Accurx is a communications system used by NHS organisations such as GP practices and hospitals. Accurx makes it possible for patients to easily share photos and files with their healthcare provider if they need to.
Important information about sending photos
If you want to send a photo to your healthcare provider to help with your care please do not send images that include intimate areas of the body (e.g. bottom, breasts, or genitals).
Please note that your photo may be seen by staff from your healthcare provider that are clinical or administrative, and of all genders.
If you do not want to send a photo please contact your healthcare provider about alternative forms of assessment.
Your photo or file may be saved to your healthcare record
Your healthcare provider may decide to save your photo or file to your healthcare record. In cases where your healthcare provider does decide to save this information, it is done independently of the Accurx systems.
Does Accurx store my photo or file?
Accurx stores this data (including photos) to provide the services contracted by your healthcare provider. All data we process is hosted and kept securely on Microsoft Entra’s servers (formerly known as Azure servers) in their West London Data Centre.
All data sent is encrypted when it is sent via our platform, and at rest when it is stored. The reason that Accurx uses the Microsoft Entra servers, is because it follows the NHS Blueprint for Platform-as-a-Service web applications, specifically designed for NHS services. Please see here for more information on Cloud Security and for further information on Azure Storage encryption, click here.
How long are photos and files stored by Accurx?
Patient photos and files - along with other patient data - are kept in line with the Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2023. These require us to hold records on behalf of healthcare organisations until 10 years after a patient has died. However, we would delete the data earlier than suggested by this code in the following cases:
We are asked by your healthcare provider to delete this data at the end of our contract with them
As a response to an erasure request you’ve sent your healthcare provider in line with your individual rights under the data protection legislation, which they ask us to assist with
Can Accurx access patient photos or files?
Access to patient photos or files that have been submitted to your healthcare provider via our platform is heavily restricted. In circumstances where we are required to access patient data, only designated Accurx staff can access the data we store on the London Microsoft Entra servers to perform the tasks required, extensive controls are in place, and a full audit trail is kept to ensure that any interactions with patient data are kept to a minimum.
Can I delete photos and files from Accurx?
We comply with the NHS England IG requirements, which require us to keep a photo for audit trail purposes. We can permanently and completely delete a photo or file from the audit trail that we store only in the cases described above, therefore, if you wish to delete any photos or files you’ve sent to your healthcare provider via our platform, you need to contact them directly and state that you would like to engage your right to erasure. If you contact us directly, we won’t be able to take action because we are only a software supplier to your healthcare provider and have no authority to do this.
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