Sunday, September 12, 2010

Access information Guide

You have the right to get a copy of the information that is held about you. These rights are known as subject access rights.
Requests to see records and other related information are known as ‘subject access requests’. You make the request to the organisation you think is holding, using or sharing the information you want. Personal information can be contained in both paper and computer records but not all personal information is covered by the Data Protection Act.

How can I find out what is held about me?

If you want to know if a person or organisation holds information about you and what information they hold, you will need to write to that person or organisation and make a subject access request. You should ask for a copy of all the information they hold about you. If you are not sure who to write to in an organisation, address your letter to the company secretary.
It is a good idea to include your full name and address in the heading, and any other information to help identify you and the information you need. For example, if you are making a request to a previous employer, they may need the dates when you worked for them to find the information about you. In other circumstances, a reference number such as your NHS number may be needed. Be as specific as possible. It will help the organisation if you tell them exactly what information you want.
Some organisations make decisions using an automated process (for example, using a computer system to give you a credit rating). If you want them to also tell you about the logic involved in making these decisions, you should specifically ask for this in your letter.

How much does it cost?

Organisations may charge a fee of up to £10 (£2 if it is a request to a credit reference agency for information about your financial standing only).
There are special rules that apply to fees for paper based health records (the maximum fee is currently £50) and education records (a sliding scale from £1 to £50 depending on the number of pages provided).
You will have to pay a fee (if charged) for every request, so you need to specify all the information you need in your first letter, otherwise you may have to pay another fee to get information you have asked for on a different occasion.

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