Information about you and the care you receive is shared, in a secure system, by healthcare staff to support your treatment and care.
The NHS uses this information to plan and improve services for all patients. They would like to link this information from all the different places where you receive care such as your GP surgery, hospital and community service to help them provide a full picture. As a result the care you received in one area can be compared against the care you received in another, so what has worked best can be seen.
Information such as your postcode and NHS number, but not your name, will be used to link your records in a secure system, so your identity is protected. Information which does not reveal your identity can then be used by others, such as researchers and those planning health services, to make sure we provide the best care possible for everyone.
How your information is used and shared is controlled by law and strict rules are in place to protect your privacy.
We need to make sure that you know this is happening and the choices you have made.
For more information please pick up a leaflet from the surgery or go to the website at www.nhs.uk/caredata