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OpenSAFELY

How we use your information

Our practice is required by law to provide pseudonymised patient data to NHS England’s OpenSAFELY Data Analytics Service. This is a secure environment, hosted by our clinical system supplier (TPP SystmOne/Optum EMIS), where data is used for research, planning and evaluation to improve NHS care.

  • The data is pseudonymised (identifiers such as name, date of birth, address are removed or replaced with codes).
  • Data never leaves the secure environment provided by the system supplier. Only aggregate results are shared with approved researchers.
  • The service is run under a formal Data Provision Notice (DPN) issued by NHS England, which GP practices are legally required to comply with.
  • Our practice remains the data controller for the information we hold.
  • Your Type 1 Opt-Out choice (preventing your confidential information being used for planning or research) will still be respected, except for a small number of specific public health projects where national regulations apply.

You can read more about OpenSAFELY at: www.opensafely.org
Information on NHS England’s legal basis for this data use is available at: NHS Digital Data Provision Notices.

If you have any questions, please contact the practice Data Protection Officer via sandrageddes@nhs.net.

Page published: 4 November 2025
Last updated: 4 November 2025