Adult Social Care Privacy Notice
This privacy notice tells you about what information we collect about you, how we use that information and who we share it with.
Who we are and what we do
Adult Social Care provides social care services for people with additional needs and some vulnerable people in our community. For further information about services available please ask your worker or see the Gateshead Council website.
This Privacy Notice explains how we use and share the personal information of adults and carers for whom we provide care and support. For the purposes of Data Protection, Gateshead Council is the Data Controller for your information.
What type of personal information do we collect and how do we collect it?
In order to provide you with high quality services which are relevant to your needs, Adult Social Care will collect and hold information about you. This may include:
- basic details such as your name, address, date of birth, NHS number
- personal demographics (including gender)
- relationship information such as next of kin
- relevant case information such as how you manage both in and outside the home on a day to day basis
- support required and assistance received from family and friends
- information about carers, relatives, next of kin
- information about how you make decisions
- information relating to risks
- information from other professionals involved in your care for example, your General Practitioner
- financial information such as income and details of property ownership
We collect the following special category data:
- health information such as details of medical conditions and mental health and wellbeing
- sensory and communication needs
- ethnic origin
- religion
- sexual orientation
We collect information about you in the following ways:
- face to face
- using assessment tools
- by secure email from those involved in your care
- by post
- by telephone
- from other professionals
- from other agencies / charities
- from other departments within the Council
- relatives/carers
- direct link to the NHS Spine to get your NHS number
- direct link to the Great North Care Record for health information about you
What is our lawful basis to obtain and use your personal information?
To enable us to provide services to you, it may be necessary for us to share your personal information with others.
To do so we will use the following legal basis for sharing your information:
- processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller (Art6(1)(e) GDPR)
- where we have a statutory obligation to process your personal data, our lawful basis is defined by Art 6(1)(c) GDPR. The legislation includes, but is not limited to:
- Care Act 2014
- Health and Social Care Act 2012
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
- Mental Health Act 1983
For special category data, which is more sensitive information, we rely on the following:
- Health and Social Care - we use it for the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services (Art9(2)(h) GDPR)
What is your personal information used for?
Gateshead Council holds information about Adult Social Care service users and carers in order to:
- understand any needs you may have for personal care and support
- provide you with relevant advice and information
- provide services or arrange for others to provide services to meet your eligible assessed needs
- provide services to members of your family or people with whom you have an important relationship
- understand if you or others are at risk of abuse and take appropriate action.
- carry out financial assessments for care services received
- review the quality of care you are receiving
- help investigate any worries or complaints you have about your care
Use of your NHS Number in Adult Social Care
If you are receiving support from Adult Social Care then the NHS may share your NHS number with Adult Social Care. This is so that the NHS and Adult Social Care are using the same number to identify you whilst providing your care. By using the same number the NHS and Adult Social Care can work together more closely to provide your care and support services. We will use this number when sharing information with health colleagues including GP's, hospitals, community matrons, district nurses and social care practitioners. If you wish to object to the use of your NHS Number for social care purposes, please talk with your General Practitioner, or email dpocouncil@gateshead.gov.uk.
Will your personal information be shared?
Yes, we may share your information with the NHS, with General Practitioners, with authorised partner organisations, and care providers in order to make sure you receive the appropriate care and support services for your needs and to make sure those involved in your direct care have accurate up to data information to help them provide the best possible services to you.
We will share information to provide health and social care professionals directly involved in your case the most up to date information about you, in some cases, such as for the prevention and detection of crime or for safeguarding purposes, we are legally obliged to share information with other agencies e.g. such as the police.
Great North Care Record
Gateshead Council Adult Social Care is a partner in the Great North Care Record (GNCR) and is now required to request and share your information from and with other relevant parties who are part of your care provision and ongoing support. This includes NHS Providers (such as General Practitioners, Acute Health Providers, Ambulance Services and Mental Health Care Providers) and adult social care.
Full details of the member organisations of the GNCR, what data may be viewed across the GNCR network, and what are the benefits to being part of the GNCR are available from the GNCR website (opens new window).
If you wish to opt-out of your data being shared via the GNCR, or you wish to speak to someone about this use of your data you can contact the GNCR helpline on 0344 811 9587. Please note that this will only prevent your information being shared via the GNCR and will not opt you out of sharing with those organisations who are currently providing you with your care, or may provide it in the future.
Your consent is not required to do this as it is necessary to ensure you receive the safest and highest quality of care and treatment. Exclusion from the GNCR may have a detrimental effect on the service we can provide to you. We will always seek to comply with your request, but in some circumstances there may be additional reasons where the sharing of your information may be necessary, for example a Court Order or where information is required to be shared should there be a concern that yourself or others are at risk of harm.
How do we keep your information secure?
The security of your personal information is important to us. The records we keep about you are secure and are confidential within the Council. The Council have a range of procedures, polices and systems to ensure that access to your records are controlled appropriately. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to only use the information for the purposes agreed and keep the information secure and confidential.
How long will we keep your personal information?
After we deliver a service to you, we must keep your information as a business record of what was delivered. The type of service you receive will determine how long we must keep your information. Our corporate retention guidelines show how long we keep information for different services. Your records will be retained in accordance with Gateshead Council's records retention schedule for Adult Services as follows:
- Adult social care case records - 20 years from date of case closure for mental health cases or 8 years after death/ non mental health related.
- general enquiries to Social Care Direct resulting in information/advice - 8 years from date of enquiry
- Safeguarding concern regarding an individual who is otherwise unknown to social care - 8 years after last incident or case closure (whichever is later)
- in-house provider service user case file - 8 years from date of case closure
National data opt-out
The national data opt-out programme applies to confidential patient data that originates within the health and adult social care system.
The programme enables you to choose whether your confidential patient data is used for research and planning purposes such as:
- for improving the quality and standards of care provided
- research into the development for new services
- preventing illness and diseases
- monitoring safety
- planning services
If you are happy for your data to be used for research and planning purposes you do not need to do anything.
To find out more, or to register your choice to opt out, please visit the NHS website (opens new window). Gateshead Council is compliant with the national data opt-out policy.
Your information rights
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Marketing and e-newsletters
Please see our email marketing privacy notice.
Business intelligence, profiling and automated-decision making
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Protecting your information
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Data Protection Officer
Data Protection Officer
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH
0191 433 3000
Information Commissioner's Office
The Information Commissioner is the UK's independent body for upholding information rights. Visit their website to find out more about your rights under Data Protection law, and what to expect from us.
For privacy practices or data protection rights concerns, contact the Information Commissioner's Office:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745