How data is collected

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Data is collected every time you are in contact with a health and care organisation.

Your contact details, information about your NHS appointments, and the medicines or treatments you receive are all examples of data.

This information is vital in helping doctors, nurses and other health and care professionals make choices about your care. However, you can manage the consent you give and your privacy to stay in control.

Through our work to share information, such as the shared digital health and care record Share for Care and apps for residents to access their own health and care records, there are benefits for residents and also for health and social care professionals.

Improved access to data can result in increased life expectancy and healthy life expectancy. It can also help to improve a person’s wellbeing and reduce health inequalities.

Our data and digital work means residents should have a better experience of health and care services. Health and social care professionals will also benefit.

Residents will:

  • only need to provide basic information, such as their name and address, once rather than having to repeat it for different systems
  • get fewer assessments and tests
  • receive reminders to book check-ups, vaccinations or to attend health appointments
  • receive support to manage their own care. This will be done through better access to health and care services, peer support or social prescribing
  • access their own data and manage consent and privacy

Health and social care professionals can:

  • access live information about a patient’s clinical history, enabling them to make the right decision at the right time
  • provide more personalised care
  • have a joined-up view of a residents’ care. They can see appointments, hospital admissions or access to social care or mental health services in one place
  • improve care planning, scheduling and reduce delays
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