Access to your Personal Data

You are entitled to request to view / ask for a copy of the personal data / information the Trust hold about you this is known as a Right of Access request but can also be referred to as a Subject Access Request (SAR).

Children can also make a request, please refer to the section on ‘How we protect Children’s and Young people’s data' for more information on eligibility.

You are only entitled to your own personal data, and not to information relating to other people (unless the information is also about you or you are acting on behalf of someone). Your information will be reviewed first by a relevant member of staff to ensure that what we send you will not cause upset or distress to your wellbeing.  We will also check that the information we send you does not contain information you are not entitled to see.

You can make a request by writing to us, this can be via email if more convenient or by calling us. We may ask you to provide identification and provide further information to help us process your request.

There is no charge (subject to exemptions) to have a copy of the information held about you unless the request is complicated or involves a large volume of information copies, but we will advise you of this.

We must respond to you within one calendar month (subject to exemptions).

Requests are handled in line with our Right of Access / Subject Access Requests Procedure.

Access Requests to Personal Data can be made as follows

If you wish to request a copy of your own medical records please complete the AHR1 form.

If you wish to request a copy of someone else's health records - for example if you are a parent and would like to view your child's records or a relative - please complete the AHR2 form.

If you wish to access the health records of a deceased patient please complete the AHR3 form.

If you are a patient's legal representative and wish to view their health records please complete the AHR4 form.

Points to remember when completing an application:

Complete the correct application form which authorises the release of notes by providing as much information as possible, this will avoid any delays.

Provide evidence to support the claim to have access to the records

• e.g. parental evidence if requesting child records
• for Deceased records, providing evidence of that you have legal rights to this information

Sign the form, authorising the search for the requested records

Provide Proof of Identity (of the Patient/Service User), (copy of passport or photograph driving license) and proof of address (such as utility bill)

For St Helens Hospital Sites requests your completed forms and proof of identification should be sent to AccessAndDisclosure@sthk.nhs.uk

For Southport and Ormskirk Sites requests your completed forms and proof of identification should be sent to soh-tr.access-to-health@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk

Please note: Where you are requesting notes on behalf of another person additional ID checks are needed, including proof of your legitimate rights to act on the individual’s behalf.

A reminder that the team are only responsible for making sure you have access to your own personal data not third party data such as CCTV footage (identifying another individual).   

Further Contacts

Whiston Office

• Tel: 0151 290 4665
• Email: accessanddisclosure@sthk.nhs.uk

Southport Office

• Tel: 01704 704 616
• Email: soh-tr.access-to-health@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk