Emergency department patient feedback
Purpose
Patient feedback on our services is critical to allow us to provide better services and improve patient experience. Patients who have been treated at the Royal Free London’s emergency department will receive a conversational SMS (text message) where they will be asked to provide feedback on their experience.
Each data subject can then opt to respond to the survey to share their experiences of their most recent interaction with the Royal Free. There is a 48-hour delay from discharge to receiving a text message. You can opt out of receiving text messages by scanning a QR code in the emergency department and completing the form which opens, or by emailing rf.patientexperience@nhs.net and stating you do not wish to receive a SMS (text message) in regards to your emergency department visit. Finally, you can reply STOP when you receive the SMS (text message) to prevent any further messaging being sent.
The personal data which is processed as part of this project will enable the Royal Free to continue to improve patient services.
All feedback provided is anonymised when viewed by our staff meaning the team that treated you will not know that it was you who provided the feedback, therefore, please do not include personal information which might identify you in your responses as this may inadvertently allow you to be identified.
Information we collect
In order to meet our purpose above, we need to process information from you. This processing happens within a secure system and no human is able to link any of the information below to you as an individual:
- Gender – for equality monitoring
- Date of Birth – to ensure you are over 18
- Mobile phone number – to send you a SMS (text message)
- Emergency department as the location for treatment – to ensure only emergency department patients receive a SMS (text message)
- The feedback you provide - to allow us to monitor and improve services.
Our lawful basis
In order to legally be able to process your personal data, we must have a lawful basis under the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Our lawful basis for the purpose of processing data in our stated purpose is:
UK GDPR Article 6(1)(e) – performance of a task carried out in the public interest.
UK GDPR Article 9(2)(h) – purposes of the management of health or social care systems and services.
By processing your health data, we will also recognise your rights established under English case law, collectively known as the “Common Law Duty of Confidentiality”. This means that we only use your personal data in ways that would reasonably be expected, including where we share your information with your consent or where we can reasonably expect that you would consent in order to provide you with occupational health support, or for reasons of substantial public interest.
Our processors
Processors are organisations who act on our behalf and under our authority. They carry out some of the technical processes, for example, providing a system that stores information. We do not allow our Processors to use your information for their own purposes or allow them to link this to other personal data they may have.
The category of our processors are organisations who:
- Provide our IT systems.
How long will we keep your data
We will keep your personal data in line with the retention periods detailed in the NHS retention schedule.
Your rights
Data protection laws give you a number of rights over your personal data. These rights are detailed below.
The right to be informed
The trust is required by law to provide you with information about how it collects and uses your personal data. The trust, by way of this privacy notice, is providing you with this information.
The right of access
You have the right to access the information we hold about you. To access personal information we hold, please contact the Access Team at rf-tr.AccessRequests@nhs.net.
The right to rectification
You have the right to have inaccurate information about you corrected or incomplete information completed. To request any other inaccurate information corrected please contact the Access Team at rf-tr.AccessRequests@nhs.net.
The right to erasure
The right to erasure is also known as ‘the right to be forgotten’. The right is not absolute and only applies in certain circumstances.
This is limited to:
- Where we still hold your personal data, but it is no longer necessary for the purpose for which we originally collected or processed it; or,
- We have to erase it to comply with a legal obligation.
To exercise this right, please contact rf-tr.AccessRequests@nhs.net.
The right to restrict processing
You have the right to restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances. This means that you can limit the way we use your data. This is an alternative to requesting the erasure of your data. The right is not absolute and only applies in certain circumstances.
This is limited to:
- Where you contest the accuracy of your personal data and we are verifying the accuracy; or,
- We no longer need the personal data, but you need us to keep it in order to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.
To exercise this right, please contact rf-tr.AccessRequests@nhs.net.
The right to data portability
You have the right to data portability in some limited circumstances. This only applies to information you have given us. You have the right to ask that we transfer the information you gave us from one organisation to another, or give it to you.
To exercise this right, please contact rf-tr.AccessRequests@nhs.net.
Opt out
There is 48-hour delay from discharge to receiving a SMS (text message). You can opt out of receiving SMS (text messages) by, scanning a QR code in the emergency department and completing the form which opens, or by emailing rf.patientexperience@nhs.net and stating you do not wish to receive a SMS (text message) in regards to your emergency department visit. Finally, you can reply STOP when you receive a SMS (text message) to prevent any further messaging being sent.
The right to object
You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data at any time. This effectively allows you to stop or prevent us from processing your personal data.
An objection may be in relation to all of the personal data we hold about you or only to specific information.
The right to object only applies in certain circumstances. You must give specific reasons why you are objecting to the processing of your data. These reasons should be based upon your particular situation.
In these circumstances, your right to object is not an absolute right, and we do not need to comply if we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing, which override your interests, rights and freedoms. To exercise this right, please contact rf-tr.AccessRequests@nhs.net.
Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling
The trust does not use automated decision making and profiling for recruitment purposes.