Privacy Policy Condensed
Privacy Policy Condensed
1. ABOUT THIS POLICY
1.1 Who we are
We are St. Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH) and you can find out how to contact us at Section 1.11 below or in the Privacy Policy Full Version, accessible here[1].
1.2 Purpose
St Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH) is committed to ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of your personal information.
St. Vincent’s University Hospital must comply with the Data Protection Acts 1988 to 2018 and any related or subsequent data protection and privacy legislation and amendments, as well as European Union Law including Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (known as the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”)) and any subsequent implementing legislation and amendments (collectively referred to in this Privacy Policy as “Data Protection Legislation”).
St. Vincent’s University Hospital are committed to protecting your privacy. St. Vincent’s University Hospital will collect, use, disclose and store your personal information in accordance with the Data Protection Legislation.
This Privacy Statement sets out in brief how St Vincent’s University Hospital will handle your personal information.
For further information or to receive a copy of our Privacy Policy Full Version, please ask a staff member, visit our website: www.stvincents.ie or telephone the Hospital (01) 221 40000 and ask to speak with our Data Protection Officer (“DPO”). You can also contact our DPO to request more information as set out at section 1.11 below and sections 3 and 4 of the Privacy Policy Full Version, accessible here[2].
1.3 Information Governance
Information governance is the set of standards we must follow in handling personal healthcare records. Good information governance means that all personal health information is handled legally, securely, efficiently and effectively in order to deliver the best possible care to people who use our services. It also includes sharing of relevant personal health information with our healthcare providers where appropriate.
1.4 What does it involve?
- We must manage our records effectively. This means that information should be accurate, up to date, only held for as long as it is required and accessible when it is needed.
- We must ensure that information is kept securely and is accessed only by those who should be accessing it.
- We must protect the confidentiality of the information – information provided in confidence should not be used or disclosed in a way that might identify an individual without a legal basis for processing.
- Patients have a right to access health information about themselves – please see section 1.10 below and section 3 of the Privacy Policy Full Version, accessible here[3] for more information on how to access your information.
1.5 What personal information we hold
In order to provide you with the highest quality of healthcare, we need to keep records about you. These records may include:
- Personal details about you including but not limited to:
- your name;
- address;
- date of birth;
- contact details including email addresses or other contact details used for any method of communication deemed appropriate by St. Vincent’s University Hospital; and
- next of kin
- your health history including the following:
- information on contact we have had with you, such as clinic visits and hospital admissions;
- notes and reports about your health and details of any treatment and care you need or have received either from us or from other healthcare providers, such as your GP, primary care team, other hospitals, community health organisation/services and pharmacy; and
- results of investigations such as X-rays and laboratory tests;
- family history;
- your ethnic background; or
- your current lifestyle
in order to assist the health care team in diagnosing and treating your condition.
1.6 What will we use your information for?
St. Vincent’s University Hospital provides healthcare to you and will use your records to:
- carry out the primary purpose for the collection of your personal data which is the provision of healthcare services and treatments;
- make decisions about your ongoing care and treatment;
- make sure your care is safe and effective;
- check the quality of your care;
- ensure a safe care journey through our hospital and onto other care providers if/when required; and
- confirm your identity when we contact you, or when you contact us.
While the primary purpose of the hospital is the treatment of patients, the hospital is also an institute of learning and innovation for clinical staff and conducts research in support of the continued development of future health treatments (all research conducted is subject to specific patient explicit consent). Health research forms part of our core hospital activity. Where you have explicitly consented for us to use your information for another purpose, for example health research (under the Health Research Regulation 2018, as per the Health Research Regulation (2018), we will seek explicit consent from you to enrol you in any health research initiative related to your care e.g. clinical trial and/or observational study. If you do not opt to take part in the research, your care will not be affected.
For more information on some of the related secondary purposes for which St. Vincent’s University Hospital uses your information, please see section 2.6 of the Privacy Policy Full Version, accessible here[4].
1.7 Do I have a choice?
Where St. Vincent’s University Hospital collects your personal information to fulfil St. Vincent’s University Hospital’s contractual obligations pursuant to a contract between you and St. Vincent’s University Hospital for health care services or treatment, failure by you to provide the above-mentioned personal information may render St. Vincent’s University Hospital unable to provide the health care services being the subject of such contract. However, if you have any concerns about providing information or how we share this information with other healthcare providers or other third parties, please contact our DPO, details set out at section 1.11 below or section 4 of the Privacy Policy Full Version, accessible here[5], so that you fully understand the reason why we capture this information.
1.8 Do you share information about me with anyone?
Yes, as part of your continuing care we may also share relevant information about you with other relevant organisations who may be involved in your care at some point. For example:
- other hospitals that are involved in your care and treatment;
- your GP;
- Community Healthcare Organisations and their services;
- Local Authorities including Government departments e.g. The Department of Health;
- Primary care;
- pharmacies;
- Students and trainees on placement at St. Vincent’s University Hospital;
- offsite services e.g. Rheumatology Service which operates from Harold’s Cross;
- 3rd party diagnostic companies e.g. offsite laboratories; and
- Hospital’s within the EU which are approved for the Treatment Abroad Schemes.
When we do share information with other organisations involved in your care, we do so under a formal agreement which sets out how such information will be used and kept confidential.
We will not disclose your information to any other third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as if the health and safety of others is at risk or if we are subject to a legislative requirement to pass on your personal information.
Relevant information about you may also be used to help us to:
- manage finances e.g. billing and costings;
- teach and train our staff;
- manage and plan our services;
- to perform clinical audits;
- send you standard reminders, for example for appointments and follow-up care, by text message or email to the number or address which you have provided and to communicate with you regarding your treatment;
- help investigate concerns or complaints that you or your family may have about your healthcare;
- for the purpose of complying with any applicable laws – for example, in response to a subpoena or compulsory reporting to State authorities (for example, National Cancer Registry) or complying with the Infection Diseases Regulations, 1981, the Health Acts 1947 and 1953 ;
- identify patients that may be eligible for disease specific health research opportunities e.g. clinical trials/observational studies; and
- seek feedback to help improve our services e.g. patient experience surveys.
Wherever possible we use information that would not identify you personally (anonymous information).
1.9 Using your information for research?
Research has a vital role to play in the development of healthcare and health service delivery. St Vincent’s University Hospital is an academic teaching hospital associated with University College Dublin and we support and promote health research activity within the hospital and with approved research partner organisations. Our Research Ethics Committee must approve research applications before health research activities can commence. If we wish to use your personal information for research then we will ask you for permission first (and seek your explicit consent). You will not be identified in any published results without your prior agreement.
1.10 Can I see the information you hold about me?
Yes. You have the right to access any identifiable information we hold about you. The Freedom of Information Act 2014 and the Data Protection Legislation allows you to find what information is held about you on computer and in certain paper records.
If you wish to request a copy of your personal healthcare records please contact:
| By letter: |
Release of Information, St Vincent’s University Hospital Dublin 4 |
| By email: | releaseofinformation@svhg.ie |
For more information on your full range of rights under the Data Protection Legislation and how to exercise such rights, please see Section 3 of the Privacy Policy Full Version, accessible here[6].
1.11 How can I contact the DPO?
If you have questions or comments about this Condensed Privacy Policy, you can contact our DPO by the following means:
| By letter: |
Data Protection Officer, St Vincent’s University Hospital Dublin 4 |
| By email: | dataprotection@st-vincents.ie |
| By telephone: | (01) 221 3591/ (01) 221 4000 |