Data management and confidentiality

Key points

• We need to collect certain information to help us develop bespoke support plans tailored to your individual needs. We are committed to being open respectful and clear in everything we do with your information.

• When you access the service, we will record your name, date of birth, contact details and your NHS number. We will document appointments details, clinical information from assessment and therapy sessions as well as information relevant to your safety. We only record information that is necessary for your care.

• Your information will be recorded within a secure electronic patient record called PCMiS. The information stored within this record will only be accessed by IBPS staff involved in supporting you.

• It may be helpful to share relevant information about your care with other professionals (for example, your GP or your medical team). We will always discuss this with you and will only share agreed information with your consent.

• There are a few specific occasions where we may be required to share your information without your consent. This would only be required if:
  • You or someone else is at serious risk of harm
  • We are required to do so by law (for example, a court order)

• In relation to potential information requests from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) on the basis of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (opens in a new tab), IBCA have released the following statement: IBCA will never use the Victims and Prisoners Act powers to access IBPS records. If (and only if) a person wishes to provide those records to IBCA in support of a supplementary claim, they can instead do so by way of a Subject Access Request, which can only be processed with that person's consent.
  • Community Update, 6 August 2026 (HTML) - GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)

• We keep your IBPS records in line with the NHS Records Management Guidelines. Psychological care records are usually kept for 20 years after your last contact, unless there’s a reason to keep them longer.

• You have the right to:
  • Access your records
  • Ask us to correct inaccurate information
  • Know how your information is used
  • Let us know how and with whom you wish your data to be shared (where legally possible)

• If you would like to request a copy of your medical records, please speak to your IBPS clinician or email the CUH Data Protection Officer.

• If you have queries about the way we are handling your information or if you would like to exercise your rights as described above, please speak to your IBPS clinician or contact:
  
  CUH Data Protection Officer
  Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  Box 153
  Hills Road
  Cambridge
  CB2 0QQ
  
  Email CUH GDPR

• You can also raise concerns with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) as the supervisory authority Information Commissioner's Office. Telephone: 0303 1231113

• Further information is available on the national IBPS webpage: Consent and confidentiality – Infected Blood Psychological Service (opens in a new tab)