Protecting your Information
Information Governance (IG)
NHS Coventry is committed to ensuring that information is safeguarded and used appropriately and that all personal information under its control is handled in accordance with all legal, professional and ethical obligations.
NHS Coventry recognises the importance of reliable information, both in terms of the clinical management of individual patients and the efficient management of services and resources and places high importance ongood information governance.
Information Governance enables NHS Coventry and its workforce to ensure that all personal information is handled legally, securely, effectively and efficiently. It ensures that the necessary safeguards are in place to protect your information and to ensure that it is used appropriately.
The NHS information governance framework covers:
- data protection and confidentiality;
- information security;
- information quality;
- health care records management;
- corporate information.
The framework brings together the requirements, standards and best practice that apply to the handling of information. It has four fundamental aims:
- To support the provision of high quality care by promoting the effective and appropriate use of information;
- To encourage responsible staff to work closely together, preventing duplication of effort and enabling more efficient use of resources;
- To develop support arrangements and provide staff with appropriate tools and support to enable them to discharge their responsibilities to consistently high standards;
- To enable organisations to understand their own performance and manage improvement in a systematic and effective way.
Further information on NHS information governance is available in the Connecting For Health booklet for health and social care staff entitled “What you should know about Information Governance” and is available by clicking here
Disclosure of Information
We will not disclose your information to organisations/individuals that are not involved in your care, without your permission, unless there are exceptional circumstances or a legal obligation such as;
- there is a risk of harm to someone or the wider community,
- the prevention or detection of a serious crime,
- where we are required to do so by law,
- reporting some infectious diseases.
In the event that we are obligated to release information as described above, this will only be done with the approval of our Caldicott Guardian.
Contact Details
If any additional information or clarification is required on any aspect of Information Governance, access to information held by the PCT, or release of information from the PCT, please contact:
The Information Governance Manager
NHS Coventry
Christchurch House
Greyfriars Lane
Coventry
CV1 2GQ
Telephone: 02476 246123