Screening

National screening programmes

• The NHS provides national screening programmes so that certain diseases can be detected at an early stage.
• These screening programmes include bowel cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, aortic aneurysms and a diabetic eye screening service.
• The law allows us to share your contact information with Public Health England so that you can be invited to the relevant screening programme.

For more information on National Screening Programmes can be found here

or contact the practice here

How we handle your information

We are required by law to provide you with the following information about how we handle your information.

Data Controller Contact Details

Waterloo Health Centre 114 Lower Marsh London SE1 7AE

Tel: 020 7928 4049

Data Protection Officer Contact Details

Rona Sian Practice Manager

Purpose of the processing

• The NHS provides several national health screening programmes to detect diseases or conditions early such as cervical and breast cancer, aortic aneurysm and diabetes.
• The information is shared so that the correct people are invited for screening. This means those who are most at risk can be offered treatment.

Lawful basis for processing

The following sections of the GDPR allow us to contact patients for screening.

• Article 6(1)(e) – ‘processing is necessary…in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller...’’
• Article 9(2)(h) – ‘processing is necessary for the purpose of preventative…medicine…the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services...’

Recipient or categories of recipients of the processed data

The data will be shared with local service providers.

Rights to object

For national screening programmes: you can opt out so that you no longer receive an invitation to a screening programme.

More information on how you can opt out of National Screening Programmes here

Or speak to your practice here.

Right to access and correct

• You have the right to access your medical record and have any errors or mistakes corrected. Please speak to a member of staff or look at our ‘subject access request’ page here
• We are not aware of any circumstances in which you will have the right to delete correct information from your medical record; although you are free to obtain your own legal advice if you believe there is no lawful purpose for which we hold the information and contact us if you hold a different view.

Retention period

GP medical records will be kept in line with the law and national guidance. Information on how long records are kept can be found on NHS Digital here or speak to the practice.

Right to complain

You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. 

Make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) here or call the helpline 0303 123 1113

Data we get from other organisations

We receive information about your health from other organisations who are involved in providing you with health and social care. For example, if you go to hospital for treatment or an operation the hospital will send us a letter to let us know what happens. This means your GP medical record is kept up-to date when you receive care from other parts of the health service.