The following privacy notice applies to the Mental Health service within the Adults, Health and Well-being department provided by Cyngor Gwynedd. It should be read in addition to the Adult, Health and Well-being services privacy statement.
Purpose for processing your information?
We need to process your information to:
- provide treatment and care for people with short-term or more complex mental health needs
- help individuals to obtain long-term personal support to help them live as independently as possible
- offer advice and share contact details of useful organisations
- supporting carers
Justification for Collecting and Recording Personal Information
The mental health service will collect the personal information because it is part of our public task under Article 6 (e) UK GDPR
- The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
- Mental Health Act,
- Mental Health Bill
- Mental Capacity Act 2005
For sensitive information, our legal basis is the need to provide health and social care services (Article 9 (h) UK GDPR)
Information we can collect
- Date of birth, name, address, family details
- Telephone Details
- E-mail Address
- National Insurance Number (in some cases)
- Personal Reference Number e.g. Social Service number, Health Service number
- Employer Details
- Family Details (In cases where the customer lacks mental capacity, were appointed and/or those with a Lasting power of Attorney.)
- Financial Position e.g. income, expenditure, bank details
- Lifestyle and social circumstances
- Opinion and decision
- Record of previous complaints
- Personal appearance and behaviour
We may also process sensitive (special category) information, relevant to individual cases, for the provision of mental health services, which may include, among others, some of the following:
- Physical and/or mental health details
- Racial or ethnic origin
- Religious or other beliefs
- Offences (including alleged offences), criminal proceedings, consequences and sentences
- Political Affiliation/opinion
- Sexual Orientation
Records are kept on paper or on a computer. They are treated confidentially and are always held securely.
With whom will we share the information?
In some circumstances, the Council will have to share your information with external and third sector partners if it is relevant to the provision of care. These include but are not limited to the following:
- Police
- Health including – GP’s, Hospitals, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Clinical Commissioning Groups, Care Homes
- Anonymised statistical data is shared with NHS Digital
- Independent Best Interests Assessors and Mental Health Assessors
- Representatives who act on your behalf if you have no ability to make decisions about your care. Including amongst others:
- An Independent Mental Capacity Advocate;
- Those with a lasting power of attorney
- Court-Appointed Deputy
- Nominated Representative/nearest family member
- Other family Members with an interest in your mental health and care
- Court of Protection
- Conwy County Safeguarding Services
- Appropriate adult Team (teams)/children's social care
- Other Conwy County Borough Council Services as appropriate including Legal Services
Information is shared in cases of real need, where we can improve on the service offered to the individual. The information will not be shared as such unless there is a legal requirement to do so. We will not pass on your information to another country.
How long will we keep your information?
The service will only keep your information for as long as is necessary. This will normally be a minimum of twenty years following completion of contact with the mental health service or eight years from the date of death of a service user (we do not destroy these files as they are embargoed). Should contact restart with the service, the date will also restart. We have a list of retention periods for the Department's work. For further information please contact the Information Officer.
After the retention period, your information will be securely disposed.
All paper files will be held by the Mental Health Service, Health Board.
Can you see what information the service holds about you?
You have the right to ask for all the personal information the service holds about you. In Some circumstances, we will not be able to let you see the information, or part of it, because:
- It contains confidential information about other people;
- or that a professional believes that it would cause serious harm to the physical or mental well-being of the individual or someone else
If we cannot give you access to your information we will explain the reason for refusal.
How do I apply to see the information the Department holds about me?
- Download the access to personal Information application form
- Send us a letter or e-mail
- Ask verbally
Normally, you will be asked to provide a proof of your identity.
Once we have received proof of your identity, we will then process your application in 1 month, or we are entitled to extend this period to 2 months if the application is bulky or complex.
How to contact us?
For more information, or if you wish to receive an application form by e-mail or post, please contact us on the details below:
Information Officer Department for Adults, Health and Well-being
- Telephone: 01286 679 223
- E-mail: mailto:gcgc@gwynedd.llyw.cymru
- Address: Information Officer, Department for Adults, Health and Well-Being, Cyngor Gwynedd, Shirehall Street, Caernarfon, LL55 1SH
How to get more information about your rights?
For more information, see the Privacy Statements and Cookies page.