing certain information from all your medical and care records automatically between health and social care services in Leeds.