How your data is used for research and planning (OpenSAFELY)
To help improve NHS services and patient care, we allow some of your health information to be used for research and planning. This is done through a secure system called OpenSAFELY, which is run by NHS England. Only pseudonymised data (which means your name and other details that directly identify you are removed or replaced with codes) is used. Your full personal information never leaves our GP system, and the data is only used in highly secure environments by approved NHS researchers. This use of data is allowed by law because it supports important public health work and research that benefits everyone.
This is done under the legal basis of public interest tasks (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(e)) and for health research (Article 9(2)(j)). You can read more about OpenSAFELY at www.opensafely.org and if you’d prefer not to have your data used in this way, you can opt out at www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters.
Please note: For some projects run under NHS legal powers (like OpenSAFELY), your data may still be used in a protected, pseudonymised form, even if you choose to opt out. This is because the law allows certain types of data use where it’s in the public interest.