If organisations refuse to give you your data!

[DJR1]

If an organisation is being difficult about giving you your data following a formal request called a Subject Access Request SAR you can ask advice from the Information Commissioners Office ICO. The helpline team are excellent and will give sound advice and if necessary recommend action.

I am posting this as a member has had difficulty obtaining copies of medical records from a GP Practice following an SAR. It is not permissible for GP Practices or any organisation to summarise the information you have requested or withhold information. Third party data will be redacted but you are entitled to all information that relates to you. This is a legal requirement and if it not complied with organisations can be fined by the ICO

[nightingale-56]

You must have read my mind DJR1 . I am just about to ask for my full hospital records. I believe there is a template letter somewhere for this. Thanks for this information.

[helvella in reply to nightingale-56]

The Information Commissioner's Office website has some information:

ico.org.uk/your-data-matter...

It is important to realise that they have no right to demand any particular form of words, or, for that matter, form! So long as you are clear about what you want, they have to respond.

[DJR1 in reply to helvella]

Yes important point you can request your information verbally, by Email, by messaging or even social media. You do not have to fill in a specific form and you can make your request to any member working for the organisation. You can request the data is given to you in a form that you prefer. I have just had an almighty battle with my GP Practice as they refuse to accept/send Email to patients. However the GDPR are quite clear on this and it is your legal right. They sent me the information by Email as the law was above their preferences. Don’t be put off!

[nightingale-56 in reply to DJR1]

DJR1 I shall not be put off, but it might take me a while to get the letter written. I did know it was my legal right. I find GDPR a mixed blessing at the moment as having problems with Endo re my son's results. Which, at the moment, are more important than mine. Thanks for your advice.

[DJR1 in reply to nightingale-56]

You can just phone and request your information, you do not have to give a reason for asking so just specify what you want. I usually phone PALS department and make a verbal request. I have not had any problems at all doing this. Good luck

[helvella in reply to DJR1]

Asking why you want the information, other than as an assistance in getting the right information in the best form, could be regarded as unnecessary data collection. Which itself could be argued to be an offence against Data Protection Act 2018 (which implements the GDPR in the UK).

If really annoyed by someone asking, you could counter-ask why they want to know and what they are going to do with that information. If the answer is, to all intents and purposes, that they will do nothing, they shouldn't even ask. If they are going to do something else, they MUST tell you what they will do with it.

[nightingale-56 in reply to helvella]

Thanks for this helvella . It is really good to have advice like this.

[nightingale-56 in reply to helvella]

Thanks for this helvella . I get updates from The ICO, so should have known this.