Information about you and the care you receive is shared, in a secure system, by healthcare staff to support your treatment and care.
It is important for the NHS to use this information to plan and improve services for all patients. The NHS would like to link information from all the different places where you receive care, such as your GP, hospital and community service, to help provide a full picture. This will allow the NHS to compare the care you received in one area against the care you received in another to see what has worked best.
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 that the NHS provides the best care possible for everyone.
You have a choice. If you are happy for your information to be used in this way you do not have to do anything. If you have any concerns or wish to prevent this from happening, please speak to our Reception Team and they can opt you out