Here’s Molly and Harry and they are children a lot like you.
They go to school, they each live in a house, which has a phone number so their friends can call and arrange for a time to meet up. Their houses each have an address so their friends know where to go when they come over to meet.
You may know this, but Molly’s and Harry’s name, address and phone number are called personal information.
What is personal information? It is anything which IDENTIFIES you as a person, and we all have personal information. Here are some examples of personal information - your name, address, date of birth, pictures of you, your email address, your hospital records. This is personal information which tells us something about you.
Sometimes people you don’t know can use your personal information to trick you or put you in uncomfortable situations. That’s why it is important to never give out your personal information to anyone you don’t know! You should only give this information to people you trust like your parents, teachers or hospital staff at the hospital.
To be like Molly and Harry all you have to do is remember that your personal information are private property and your private property should only be shared with people you trust. It’s simple - personal information is your private property.
Here at East Lancashire Hospital Trust we are trusted like your parents and teachers and you can share your personal information with us. When you come into
hospital we need your personal information to help us make you better. It also helps us to contact you if we need to see you again.
We may collect your details on paper, sometimes by the internet/email, or by telephone, directly from you or your parents/guardian, or from a member of staff or one of our partners. This information will be used to make sure you receive the right treatment.
The government tells us we can collect data as long as we look after it under the law and keep it safe. This law is called the General Data Protection Regulations. Sometimes we call it GDPR. Under this law the hospital must have a good reason to collect your information. Our reason is because we are a hospital and, we are also known as a Public Authority so we serve the public with something they might need, in this case a hospital service.
We have to keep your data it safe and secure and not share with anyone unless they are trusted.
Would you ever walk into a giant hall of strangers and make it rain postcards with your name, address and telephone number? NO!, That’s why we take steps to ensure your personal information is kept under lock and key with only those staff who are helping you in hospital allowed to look at it
Ok, so we look after your personal information but in some cases we may need to share your personal information with some other trusted people. We will only do this if it is absolutely necessary. We may share your personal information with doctors, nurses, ambulance services, your parents, the police or which school you attend to help us to help you.
Remember, this is your private property and if you are not happy about sharing your personal information you should talk to a trusted person like your parents, your teacher or your doctor. You have rights, even though you are not yet an adult and you have a right to keep your personal information your private property.