What Happens to my information?

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity privacy notice

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust charity is registered in England and Wales (charity number 1059467).

Charitable funds received by the charity are accepted, held and administered as funds and property on trust for purposes relating to the health service in accordance with the National Health Service Act 2006 and the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990. The Charity has no employees but reimburses the NHS Trust for the financial and other services it provides.


  What information do we collect about you and what is the legal basis?

It is important to us that we inform you about the information we collect and why we collect it.  The information we collect and the reason for collecting it are different for different groups of supporters.

We process personal data such as your name, postal and email address and telephone number, when you provide it to us for the following purposes:

When you apply for a volunteering role
We collect your address, phone number, mobile number and referees to process your application. We do not share this data with any third parties. Our lawful basis for processing your information is for volunteering purposes.

When you give us your marketing preferences
We collect your name, postal address, email address and mobile number to send marketing communications, when you provide us with these details for this purpose. We do not share this data with any third parties. Our legal basis for processing this information is consent.

When you support The RWT Charity by:
  • Signing up to attend or take part in an event
    We collect your title, name, gender, date of birth, address, email address, telephone number and mobile number (optional) to confirm your place and send you events stewardship information. Our lawful basis for processing this information is consent.

  • Signing up to host a fundraising event in aid of the Charity
    We collect your title, name, gender, date of birth, address, email address, telephone number and mobile number (optional).  We store these details within Harlequin and use them to send you requested fundraising literature such as sponsorship forms, collection tins etc. Our lawful basis for processing this information is consent.

  • Signing up to Gift Aid (Online or over the phone)
    We collect your name and address to claim Gift Aid. We share this data with HMRC and store it within Harlequin (an externally hosted database).  Our lawful basis for processing your information is legitimate interests.

  • Offline – via fundraising forms
    We collect your name, email address, postal address, telephone number and signature to claim Gift Aid. We share this data with HMRC and store it within Harlequin (an externally hosted database).  We also have the forms scanned so that we hold them digitally and this completed by our Charitable Funds Officer. Our lawful basis for processing your information is legitimate interests.

  • Giving us a donation or becoming a regular giver

  • Donation online – one off
    We collect your name, address, email address and phone number to process your donation and thank you. At the point of payment, the entrant is taken to Worldpay where they enter name, address, phone number, email address and credit card details. Our lawful basis for processing your information is legitimate interests.

  • Donation offline – one off or direct debit (regular giving)
    We collect your name, address, email address, phone number and bank details to process donations, confirm your direct debit details and to thank you. At the point of donation, the donor is taken to Worldpay where they enter their name, address, telephone number, email address and credit card details. Our lawful basis for processing your information is legitimate interests.

  • Supporting one of our campaigns to enhance patient care
    We collect your name, email address and mobile number to send you campaign updates, when you provide us with these details for this purpose. We store these details within Harlequin (an externally hosted database). Our lawful basis for processing your information is consent.

  • When you sign up to The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity Unity Lottery
    When you sign up through Sterling Management Centre Ltd (external lottery managers who operate the draw on our behalf), they collect your name, address, date of birth and bank details.

    Sterling Management Centre Ltd will only share with us your information at your request.  Please visit the Sterling Management Centre Limited website for further information about their Privacy Notice. Please note, neither the Trust nor the RWT Charity control this website and is not responsible for their content.

  • When you purchase a raffle ticket
    We will request you to provide us with your name and your preferred method of contact (this can be postal address, email address or telephone number) so we can inform you if you have the winning ticket.  Our lawful basis for processing this information is consent.

  Who do we share your information with?

Information you provide to us may be shared with other organisations to support our charitable functions. Organisations we share information with are as follows:
  • Harlequin – our externally hosted database of donors and supporters
  • HMRC

  Who and where do we obtain your information from?

We collect information directly from you using the following methods:
  • Fundraising Registration Form.
  • Donation Form.
  • Sponsorship Form.
  • Gift Aid Declaration Form.
  • Volunteer Application Form. 
  • Application for employment.
  • Media Consent Form

Additionally, we may collect information that is available in the public domain, e.g. newspaper or online media items; publicly available posts on social media; and Companies House listings, as described in more detail in the profiling section below. We record your requests for information and any feedback we receive from you. 

Details are stored within our preferred database - Harlequin, which is an externally


  What rights do I have in relation to my information?

The Data Protection Act 2018 provides individuals with many rights relating to how their data is processed by the Trust. Individuals absolutely have the right to access data held about them, and should apply to the data protection team below. Other rights include rectification of inaccurate information, the right to be told about how information is used, the right to object to processing and the right to have their record restricted in certain situations


  National Data Opt Out: How we use your information for purposes in addition to your individual care

RWT is working in the health and care system to improve care for patients and the public.

Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending Accident & Emergency or using Community Care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment.

The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance to help with:
  • improving the quality and standards of care provided
  • research into the development of new treatments
  • preventing illness and diseases
  • monitoring safety
  • planning services

This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations. Confidential patient information about your health and care is only used like this where allowed by law.

Most of the time, anonymised data is used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified in which case your confidential patient information isn’t needed.

You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way. If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care. This is called the National Data Opt Out.

To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters

On this web page you will:
  • See what is meant by confidential patient information
  • Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care
  • Find out more about the benefits of sharing data
  • Understand more about who uses the data
  • Find out how your data is protected
  • Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting
  • Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone
  • See the situations where the opt-out will not apply

You can also find out more about how patient information is used at:

https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/ (which covers health and care research); and https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/what-you-need-know (which covers how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made).

You can change your mind about your choice at any time.

Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.

Health and care organisations have until 2020 to put systems and processes in place so they can be compliant with the national data opt-out and apply your choice to any confidential patient information they use or share for purposes beyond your individual care.

Our organisation is currently compliant with the national data opt-out policy.


  How do I request my information?

You have a right to see or have copies of any information held by the Trust that relates to you free of charge. We have the right to charge an administration fee in situations where repeated requests are received for the same information or the request is excessive. You will be required to prove your identity when making requests.

Subject Access Requests under GDPR rules (post 25 May 18) will be processed within 30 days. However, once our teams have established the volume of records requested there may be a requirement to extended this up to a further 2 months. We will contact you within 30 days should this be the case.

To request access to health records please complete a Subject Access Request form, link provided below, and forward on to:

Health Records Access Team
Health Records Library
Location B19
New Cross Hospital
Wednesfield Road
Wolverhampton
WV10 0QP

Email: rwh-tr.healthrecordsaccess@nhs.net
Telephone: 01902 307999 Extension 85544/85545/88093

Subject Access Request form (PDF, 171Kb)
Subject Access Request form (Word, 54Kb)


  How long is my information kept for?

We keep your information for no longer than is necessary, as set out in the NHS Retention Schedule, which sets out the appropriate length of time each type of NHS records is retained. We will retain your information for any period required by law, for example for compliance with HMRC requirements. Where we are not under a legal obligation to retain your information, we will determine what is necessary by reference to the lawful basis for processing set out above and our legitimate interests.

All records are destroyed confidentially once their retention period has been met, and the Trust has made the decision that the records are no longer required. For more information please see the Record Management Code for Practice for Health and Social Care 2016, retention schedules


   How to make a complaint

If you have any questions about your care or a complaint, please speak to the health professional with your care in the first instance.If this is not resolved to your satisfaction you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

Data Protection Officer (DPO): Raz Edwards
Email: rwh-tr.IG-Enquiries@nhs.net
Address: New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton Road, Heath Town, Wolverhampton WV10 0QP

The Data Protection Officer is a point of contact for advice and guidance in relation to your rights. The DPO is responsible for monitoring the Trusts compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2016 as any policies the Trust has in relation to the protection of personal data. The DPO shall perform their duties in an independent manner with due regard to the risk associated with processing operations, taking into account the nature, scope, context and purposes of processing.

If you have any concerns about how your information is being processed or any of the rights as detailed above, please contact the Trust in the first instance through:

Health Records Access Team
Health Records Library
Location B19
New Cross Hospital
Wednesfield Road
Wolverhampton
WV10 0QP

Email: rwh-tr.healthrecordsaccess@nhs.net
Telephone: 01902 307999 Extension 85544/85545/88093

You also have a right to complain directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you feel the Trust has not responded effectively to any of the above.

Information Commissioners Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://ico.org.uk