Data Protection
Data Protection Act 1998
Maintaining the right of confidentiality is important for all Health & Social Care organisations. If you want to ask us for information which we may hold about you personally then this will be dealt with under the Data Protection Act 1998. This would include information relating to health and social care records, employment and training records – anything which is limited to you as a person whether as a patient, employee or partner of any kind.
Freedom of Information Act 2000
If the information you want is not about you personally, then it will be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act.
Read more about Freedom of Information
Making a Request for personal information
Please submit your request in writing to the relevant department depending on what information you require.
For In-patient Medical Records
Write to the Medical Records Department in the relevant hospital:
Belfast City Hospital
51 Lisburn Road
Belfast
BT9 7AB
Mater Hospital
45-51 Crumlin Road
Belfast
BT14 6AB
The Royal Hospitals
274 Grosvenor Road,
Belfast
BT12 6BA.
Musgrave Park Hospital
20 Stockman’s Lane
Belfast
BT9 7JB
For Knockbracken Hospital, Muckamore Abbey Hospital, Community Health and Social Care Records (such as Social Work records) and all other requests for personal information
Write to the Data Protection Team:
Data Protection Manager
Belfast Health & Social Care Trust
2nd Floor, Administration Building
Knockbracken Healthcare Park
Saintfield Road
Belfast, BT8 8BH
In all cases please state clearly what information you want, and make sure you include your contact details so that we can reply to you.
Responding to requests
When we receive your letter we may be in contact to clarify exactly what information you require and inform you of the charges there may be for supplying it.
You may be asked to send us proof of identity – a copy of a formal document or bill with your name and address on it or your driving licence or passport.
Once we have received all the necessary documentation and fees we have 40 working days under the Data Protection Act 1998 to provide the information requested.
If information is withheld we will tell you why we are unable to disclose it.
If you are unhappy with any aspect of the way in which we deal with your request you may complain to the Complaints Department
Or to the Information Commissioner
Or, if you feel we have failed to disclose information without good reason you may apply to a Court for disclosure.
