Social Prescribing privacy notice

Social Prescribing (SP) involves supporting patients and residents to improve their health and social welfare by connecting them to local community services run by the local council, health, or voluntary and community organisations.

By having a conversation with an SP, residents can focus on what really matters to them as an individuals and can then be connected to community groups that provide more specific practical and emotional support. This helps those with long-term health conditions, who feel isolated, or who need support with their mental health. People with some complex social needs can also benefit from social prescribing due to the positive effect it can have on their wellbeing.

The service aims to support and connect local patients/residents who require support that is not medical, to improve their health and well-being; examples include:

• Connecting to the cost of living support, including benefit and debt advice, food security, and digital inclusion
• Assistance with a cold home or energy bills
• Increased physical activity or healthy eating
• Joining in with local activities such as art classes, walking or gardening groups
• Connecting to peer support for people experiencing grief or living with long-term conditions
• Connecting to local befriending, volunteering schemes, and local Community Living rooms

Referrals to Social Prescribers are made by health professionals (including GPs, community health services, and social workers) for patients/ residents who are:

• 18 years old and over.
• Able to attend a local activity independently
• Can participate in the activity without a lot of support from the group facilitator

• contact details, including name, address, email address, telephone number, etc.
• date of birth
• lifestyle, social, and personal circumstances
• the services you receive
• We may also collect sensitive personal data (also known as special categories of data) that may include:
• disability status 
• whether you have a long-term health condition
• whether you are a carer 
• physical or mental health details
• ethnic origin
• gender
• GP surgery and contact 

The Care Act 2014 sets out the duties that we must carry out to assess the needs and eligibility for publicly funded care and support for residents of Waltham Forest Council. To fulfil these duties and ensure you receive the correct care; we need to collect relevant information from you. This helps us to determine what type of assistance you may require. 

Your data may be shared with the following:

• health agencies
• other departments within the council such as housing, council tax, occupational therapy, Adult Social care and multiagency safeguarding hub (MASH)
• career advice services
• education providers
• city/district/borough councils
• voluntary and community sector organisations 

Consent will be requested from you prior to sharing. 

The lawful basis for processing your data is:

• Article 6(1)(e) Public Task as the council is required to carry out statutory social care functions under the Care Act 2014.
• Article 6(1)(a) Consent – we will obtain your consent before collecting some of your information

If you wish to withdraw your consent to the processing of your data you can do so at any time by e-mailing: Social.prescribing@walthamforest.gov.uk

We have a statutory obligation to collect, process, and share personal or sensitive personal information without consent, with our partners such as the NHS and the other council departments, including Housing and Adult Social Care for the following purposes:

• health and wellbeing and public health
• safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children
• the prevention and detection of crime
• if we are required to do so by any court or law
• protect you or other individuals from serious harm
• protect public funds
• public safety and law enforcement
• national security

We may also share the data we collect about you in an anonymised form for monitoring and reporting on the impact of our service. We may share these reports with the following: 

• NHS including GPs, Primary Care Networks, and Integrated Care Boards.
• other council departments
• voluntary and community sector
• Central government
• other councils
• housing associations

We will never use or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Adult social care records are retained for 6 years or the end of care or the client's last seen, this is subject to review and if no longer needed, records will be destroyed.

Our Data Protection Officer

Our Data Protection Officer is Mark Hynes, you contact him by email at data.protectionofficer@walthamforest.gov.uk

Protecting your information

Please see the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice.

Your information choice and rights

Please see the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice.

Complaints and contact details

These are included in the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice.

Information Commissioner’s Office

If we’re unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)