We need to collect, store and use some of your personal information as part of bowel screening.
This includes your:
- name
- address and eircode
- phone number
- date of birth
- PPS number
- mother's maiden name
- bowel screening history
Your bowel screening history can include:
- your test results
- colonoscopy attendances
- treatments you have had
- biopsy results
We only collect, store and use information, results and records taken as part of the national bowel screening programme - BowelScreen.
BowelScreen is run by the HSE’s National Screening Service (NSS). NSS is the data controller for your personal information.
Where we get your information
We put together a list of people eligible for BowelScreen.
We get these details from:
- the Department of Social Protection
- you when you register for bowel screening by phone or online
The law that allows us to collect and use your name, address and date of birth for the national bowel screening programme is the Health (Provision of Information) Act, 1997.
How to update your contact information
How we use your information
We use your personal information to contact you.
We'll contact you:
- when your next bowel screening test is due
- to send your results to you
- to invite you for follow-up tests if you need them
- do a review, if you request it
We may also share your information with other health services such as:
- your GP
- the labs that check your sample
- the National Cancer Registry Ireland
- the hospital clinic where you get treatment, if needed
- the histology lab that does your biopsy, if needed
- independent medical professionals or labs that may review your information at your request
We share your information to:
- make sure there is an accurate record of your screening history
- see if screening reduces the number of people who get bowel cancer or who die from bowel cancer
Other ways we use your information
We may use your information to help us:
- meet quality standards
- improve the quality of our bowel screening programme
- meet our obligations as a public health service
We may use your information to contact you and ask you to:
- share your experience with us
- take part in research
You can choose to take part or not. We will not use your personal information as part of research without consent.
We may use your screening samples and personal information:
- as part of our quality assurance checks and audits
- to teach scientists and doctors in training
This is to help improve our screening programme. But we will never publish your name.
If you request a review
If you get bowel cancer after your bowel screening colonoscopy you can ask for a review of your last screening colonoscopy. We use your personal information if you request a review. This includes your name.
We may share your information or request it from other healthcare providers for the purpose of review. We only do this if you request a review.
How long we hold your information for
We will hold your:
- personal information while you take part in the bowel screening programme and for 8 years afterwards
- BowelScreen home test lab record for 8 years from when you did your test
This is in line with the HSE record retention policy.
Your data protection rights
We will keep your personal information safe and confidential. This is in line with data protection laws and your legal rights.
You can request:
- access to your personal information
- that inaccurate or incomplete information is corrected or updated
- that we do not use or process your personal information
- that we delete your personal information
- to receive your personal information as a digital file
You can lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission at any time.
Your rights are not absolute. This means there may be situations where a request cannot be granted.
Contact us about your data protection rights
Contact the NSS Information Governance Office to:
- discuss your rights
- ask that your information is erased
- access your personal information
Email: dataprotection@screeningservice.ie
If you are not happy with our response to your rights request, you can make a complaint to the Data Protection Commission.