Right to Rectification

The Data Protection Act 2018 provides individuals far greater control of the data Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust holds pertaining to them. Whilst having access to health records is nothing new, individuals may now utilise their right to rectification if they perceive there to be inaccuracies. Therefore this right obligates the Trust to consider the accuracy of records upon request.

Individuals can use their right to rectification to request sections of their records are amended or removed. Additionally, this right can be exercised if the data subject believes information has been omitted and requires inclusion on their record. Pertinently, it must be recognised that clinical opinion is subjective and thus Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reserves the right to refute any request deemed inappropriate.

Any individual that wishes to exercise their right to rectification may submit a request in writing to:

The Information Governance Department
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Wrightington Hospital
Hall Lane
Appley Bridge
Wigan
WN6 9EP

Email: informationgoveranance@wwl.nhs.uk

Making a request

Be specific
Requests can be reviewed more effectively when sufficient detail is provided. Therefore we ask that individuals:

Provide two forms of identity; one should be a photographic ID and the other a utility bill.
Explain in detail the information they wish to be rectified.
Provide a date or range of dates to which the request applies.

Provide contact details
Individuals must provide a preferred method of contact to ensure the outcome of any request can be communicated. Furthermore these details may be used to obtain further clarification for requests received when deemed necessary.

Responding to requests
Obliged by statute to provide a response within one calendar month, we aim to respond to all requests in a timely manner. In the event of individuals submitting numerous requests or requests that are deemed complex, the Trust reserves the right to extend this limit by a further two calendar months. Please note that if the time limit is extended for the aforementioned reasons, individuals will be contacted within the first calendar month to explain this decision.

Further information
Further information about the right to rectification can be found at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website, please click here for more details. The ICO is an independent authority tasked with upholding information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.