Data policy: information for patients and NHS staff

During the course of the project we will be analysing three different sets of data. The following describes how we acquire the data, what we do with it and how it is protected against misuse.

Retrospective clinical data

Most of the data we analyse has already been recorded by our collaborating hospital trusts (Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust). This is routine data that is collected on virtually every patient in the hospital and contains details of their medical condition and how they are cared for.

Before we get the data for analysis, it is stripped of all personal information that might identify a patient. This includes names, addresses, NHS and hospital identification numbers and dates of birth (except for year, which we need to calculate how old the patient is). Any patient who has requested that their data is not used for research purposes is specifically not included in our dataset by the relevant hospital before the data is passed to us. We hold special research approval for this from the NHS Health Research Authority’s Confidentiality Advisory Group (ref: 19/CAG/0132).

Even though the data contains no personally identifying information, we still keep it safe by storing it on computers that only authorised people can access, and encrypting it while it is transferred from one computer site to another. Our processes all follow NHS best practice for the safeguarding of patient data (see our NHS Digital Data Security and Protection Toolkit information).

If you are a patient and you do not want your data used for this purpose, please go to https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/ and follow the guidance there.

Data about nursing observations

During the course of the project, we are collecting data on how long it takes nursing staff to measure a patient's vital signs, record them and take any appropriate action.

This is done by a researcher who watches the nurse from a distance that respects the patient's privacy and does not interfere in their work. We respect the wishes of nurses who do not wish to be observed, and also those of any patients involved. The data recorded does not contain any information that would identify either the patients or nursing staff.

Again, although the data contains no personally identifying information, we still keep it safe by storing it on computers that only authorised people can access, and encrypting it while it is transferred from one computer site to another.

Views expressed by hospital staff

During the course of the project, we are collecting data about clinical staff's views of making vital sign observations. This also enables us to get their feedback on our preliminary results.

We are holding focus group discussions with doctors, nurses and other hospital staff. We record and transcribe the discussions so that we have an accurate record of what is said. Anything that is said that personally identifies an individual is removed from the transcript.

Again, although the data contains no personally identifying information, we still keep it safe by storing it on computers that only authorised people can access, and encrypting it while it is transferred from one computer site to another.