The RCOphth and its subcontractors undertake analysis of the data for the purposes of the audit. The data analyst uses a secure dedicated computer to analyse the information.
Anonymised and / or aggregated information may be requested for research, service evaluation and commissioning purposes, and information will only be released following approval from the data controller. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists is the data controller and has overall authority over the data and all aspects of its use.
Legal basis for processing your data
The audit is covered under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by the following legal basis for processing your data:
- processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller {Article 6 (1) (e)}
- processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, such as protecting against serious cross-border threats to health or ensuring high standards of quality and safety of health care and of medicinal products or medical devices, on the basis of Union or Member State law which provides for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the data subject, in particular professional secrecy. {Article 9 (2) (i)}
Further information
If you have any questions about patient information relevant to the audit, please contact the RCOphth Data Protection Officer, Kathy Evans at noa.project@rcophth.ac.uk.
Telephone: 0300 030 2020 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm)
Website: www.nodaudit.org.uk
Your right to access data may be limited as the information submitted by participating hospitals is anonymous to the audit team. However, you can contact the hospital that provided your cataract surgery or AMD treatment if you wish to access your information.
If you have concerns about the way your information is being handled, you have the right to make a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the independent authority in the UK responsible for upholding information rights in the public interest via telephone on 0303 123 1113 or their website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint