Using your data to plan and support better care

Find out how your data is used to give you personalised care:

Your data, including age, gender and medications prescribed, is used to plan health and care services for the local area, as well as help your GP provide better personalised care.

This process is called risk stratification.

If you don’t want your data to be used in this way, you can opt out but need to be aware that this can affect the proactive provision of your care.

What is risk stratification?

In mid and south Essex we take part in two types of risk stratification:

Risk stratification for case-finding
Risk stratification for commissioning

In both cases risk stratification tools use patient data, such as age, gender, diagnoses, hospital attendance and admissions, which is collected by NHS England from NHS hospitals and community care services. This is then linked to data from GP practices and analysed.

Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (MSE ICB) and your GP use patient data to provide personalised care and improve services.

Risk stratification for case-finding

GPs use this method to spot and support patients with long-term conditions. It can help to prevent unexpected hospital visits or lower the chance of getting other diseases.

Your GP will use computer-based algorithms or calculations to find registered patients who are at most risk.

Your GP will do this on a routine basis. It will be done electronically without human intervention and will produce a report that will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of staff at your practice. You might then be contacted if changes to your care are identified.

Your rights

There is Section 251 approval from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, through the. Confidentiality Advisory Group (CAG) of the Health Research Authority, that means your GP can process your data in line with having specific technical and security measures in place.

Opt out

If you are happy for your data to be used in this way,you don’t need to do anything.

However, if you don’t want your data included, you can choose to opt out by contacting MSE ICB, who will let your GP know. You records will be updated to make sure your
information is not included.