Get an isolation note service transparency notice

We need to process your personal data when you use the Get an isolation note service in order to provide you with an isolation note which you can use to show your employer as an alternative to a fit note (often called a sick note) if you or someone you care for is advised to self-isolate because of coronavirus.

NHS Digital has been legally directed to collect and analyse self-isolation note data for residents in England and has also been requested by the NHS in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to provide this service to residents of these countries.

The data we use to run the Get an isolation note service

Service audit data

Information captured against your client IP address about your use of the service, such as the time of use, actions you took using the service, and associated technical log events. Used to diagnose problems and understand usage by individuals and the service as a whole.

Service isolation note data

Details of the user (name, date of birth, reason(s) for self-isolation, start date of self-isolation) used to personalise the isolation note. As this relates to health this is special category data under GDPR. We also collect an email address to send the isolation note.

Service help desk information

The personal data you provide if you contact the help desk, which could include information about your use of the service

Service help desk feedback and surveys

The personal data you provide if you provide feedback such as responding to one of our surveys

From the data you provide, if you choose to use the Get an isolation note service.

In order to send you a link to download a copy of your self-isolate note we use the GOV.UK Notify email service. This is operated by the Cabinet Office as our processor. The only personal data we share to use this service is your email address. For more information about the GOV.UK Notify email service, please see the Notify privacy policy.

We will also share aggregate (non-personal) data with the Department of Health and Social Care (including NHS England, NHSX, Public Health England) and the Department of Work and Pensions.  This will be used to understand service usage and performance.

We keep the self-isolation note data for up to 8 years after the note was issued. We keep service audit data for 6 years and service helpdesk information, feedback and surveys for 12 months.

We only store and process your data within the UK.

To read more about how we’re using data to support the response to COVID-19 see our COVID-19 response transparency notice.

To read more about the health and care information NHS Digital collects, our legal basis for collecting this information and what choices and rights you have see How we look after your health and care information.