Personal Data

Personal Data Policy - Kensington Medical Centre Belfast

The following IT systems are in use at the practice:

  • Referral Management (using H+C numbers in referrals)
  • Electronic Appointment Booking (the facility to book routine appointments online and, similarly, to cancel appointments
  • Online requests of repeat prescriptions
  • Summary Care Record (uploading details of your current medication and allergies to Encompass so that these are available for doctors involved in your care elsewhere)
  • GP to GP transfers (the electronic transfer of records from practice to practice when you re-register
  • Patient Access to records (the facility to view your prescription records online).

If you are not already registered for online access and would like to be please complete our online form.

Please note Encompass is a Health and Social Care Northern Ireland wide initiative that has an electronic care record for every person in Northern Ireland. This will be a single, digital record for each person. It records all the health and social care needs of a person for the whole of their life. 

If you would like access to your medical records enabled or would like to opt out of the local or national summary care record, please contact reception.

At Kensington Medical Centre Belfast, we have a specific Personal Data Policy which outlines how your personal information is managed within the practice. This policy is closely related to our Data Protection and Privacy Policies, ensuring your information is handled with the utmost care and in accordance with legal requirements.
 
What Information We Collect About You
Kensington Group Practice has a legal duty to explain how we use any personal information collected about you as a registered patient. Staff at this practice maintain records about your health and the treatment you receive in both electronic and paper formats.
We collect information such as:
 
• Personal details, including your name, address, and next of kin.
• Records of appointments, visits, and telephone calls.
• Your health records, including treatment and medications.
• Test results and X-rays.
• Any other relevant information to enable us to deliver effective medical care.
 
How We Use Your Information Your data is primarily collected for the purpose of providing direct patient care. However, this information can be disclosed if it is required by law, if you give consent, or if it is justified in the public interest.
 
To comply with its legal obligations, Kensington Group Practice may send data to the Department of Health & Social Care when directed by the Health Minister under the Health & Social Care Act 2012. Additionally, this practice contributes to national clinical audits and will send required data to the Department of Health & Social Care when legally permitted. This may include demographic data, such as date of birth, and information about your health recorded in coded form, for example, for diabetes or high blood pressure.
 
Processing your information in this way and obtaining your consent ensures compliance with GDPR.
 
Maintaining Confidentiality and Your Rights
We are committed to maintaining confidentiality and protecting the information we hold about you. We adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the NHS codes of Confidentiality and Security, as well as guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
 
You have a right to access the information we hold about you. To do so, you will need to complete a Subject Access Request (SAR) form, which can be obtained at reception. Furthermore, should you identify any inaccuracies, you have a right to have the accurate data corrected.
 
IT Systems and Online Access The following IT systems are in use at Kensington Group Practice to manage your data:
• Referral Management: Uses H+C numbers in referrals.
• Electronic Appointment Booking: Provides the facility to book and cancel routine appointments online.
• Online booking of repeat prescriptions.
• Summary Care Record: Uploads details of your current medication and allergies to Encompass for availability to doctors involved in your care elsewhere. This information is used nationally across Northern Ireland and accessed only by authorised healthcare professionals directly involved in your care, usually with your permission.
• GP to GP transfers: Allows the electronic transfer of records from practice to practice when you re-register.
• Patient Access to records: Provides the facility to view your medical records online.
If you are not already registered for online access and wish to be, please complete our online form. If you would like access to your medical records enabled or wish to opt out of the local or national summary care record, please contact reception.
 
Risk Stratification
Risk stratification is a mechanism used to identify and manage patients deemed to be at high risk of requiring urgent or emergency care, typically those with long-term conditions like diabetes , chronic kidney disease. Your information is collected from various sources, including Kensington Group Practice, processed electronically, and assigned a risk score. This score is relayed to your GP to help decide on necessary actions to ensure you receive the most appropriate care.
 
Opt-Outs You have a right to object to your information being shared. If you wish to opt out of data collection, you can speak to a member of staff who can explain how to opt-out and prevent the sharing of your information, by speaking to a staff member. For the Summary Care Record, you can ask reception for an opt-out form. A parent or guardian can request to opt out children under 16, but the GP ultimately decides whether to create the records due to their duty of care.
 
Data Retention In accordance with the NHS codes of Practice for Records Management, your healthcare records will be retained for 10 years after death, or if a patient emigrates, for 10 years after the date of emigration.
 
Questions and Complaints Should you have any questions about our privacy policy or the information we hold about you, you can:
1. Contact the practice’s data controller via email or telephone. GP practices are data controllers for the data they hold about their patients.
2. Write to the data controller at Kensington Group Practice. The Data Protection Officer (DPO) for Kensington Group Practice is the practice manager Alan Erwin at Kensington Group Practice.
In the unlikely event that you are unhappy with any element of our data-processing methods, you have the right to lodge a complaint with  the Information Commissioner’s Office ICO.
 
Changes to Our Privacy Policy We regularly review our privacy policy, and any updates will be published on our website and on posters to reflect the changes.
 
Website Accessibility and Features Our website uses small files called cookies to ensure it functions correctly. We also use Google Translate cookies and analytical cookies to understand how our site is used and to improve user experience. These analytical cookies send information to Google Analytics. You can set your preference for these cookies and change your settings at any time using our cookie policy. The website also provides a direct option to "Translate this website with google". 
 
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we strive to provide a secure and transparent healthcare environment for everyone at Kensington Medical Centre Belfast.

Page last reviewed: 27 July 2025
Page created: 19 November 2020