How your records are used to help us

Your information may also be used to help us:

• look after the health of the wider public
• pay your GP, dentist and hospital for the care they provide
• audit NHS accounts and services
• investigate complaints, legal claims or untoward incidents
• make sure our services can meet service user and carer needs in the future
• prepare statistics on NHS performance
• review the care we provide to ensure it is of the highest standard
• teach and train health and social care professionals
• conduct health research and development

Where we use your information to gather statistics we make sure that you cannot be identified from this information and individual patients cannot be identified.

We may also pass anonymous statistical information to organisations with a legitimate interest, including universities, community safety units and research institutions.

Personal identifiable information may be used for essential NHS purposes such as research and auditing services. This will only be done by obtaining your consent, unless the law requires information to be passed on to improve public health.