Patients are under no obligation to disclose anything that they are uncomfortable with and they should be reassured that if they choose to disclose this information, it will be kept confidential. If a patient wishes to know why you are asking for this data, you can inform them that the service collects this information so that they can appropriately provide for all their patients and ensure that it is inclusive of people of all identities.
The following information about how patient data may be used, may also be useful.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - information - How we've ensured compliance with data protection law, to make sure health and care data is always collected, stored, analysed and shared securely and legally.
Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS): GDPR information - Why and how we process your data in the Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS), and your rights.
Understanding the health and care information we collect - Your health and care information - what we collect, and why.
Mental health services Directions 2020 - Directions given by NHS England requiring NHS Digital to establish and operate a system for the collection of information to be known as the mental health services Directions 2020.