The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and partners work together to provide you with public services; to do this, we may need to share information. We will do this in a way that protects your privacy and confidentiality.
What is information sharing and why is information shared?
Information sharing is the exchange of information between staff in the same or different organisations. Organisations need to work together to provide you or your child with the support that is best suited to you or your child's needs. This helps ensure you get the support that you need at the time that you need it and are not continually asked the same questions.
What organisations share information about me or my child?
The organisations that may need to share information include:
- schools and education
- health services
- social care
- youth justice services
- housing
- police
- voluntary sector organisations.
What sort of information might be held about me or my child?
- basic details about you or your child such as address and next of kin
- any contact you or your child has had with an organisation
- notes, assessment and reports about you or your child's needs
- information about what support you or your child receives.
Information about you or your child will be held for no longer than necessary and in keeping with the organisation's policy and procedures on record keeping.
How do we store information?
Information will be held in either paper or electronic form, but in either case it will be secured and only made available to available to authorised persons.
When will we share information about you or your child?
Organisations will always ask for your consent to share information. However, there may be circumstances where information may be shared without your consent.
With your consent
An organisation will ask for your consent to share information using the consent to share information form included in this booklet. Issues around your rights under the Data Protection Act should be clearly explained to you.
Organisations should still consult and involve you before sharing information with another organisation. This will help ensure you or your child receives a more coordinated service.
Without your consent
Information may be shared without your consent. This will only happen if there is a legal requirement to do so e.g. if we think a child is likely to suffer harm if we withhold information or if the information could prevent or assist in the solving of a crime.
What are my rights?
Information about you or your child is confidential and will only be shared if it is genuinely needed to find out more about you or your child's circumstances so that the right level of support can be provided. Wherever possible this information will be shared in a way where you cannot be identified.
Where it is necessary to share identifiable information about you or your child this will be done on a 'need to know' basis and for a specified purpose.
Anyone we share information with to support you or your child is also under a legal obligation to keep that information confidential.
Consent to share information
Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you have the right to
- withhold consent
- limit the type of information that can be shared
- limit the agencies it can be shared with
- withdraw consent.
You should be aware that if you choose not to give your consent or to limit your consent then this may result in:
- a duplication in obtaining information about you
- a delay in receiving the appropriate level of support or service available to you or your child
- not receiving the appropriate level of support or service available to you or your child.
Can I see all the information held about me or my child?
You are legally entitled to see all the information held on you. Requests for access must be made in writing and will be acknowledged within 21 days. Once the organisation has all the information required it will have 40 days from your original request to provide you with access to you or your child's file. If you require copies of the file there will be a charge.
If you would like further information on this please see Your data rights and how to exercise them.