Worried about who sees your health record? As an Alternaleaf patient, your personal and medical information is safe. Below we’ve explored some common myths, and busted them with the real facts.
If you’re considering medical cannabis treatment, you can find out if you qualify by completing the quick eligibility checker on our website.
Myth 1: “Anyone at the clinic can read my record.”
Fact: Only staff involved in your care should see your information. Our systems record who looks at your file. Checking without a valid reason is against the rules and can lead to serious action.
Myth 2: “Sharing my data for treatment is illegal.”
Fact: Under UK data protection laws (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018) and the common law duty of confidentiality, your information must be kept private and only shared when there is a lawful reason. This means sharing your data is allowed when it’s necessary for your care, for example sending your prescription to your pharmacy.
In most cases, we’ll ask for consent before sharing your data with anyone outside of your care team. However, if there is a serious risk of harm to you or others, the law allows us to share information without consent to protect safety. You can find full details of this in our privacy policy.
Myth 3: “I can’t see my own record.”
Fact: You have the right to see your health record, and can ask us to share your information with you. Just keep in mind this can take time, depending on the volume of data we have for you.
Please note: we don’t record clinical consultations, and we’re not able to share voice recordings from phone calls.
Myth 4: “If there’s a mistake, I’m stuck with it.”
Fact: You can ask for errors to be corrected. If something can’t be changed, like a doctor’s opinion, a note can be added with your comments.
Myth 5: “My data is sold for marketing.”
Fact: We do not sell your personal health information for direct marketing. If data is used for research or planning, it’s anonymised, so it doesn’t identify you.
Myth 6: “I can’t opt out of data uses I don’t want.”
Fact: You can opt out of some uses of your confidential information, such as research or planning, and this won’t affect your care.
However, if you opt out of sharing information with your GP, we unfortunately cannot continue to treat you at our clinic, as we believe this is an important step in assuring safe prescribing.
Your Privacy and Data Protection
We take your privacy very seriously. In the UK, your personal and medical information is protected by strict laws, including GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. These rules make sure your details are collected safely, used only when needed, and stored securely. We never share your information without your permission, unless the law requires it to keep you or others safe.
Your Rights as a Patient
You have important rights over your information. You can ask to see your records (called a Subject Access Request), ask us to correct mistakes, and even ask us to delete your information (the “right to be forgotten”) in some cases.
Please note that if you have attended a consultation with us (or any other clinic), your medical records need to be held for a specific period of time before we can delete them. This is to ensure that your rights as a patient are protected, should there be any issue with your care. You can also ask us to limit or stop how we use your information. These rights are here to give you control and peace of mind.
Our Promise to You
We want you to feel safe and confident when you share information with us. Your trust matters, and we’ll always explain clearly how we use your details. If you have questions or want to use your rights, just ask. We’re here to help.
With these strong protections in place, your privacy is always in safe hands. If you’re considering medical cannabis treatment with Alternaleaf, you can find out if you’ll qualify by heading to our website. It takes 30 seconds to check.
This is not legal advice. If you’re unsure, ask us or check official ICO guidance.