Getting your consent for treatment digitally
We are starting to use a new system for getting your consent (permission) for treatment using a digital application called Concentric.
This will help to improve our consent process in a number of ways, such as:
- Reducing errors by moving away from paper forms
- Giving consent from your home environment, allowing you time to carefully read through the form in your own time
- Better understanding of your care and decisions being proposed
- Reducing the need for surgery to be rescheduled if any issues arise from the consent form
What can I expect?
Please visit the Concentric website for more information.
Who are Concentric Health?
Concentric Health are a UK-based company with headquarters in Cardiff, Wales. They are an NHS approved provider of services.
Concentric Health Ltd.
Registration number: 10733991.
Address: Tramshed Tech, Pendyris Street, Cardiff, CF11 6BH
How will it work?
Your doctor or healthcare professional will upload the information relevant to your treatment or procedure onto the Concentric system. You will either receive a link to this information via email or SMS text message from Concentric.
Once you have had the chance to read about the proposed treatment or procedure, you will be given the opportunity to give your consent, by selecting the link and entering your date of birth. If you have any further questions before you wish to consent for treatment, please contact our PALS department on 01284 712555 or PALS@wsh.nhs.uk or you will have the opportunity to ask these questions on the day you come to the hospital for treatment.
How will I be contacted by Concentric?
You may be contacted by your doctor or healthcare professional via email from notifications@concentric.health or SMS text message from ‘Concentric’.
Where is my personal data stored?
Concentric Health uses Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for all hosting and data processing within a data centre in the UK. GCP is compliant with healthcare information governance requirements.
Once the consent is completed, a pdf version of the consent form is automatically transferred onto West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s electronic patient record system.
How is my data protected?
You will be sent an email or a text message with a unique link, requiring you to enter your date of birth to verify your identity. All data is stored using leading encryption methods and secure transfer.
The systems used in this process are compliant with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Under GDPR, Concentric uses ‘personal data’ and ‘special category data’ which is sensitive data requiring additional protection.
Personal data processed:
- Title
- Forename and surname
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Patient identification number e.g. NHS number or hospital number
- Mobile phone number
- Email address
Special category data processed:
- Name of treatment or procedure
- Indication and purpose of the treatment or procedure
- Alternatives and risks
- Names and job titles of healthcare professionals involved in providing care
Under GDPR, organisations can only process personal data if there is a lawful basis for doing so. Where Concentric is used, West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is the data controller and Concentric Health is the data processor on our behalf.
The legal basis for processing of this data is for direct care, providing a digital consent platform.
What will the data be used for?
Your data will only be used by West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust to manage the consent process as part of your treatment or procedure. It will not be used for any other purposes unless we contact you and specifically ask for permission to do so.