Our Confidentiality Statement

Luton Sexual Health are part of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. At Luton Sexual Health we are committed to ensuring the confidentiality and security of all personal information collected from our patients, staff, and community members. This includes information related to protected characteristics and disabilities, gathered for the purposes of legal compliance, quality of care, equity, and organisational effectiveness.

Purpose of Data Collection

We collect data on protected characteristics and disabilities to:

Comply with the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty.
Provide personalised and high-quality healthcare services.
Monitor and address health inequalities.
Develop and implement inclusive policies and practices.
Understand and support workforce diversity.
Inform training and development programmes.
Plan and deliver effective healthcare services.
Promote transparency and accountability.
Benchmark and measure performance in achieving diversity and inclusion goals.
Enhance patient and staff experience.
Build trust and confidence within our community.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

We take the following measures to protect your personal information:

Data Security: All personal information is stored securely, with access restricted to authorised personnel only.
Anonymisation: Wherever possible, data is anonymised to protect individual identities.
Consent: We obtain explicit consent from individuals before collecting sensitive information, ensuring they are fully informed of the purpose and use of their data.
Confidential Handling: Personal information is handled with the utmost confidentiality and used solely for the purposes outlined above.
Legal Compliance: We comply with all relevant data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.

Access and Use of Data

Only authorised personnel involved in data analysis, service planning, and quality improvement have access to personal information. Data is used to:

Identify and address disparities in healthcare outcomes.
Develop strategies to enhance service delivery and patient care.
Monitor the effectiveness of policies and practices in promoting equity and inclusion.

Your Rights

Individuals have the right to:

Access their personal information held by us.
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Withdraw consent for the use of their data at any time.
Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if they believe their data is being misused.

By collecting and using data on protected characteristics and disabilities, [NHS Trust Name] aims to foster an inclusive, equitable, and high-quality healthcare environment. We are dedicated to protecting the confidentiality and privacy of all individuals and ensuring their information is used responsibly and ethically.

If you have any questions or concerns about how your information is handled, please contact our Data Protection Officer at dataprotectionofficer@bedsft.nhs.uk