NIC 442475 S1G2C Response.pdf

1 Trevelyan Square
Boar Lane

Leeds LS1 6AE

0300 303 5678

01 April 2021

Our ref: NIC-442475-S1G2C
(Sent via email)

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: Information Request – Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000

Thank you for your email dated 11 March 2021 requesting the following information:

“From your records please supply your active list of companies who you share patient telephone
numbers with.”

We have considered your request and in accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA) I can confirm that we do hold the information that you have requested.

The Personal Demographics Service (PDS) is the national electronic database of NHS patient details
such as name, address, date of birth and NHS Number (known as demographic information).

Each individual record on the PDS contains identifiable data. This is to help care providers identify a
patient and to facilitate communication with or about them. The data items held include NHS Number,
name, date of birth, gender, GP practice, address(es) and contact details (such as telephone
numbers and email addresses).

As referenced in the PDS GDPR register https://digital.nhs.uk/about-nhs-digital/our-work/keeping-
patient-data-safe/gdpr/gdpr-register/personal-demographics-service-pds, the information recipients of
PDS data items are Authorised health and care staff.

Authorised health and care staff may be based in a number of care settings such as, but not limited
to:

GP surgeries
Hospital trusts
Pharmacies
Mental Health Trusts
Urgent Care settings
etc

Requests for patients’ demographic details for purposes other than direct care are subject to an
approval process, with all approved requests recorded on the data release register
https://digital.nhs.uk/services/data-access-request-service-dars/register-of-approved-data-releases

These pages offer more information on how PDS data is managed and may be useful to this request:

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/demographics
https://digital.nhs.uk/services/demographics/restricting-access-to-a-patients-demographic-record
www.digital.nhs.uk

xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/data-access-request-service-dars

In line with the Information Commissioner’s guidance on the disclosure of information under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 your request will form part of our disclosure log. Therefore, a
version of our response which will protect your anonymity will be posted on the NHS Digital website.

I trust you are satisfied with our response to your request for information. However, if you are not
satisfied, you may request a review from a suitably qualified member of staff not involved in the initial
query, via the xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx  email address or by post at the above postal address.

If following an internal review, you remain unsatisfied with the way in which we have handled your
request you are entitled to ask the Information Commissioner to assess whether we have complied
with our obligations under FOIA by writing to them at the following address:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Email: xxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx

NHS Digital values customer feedback and would appreciate a moment of your time to respond to
our Freedom of Information (FOI) Survey to let us know about your experience. Please access the
survey through this link here

Yours sincerely,

Information Governance Advisor


www.digital.nhs.uk
xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx