Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts

Abstract

Data is frequently handled by GPs during their day-to-day work. This includes not only clinical data where patient information is handled, but also organisational data. Clinicians must be aware of the regulations that govern information handling. This article will discuss the Data Protection Act 1998, which governs personal information held on patient records. It will clarify the eight data protection principles and how they apply in practice. Thereafter, the article will discuss the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which gives the public rights to access certain data held by surgeries. The article will highlight important exemptions and grounds for refusing access to data.