At The Life Rooms, we collect and use data in different ways such as attendance at our sites, feedback from our service users, and local population health information.

We now also gather NHS numbers that can tell us how people who use The Life Rooms also use any other health and social care services. Those accessing The Life Rooms have likely visited other health and wellbeing services, and gathering NHS numbers will help us understand this, track themes, and develop ways of preventing ill health and wellbeing.

Using NHS numbers will help us improve our services, support our communities, and make it easier for people to access mental and physical health support. It will help us further understand the care and support needs of our service users, as well as identifying those who are at risk of developing those needs so we can support with prevention.

Everyone has an NHS number, but you don't need to do anything when you use The Life Rooms, we can gather everything we need from information we already have. Just sign up, enjoy our courses and access our services in the usual way.

We will always keep your data safe and anonymous, and we won't share it with anyone else. We aren't looking at individual information, just at whole groups, so we won't see names or personal details.

For more information on privacy, data and confidentiality, visit the Mersey Care website.

Watch the short video below to find out more.

Why does The Life Rooms want to collect my NHS Number?

The Life Rooms wants to collect NHS Numbers to better understand the needs of service users to help us develop our services. We want to understand how The Life Rooms users also access primary care, acute care, mental health care and adult and social care, to understand whether this changes in relation to using The Life Rooms.

 

Has The Life Rooms always collected NHS Numbers?

The Life Rooms has not routinely collected NHS numbers in our records, and we have not previously accessed this information.

 

If The Life Rooms did not collect them before, why do they need to now?

The Life Rooms as an NHS organisation has a duty to collect NHS numbers as a condition of the NHS Standard contract:

  • 23.4 Subject to and in accordance with Law and Guidance the Provider must: 23.4.1 ensure that the Service User Health Record includes the Service User’s verified NHS Number
  • 23.4.2 use the NHS Number as the consistent identifier in all clinical correspondence (paper or electronic) and in all information it processes in relation to the Service User
  • 23.4.3 be able to use the NHS Number to identify all Activity relating to a Service User

As well as a contractual obligation, The Life Rooms is now collecting NHS numbers to analyse and improve our service. The analytical work that will be undertaken is covered by the Public Interest Test. https://kaleidoscopeconsultants.eu/principles/lawfulness-of-processing/

 

Will I need to know my NHS number to enrol?

You will not need to know your NHS number to enrol at The Life Rooms. The NHS numbers will be matched via the Patient Demographic Service and uploaded to Elemental. We can gather this from information that we already have.

 

Will having access to my NHS number allow direct access to my medical record or private details?

All records will be kept anonymised, and we won’t be looking at individual records, but whole groups so we will not be able to see personal names or details. The Life Rooms will not be utilising or have access to any clinical systems that give details about your care or medical records.

 

Where will my information be stored, and will my information be shared with any other organisations or individuals?

All of your data will be held securely via Elemental and we will not share it with anyone else. The Life Rooms data may also be transferred to the Mersey Care Data Warehouse and remain there for future analysis. This data is securely stored and accessed by a minimum number of Business Intelligence Staff.