Privacy notices

Privacy notice

A Privacy Notice describes how Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (The Trust) will use your personal information.

Personal information is information that identifies you as an individual.

This leaflet answers key questions about how we will use your personal information to help your recovery.

This webpage contains a shortened version of the Trust’s full Privacy Notice. You can also ask a clinical member of staff to provide you with a paper copy of the full version.

If you’d like a different format, or a specific privacy notice, the links below may be helpful.

Our privacy notice for young people under 10 was co-created with young people from North Yorkshire and York.

Trust Headquarters address

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust,
West Park Hospital,
Edward Pease Way,
Darlington DL2 2TS

Data Protection Officer

Ms Andrea Shotton
Head of Information Governance
Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Tarncroft
Lanchester Road Hospital
Lanchester Road
Durham, DH1 5RD
Telephone: 07500 551039
Email: [email protected]

Complaints Manager

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Flatts Lane Centre
Normanby
Middlesbrough TS6 0SZ
Telephone: 01642 451627
Email: [email protected]

Your information

We keep and use your personal information to help us to look after you and to give you the best care because we have a legal obligation under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and Care Act 2014 as a National Health Service provider (NHS Trust).

Our lawful reason for processing your information is:

“it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority.”

Information we keep about you:

• Your name, date of birth, where you live, your family or carers names;
• Health appointments;
• Test results
• Information about your health and social care
• Any care plan you have received

How long do we keep your information

We will keep your information according to the NHS records retention times.  We must not keep information for longer than necessary.

Where we get your information if not directly from you

We normally would get some of your information from your general practitioner (GP). We might get some information from social services.

Automated decisions and profiling

We do not use your information in automated decision making or profiling.

Information sharing

We may routinely share your personal information with external organisations which are involved in your care or treatment. We do not need your consent to do this. We may share with:

• Other NHS Trusts, such as Acute NHS Trusts
• Local Authority Social Services
• Your GP.

Sometimes, if your care involves organisations from the external sector we will also share your information with them. You will be made aware of this at the time. Sometimes we have to share your information even though you don’t want us to, but we will have a legal reason for doing this. 

National Data Opt Out – Your NHS Data Matters

You can decide whether some of your information is shared. Further information is available in the full Privacy Notice on the TEWV website or at NHS Digital.

If you want to know exactly who we’ve shared your information with or exercise your right to access the information we hold about you, please contact our Data Protection Team:

Phone: 0191 333 6330

Email: [email protected]

Post to:
Data Protection Team
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Tarncroft
Lanchester Road Hospital
Lanchester Road
Durham, DH1 5RD

We will seek your consent

There may be some occasions when we need to seek your consent, ie when we use your personal information for reasons not related directly to your care and treatment. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

Processing for research purposes

TEWV will only carry out research in the public interest. If you are identified as a possible candidate we will always ask you if you’d like to participate. We will not screen those service users who have chosen not to share their data on NHS Digital’s National Data Opt-Out. You don’t have to take part in research.

What are your rights?

You have the following rights:

• Confirmation that we are processing your personal data. 
• A copy of your personal data and other information that we keep about you. 

(There will be no charge to access your personal information/records). 

• The right to request mistakes to be corrected and incomplete information completed. 
• The right to erasure, restriction of processing and object to processing; however, under some circumstances these rights may not apply. 

You have a right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office:

Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
WILMSLOW,
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Email: [email protected]

Helpline: 0303 123 1113

Live chat: www.ico.org.uk

Talk to the Data Protection Officer (details above) for advice on any of these rights.

You may also talk to your care team about the use of your personal information. You can make a complaint to our Complaints Department if you are unhappy about the way we have handled your information or contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Team.

Reference: PN002
Version: 1.3
Last updated: January 2023

Information in other formats

• Privacy Notice: A longer, complete version of this information
• Privacy Notice: An easy read version (with images) (pdf)
• Service users or carers accessing Liaison and Diversion services (pdf)
• Privacy notice for children under 10 (pdf) This Privacy Notice was co-created with young people from North Yorkshire and York
• Privacy notice for people accessing mindfulness services (pdf)