More Than Health Privacy Policy 2024
1. Confidentiality and Data Protection
More Than Health AG keeps medical records confidential and complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018. We securely store your medical records to ensure you always have access to them and to provide you with safe care and treatment. We also use your information to check and review the quality of the care we provide, helping us improve our services to you.
2. Use of Your Information
We will share relevant information from your medical records with other healthcare professionals involved in your care, such as consultants and pharmacies. We recommend sharing the care provided here with your primary healthcare provider; however, this will only be done with your written consent, and you will be provided with copies of all correspondence.
3. Your Rights
- Object to Sharing: You have the right to object to your information being shared for your care, but this may affect the care you receive. Objections must be submitted in writing. Please speak to Dr. Meuschel or another team member if you wish to object. Even if you do not want us to share information with your primary physician, we will still require those details, as they might be needed in an emergency.
- Access to Data: You have the right to access the data we hold about you and receive a copy. Parents may access their child's records if it is in the child's best interests and not contrary to a competent child's wishes. Formal applications for access must be in writing to the practice manager.
- Correction of Errors: You have the right to have any errors or mistakes corrected. Contact Dr. Meuschel or a team member immediately if there are errors in our documentation.
4. Data Storage
We strive to deliver our services in a paperless manner. All clients/patients are registered in our patient management system. In rare instances where hard copies are temporarily required, they will be securely stored in a locked filing system. Our database holds:
- Name, address
- Date of birth
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Next of kin
- Confirmation of the details of your primary care provider
- Bank details
- Past and current medical conditions
- X-rays and clinical photographs
- Information about your treatment that we have provided or propose, and its cost
- Notes of conversations or incidents that might occur and require a record
- Records of consent to treatment
- Any correspondence related to you from yourself or other healthcare professionals
We will ask you to inform us immediately of any changes to your personal details, such as name, address, telephone number, email address, or bank account details where applicable. We will remind you annually to update your medical history and contact details.
5. Patient Management System
Our patient management system also holds your medical records, which are accessible only to authorized practice members directly involved in your care. We currently use Function365 as our main patient management tool. Please ask us if you would like to know more about the system and how we store and handle your data.
6. Confidentiality Policy
All practice members follow our confidentiality policy. Please let us know if you would like to see a copy.
7. Medical Records Retention
Medical records will be kept in line with the law and national guidance. Only in exceptional circumstances will we keep or store hard copy medical records, and in such cases, we can advise you on how long these hard copies are legally required to be kept. We keep digital medical records indefinitely or until government regulations change.
8. Safeguarding
In appropriate circumstances, it is a legal and professional requirement to share information for safeguarding reasons. This is to protect people from harm. These circumstances are rare and do not require your consent. Information will be shared with the local safeguarding service. Please ask us if you like to see our safeguarding policies for more information.
9. Disclosure of Information
To provide proper and safe medical care, we may need to disclose personal information about you to:
- Healthcare professionals and staff at More Than Health
- Hospitals (if required, e.g., referral or emergency transfer)
- Out of hours services
- Diagnostic and treatment centres
- Other organizations involved in the provision of direct care to individual patients
- Regulatory bodies
Disclosure will take place on a ‘need-to-know’ basis, and only with your written consent unless required by law. If you do not wish your data to be disclosed, please discuss this with Dr. Meuschel. This may affect our ability to provide care.
10. Consent
You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, but this will not be retrospective. We will continue to obtain consent for services or procedures undertaken through More Than Health.
11. GDPR Communication Consent
We require your consent under GDPR to communicate with you via phone, email, or post. We will ask you to:
- Opt-in to any marketing or other communication.
- Choose how you wish to be contacted.
- Withdraw consent at any time.
12. Website Use
Our website provides information purposes only and is not healthcare advice. Professional advice from a qualified doctor should always be sought. We accept no responsibility for any loss arising from reliance on the information on our site or any linked site.
13. Personal Information on the Website
Most pages can be accessed without giving personal information. If you submit an enquiry, we will securely store your information and our response. Do not send confidential details or debit/credit card numbers by email unless requested by us.
14. Cookies and IP Logging
When you visit our website, our server records your computer’s IP address and the time and duration of your visit. We use cookies to track pages visited on our website and analyze site usage. You can disable cookies in your browser without affecting your use of our website.
15. External Links
Our website may contain links to other sites. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of third-party sites. Posting a link does not imply affiliation or endorsement.
More Than Health AG • May 2022
Revised - July 2024