Privacy of your data

Why we collect information about you

Keeping records about you helps us to ensure that you receive the best possible support from us. The records may be written down (manual records), or held on a computer, and may include:

• basic details about you, such as address and next of kin, education and employment history
• records of any assessments
• records of your hopes and aspirations and any barriers you face
• records of the support you have received
• relevant information from health and social care professionals, or other people providing employment support

How your records are used to help you

Our records are used to guide and administer the support you receive from us to ensure:

• the staff involved have accurate and up to date information to work with you to understand what support you need
• your concerns can be properly investigated if you need to complain.

How your records are used to help us

Your information may be used to help us:

• review the care we provide to make sure it is of the highest standard
• audit our services
• prepare statistics on our performance and report outcomes to funders
• teach and train staff
• investigate complaints, legal claims or untoward incidents
• contribute to ongoing service improvement

Where your information is used for statistical purposes we make sure that you cannot be identified.

Anonymous statistical information may also be passed to organisations with a legitimate interest, including founders, universities, and research institutions

How we keep your records confidential

Everyone working and volunteering at Working for Health has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.

We will only ever pass on your information to the people involved in providing you with support and with your agreement. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential.

We will not disclose your information to third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the health or safety of yourself or others is at risk or where the law requires information to be passed on.

How to get access to your own records

The Data Protection Act 1998 allows you to find out what information about you is held on computer and in certain manual records. This is known as “right of subject access.” If you want to see the records that we hold, you should make a written request. You are entitled to receive a copy but should note that a charge will usually be made. You should also be aware that in certain circumstances your right to see some details in your records may be limited in your own interest or for other reasons.

Further information

If you would like to know more about how we use your information or if, for any reason, you no longer wish to have your information used in any of the ways described in this leaflet, please speak to your worker or the Director responsible for Data Protection. Her contact details are:

Diane Heaven
The Railway Station, Station Road
Cottingham, HU16 4LL
Or email: diane@workingforhealth.co.uk

If you would like a large print version or a translation of this leaflet into another language, please contact us.