Edinburgh Mental Health Service Privacy Notice

To allow us to provide the service you would expect from us, we process the following information about you:

• Name
• Address
• Date of birth
• Telephone numbers
• Swift number
• Next of kin
• GP’s name, address and telephone number and the contact details of other health professionals involved in your care and support
• Health and disability information which helps us understand your care and support needs
• Information about your interests, lifestyle and preferences
• Information about the outcomes you want to achieve and the steps you take towards them

Most of this information is contained in your Support Plan. In addition, we process:

• Letters we receive or send in relation to your care and support

We need your information and will use your information:

• to undertake and perform our obligations and duties to you in accordance with the terms of our contract with you
• to enable us to supply you with the services and information which you have requested or expect from us
• to enable us to respond to any complaints made
• so that we can support you according to your needs and provide a responsive service
• to contact you in order to send you details of any changes to our services which may affect you
• for all other purposes consistent with the proper performance of our operations and business
• to contact you for your views on our services.

We store your data on our secure online information management system, Dynamics.

 Any paper records are stored in locked filing cabinets.

We review our data retention periods regularly and will only hold your personal data for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity, or as required by law (we may be legally required to hold some types of information), or as set out in any relevant contract we have with you.

We will generally keep your information for the following minimum periods after which this will be destroyed if it is no longer required for the reasons it was obtained.

 Our full retention schedule is available here. 

We will process your personal data with your consent and special categories of personal data with your explicit consent. The details of your next of kin and GP details will be processed in your vital interests.

The information you provide to us will be treated by us as confidential.

We may disclose your information to third parties who act for us for the purposes set out in this notice or for purposes approved by you, including the following:

• Medical Professionals, raising concerns or in a crisis
• Social Work, raising concerns or in a crisis
• Statutory Bodies for Adult Protection
• Regulatory Bodies, Care Inspectorate

We may receive the following information from third parties:

• Medical information, raising concerns or in a crisis situation
• Social Work, raising concerns or in a crisis situation
• Information relating to Adult protection
• Funders, Edinburgh Council concerning contracts

If your details change, please contact 0330 303 0124 to inform us to ensure that all of the information we hold about you is up to date.

You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. 

You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances. 

You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances. 

You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances . However, if Link can demonstrate that there is a compelling reason to process such personal data then we may refuse to stop processing your personal data.  

You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.