If you are an adopted adult and wish to access your adoption records, please contact the Information Manager.
You can also make a request to see information about another person if you are legally acting on their behalf.
For example, you might be a parent or carer or another person connected to someone who is incapable of understanding or exercising their rights
Requests to access personal information must be written to:
Information Management
Civic Centre
West Street
Oldham, OL1 1UG
information.management@oldham.gov.uk
Please include:
- Any information required to identify the individual.
- Any information necessary to locate the information.
If you prefer, you can authorise an agent or a third party to make the request on your behalf. If we receive a request for personal information from someone acting on another’s behalf, we will make checks to ensure that that person has been authorised to do so.
You will received a response within one calendar month.
Complaints about requests to see a personal file
If you are unhappy about being refused access to any records, refusing to change the record, or to remove anything from it, please notify the member of staff who has been dealing with your request who will ensure that the decision is reviewed by a senior officer in Adult and Community Services - Adult Social Care.
If you are still not satisfied you can ask for the decision to be reviewed by an Appeals Committee of the Authority or you can make a complaint using the Council's complaints procedure.
Or you could appeal to the Information Commissioner or take your appeal through the courts with the assistance of a solicitor.
Withholding information
In principle you have a right to see all the information we hold about you. There are some types of information that you may not be allowed to see, including:
- Information which identifies other people (unless they have agreed to the disclosure).
- Information which, if disclosed, would cause serious physical or mental harm to you or any other person.
- Information which, if disclosed, would hinder the prevention and detection of crime, or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders.
What to do if you think the information held is wrong
If you think any information recorded about you is wrong, you should inform us straight away.
If we do not agree that the information is wrong, you can ask to record your disagreement on your records.
What type of information is kept?
The information kept varies according to your needs. For example, if you require assistance in supporting a relative at home, we may ask about your health, finances, housing and family.
The information about you will be used for the purpose of meeting your specific needs. It will be recorded in your name as part of a structured record.
How will this information be used?
This information will be used to assist any relevant workers to assess your needs, and ensure that the most appropriate support and services are made available to you as quickly as possible.
The information will also be used to help us to monitor the services we provide and to plan future services.
How will information be collected?
There are a number of ways that information is collected:
- From your applications, interviews, meetings or telephone calls.
- From someone acting on your behalf (for example, a carer, relative, neighbour or friend).
- From other people who may be working with you (for example, school or hospital staff, your general practitioner, health visitor or Social Worker).
Confidentiality
All information held about you is confidential and will not be disclosed to other individuals or agencies without your consent, unless we are legally bound to do so or where there is a clear risk to another person.
Your legal rights
The personal information held about you is covered by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) May 2018.
Oldham Council are the Data Controller under the terms of the GDPR and we are legally responsible for ensuring that all personal information that we process, hold, obtain, record, use or share about you is done is in compliance with the data protection principles.
We process and hold information in order to provide care and support services and to support vulnerable adults, the elderly, those with physical disabilities and carers.
The records we keep can be viewed by the person at any point. To access these a request would need to be submitted to the council:
Further information about a person’s rights under the new GDPR regulations can be found at:
Additional privacy notices can also be found on the internet at:
The principles require, amongst other things, that personal data is processed fairly and lawfully, is accurate and relevant and is subject to appropriate security.
Sharing information
Community Health and Adult Social Care Service – Adult Social Care works with other organisations to make sure that you receive services that meet your needs.
Sometimes information about you needs to be shared with these other organisations.
You will be asked to agree to the sharing of your personal information.
You do not have to agree if you do not want to.
Information about you will not be shared without your consent, unless there is a statutory duty to do so (to prevent harm to you or someone else, or to assist with the prevention or detection of crime).