We take the protection of your information seriously, and we are required by NHS England to provide pseudonymised health data (data with names and other details removed) to the OpenSAFELY platform.
What is OpenSAFELY?
OpenSAFELY is a secure NHS research and planning service that helps the NHS to understand:
- which treatments work best
- how to improve services
- how to keep patients safe
Is my data safe?
Your GP record will stay safe within our clinical system (SystmOne), and names, addresses, dates of birth and other identifiers will not be shared. Researchers can only see anonymous, combined results, they cannot see individual records.
Your Type 1 Opt-Out choice (if you have one) will still be honoured, except for a very small number of legally mandated public health projects.
How can I opt-out?
You can choose whether or not your data is used for research and planning. There are different types of data-sharing you can opt-out of.
Type 1 Opt-Out
- To do this you need to fill in an opt-out form and return it to the GP surgery. Download a Type 1 Opt-out form.
- Only your GP surgery can process your opt-out form. They will be able to tell you if, and when, you have been opted out.
If you choose a Type 1 Opt-out, your GP will not share your data for research and planning. However, NHS England will still be able to collect and share data from other healthcare providers, such as hospitals.
Type 2 Opt-Out
This is called the National Data Opt-out.
- To opt out online or find out more, visit Make your choice.
- If you choose this opt-out, NHS England and other health and care organisations will not be able to share any of your personal data with other organisations for research and planning, except in certain situations. For example, when required by law.
- If you want to check if you have opted out, you can enter your details again at Make your choice or check your settings in the NHS App.
Who supports OpenSAFELY?
OpenSAFELY has been developed using strong safeguards and is fully supported by:
- NHS England: https://www.england.nhs.uk/
- The British Medical Association’s GP Committee (GPC England): https://www.bma.org.uk/what-we-do/committees/general-practitioners-committee/general-practitioners-committee-uk-overview
Want to know more?
To find out more, please visit: https://www.opensafely.org/
If you have questions about how your information is used, please contact us.
Page Created: 12th August 2025
Page Updated: 26th September 2025