Virtual ward
Integrated virtual ward – West Norfolk privacy notice
This privacy notice explains how your information will be used, shared, and stored when you are admitted to the Integrated step-down Virtual Ward service.
This service is provided jointly by both The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust (QEH) and Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C), so it is important to be aware that both organisations will be directly involved in your care and hold relevant data relating to your care.
Virtual wards provide care, which you would otherwise receive in a hospital, in your own home. Health and care professionals monitor your health and wellbeing remotely. The Integrated step-down Virtual Ward service is designed to support patients who can be safely discharged form hospital to enable care to continue in your own home. Your care is led by your designated Consultant at the QEH and NCH&C community teams support you with remote monitoring of your health and wellbeing and also face-to-face care when needed.
You can receive virtual ward care for a range of conditions that can be safely and effectively monitored at home including:
Why we process, collect, and store your personal information
We collect, use, and store your information to provide you with care whilst you are part of a virtual ward.
The information collected to administer care as part of the virtual ward will not be used for any other purpose without your permission.
Who will your personal information be shared with?
Your confidential information will be used and shared with those directly involved in caring for you, such as: community teams, social care staff, GPs, ambulance services etc.
If your care requires remote technology, such as apps, technology platforms, wearables and medical devices, the technology providers will have access to your data to allow your care team to remotely monitor your readings. The technology providers will not be able to use your information for any purpose other than supporting your care in the virtual ward and must pass a rigorous approval and assurance process to be granted access.
What personal information we process, collect and store
In virtual wards, we will use, collect, and store your confidential patient information.
This will include personal data such as: name, address, date of birth, NHS number etc.
It will also include special category data such as: ethnic group. It will also include health data, including pulse oximetry readings, heart rate, blood pressure, etc.
If remote monitoring technology is involved in your virtual ward care, your cookies (which is a small piece of text sent to your browser which lets websites remember you) will also be processed by each technology provider according to their own privacy policy. The technology providers we use is Feebris. You can access their privacy notice at https://www.feebris.com/privacy
How long we store your personal information
The information we collect and use as part of the virtual ward forms part of your health and care records, and therefore will be retained in line with the NHS Records Management Code of Practice.
The legal basis for processing your information
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:
- We need it to perform a public task
- We need it to provide and manage health and care services
- We need it to protect against serious cross-border threats to health
Where you receive care in a virtual ward specifically for people with COVID-19, the law allows your information to be used and shared appropriately and lawfully in the event of a public health emergency.
Your data protection rights
Under data protection law, you have rights including:
Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information
Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to correct information which you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your information in certain circumstances.
Your right to object to processing – You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
You are not usually required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we usually have one month to respond to you.
If you wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact us on the details provided at the start of this notice.
As part of your care will be provided by a community team, information will be held at both the QEH and at the NCH&C. If a Subject Access Request is made this should be directed to the QEH as the lead provider:
Freedom of Information Department
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Gayton Road
King’s Lynn
Norfolk
PE30 4ET
NCH&C will provide detail of any information held to the QEH so that this may be included in the Subject Access Request. If the request is made initially to NCH&C, it will be passed to the QEH for processing with NCH&C’s support if necessary.
How to complain
In the event that you believe QEH has not complied with the UK GDPR, either in responding to a request or in our general processing of your personal information, you should contact:
Legal Services Department
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Gayton Road
King’s Lynn
Norfolk
PE30 4ET
If you remain unsatisfied you can then contact:
Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO)
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Gayton Road
King’s Lynn
Norfolk
PE30 4ET
If you are still unhappy after your complaint to us, you can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, who can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Information Commissioner’s Office website
Page last reviewed: 30 May 2024
Next review due: 30 May 2025