Staff Privacy Notice

We get information about you from the following sources:

• Directly from you.
• From an employment agency.
• From your employer if you are a seconded.
• From referees, either external or internal.
• From security clearance providers.
• From Occupational Health and other health providers.
• From Pension administrators and other government departments, for example tax details from HMRC.
• From your Trade Union.
• From the Car Parking Scheme.
• From providers of staff benefits.
• CCTV images from our landlords or taken using our own CCTV systems

We process the following categories of personal data:

Information related to your employment

We use the following information to carry out the contract we have with you, provide you access to business services required for your role and manage our human resources processes. We will also use it for our regulatory purposes in our role as a supervisory authority.

• Personal contact details such as your name, address, contact telephone numbers (landline and mobile) and personal email addresses.
• Your date of birth, gender and National Insurance number.
• A copy of your passport or similar photographic identification and / or proof of address documents.
• Marital status.
• Next of kin, emergency contacts and their contract information.
• Employment and education history including your qualifications, job application, employment references, right to work information and details of any criminal convictions that you declare to us.
• Location of employment (e.g. Waterloo, London and / or other regional offices).
• Details of any secondary employment, political declarations, conflict of interest declarations or gift declarations.
• Security clearance details including basis checks and higher security clearance details according to your job.
• Your responses to staff surveys if this data is not anonymised.
• Your political declaration form in line with our policy and procedure regarding party political activities.

Information related to your salary, pension and loans

We process this information for the payment of your salary, pension and other employments related benefits. We also process it for the administration of statutory and contractual leave entitlements such as holiday or maternity leave.

• Information about your job role and your employment contract including; your start and leave dates, salary (including grade and salary band), any changes to your employment contract, working pattern (including any requests for flexible working).
• Details of your time spent working and any overtime, expenses or other payments claimed, including details of any loans such as for travel season tickets.
• Details of any leave including sick leave, holidays, special leave
• Pension details including membership of both state and occupational pension schemes (current and previous).
• Your bank account details, payroll records and tax status
• Trade Union membership for the purpose of the deduction of subscriptions directly from
• Details relating to Maternity, Paternity, Shared Parental and Adoption leave and pay. This includes forms applying for the relevant leave, copies of MATB1 forms/matching certificates and any other relevant documentation relating to the nature of the leave you will be taking.

Information relating to your performance and training

We use this information to assess your performance, to conduct pay and grading reviews and to deal with any employer / employee related disputes. We also use it to meet the training and development needs required for your role.

• Information relating to your performance at work e.g. probation reviews, PDRs,
• Grievance and dignity at work matters and investigations to which you may be a party or
• Disciplinary records and documentation related to any investigations, hearings and warnings/penalties
• Whistleblowing concerns raised by anyone who works (or has worked) in the NHS, or for an independent organisation that provides NHS services can raise concerns. This includes agency workers, temporary workers, students, volunteers and governors.

Information relating to monitoring

We use this information to assess your compliance with corporate policies and procedures and to ensure the security of our premises, IT systems and employees.

• Information about your access to data held by us for the purposes of criminal enforcement if you are involved with this work.
• Information derived from monitoring IT acceptable use standards.
• Photos, body worn camera videos and CCTV images.

Information relating to your health and wellbeing and other special category data

We use the following information to comply with our legal obligations and for equal opportunities monitoring. We also use it to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees.

• Health and wellbeing information either declared by you or obtained from health checks, eye examinations, occupational health referrals and reports, sick leave forms, health management questionnaires or fit notes i.e. Statement of Fitness for Work from your GP or hospital.
• Accident records if you have an accident at work.
• Details of any desk audits, access needs or reasonable adjustments.
• Information you have provided regarding Protected Characteristics as defined by the Equality Act and s.75 of the Northern Ireland Act for the purpose of equal opportunities monitoring. This includes racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, disability status, and gender identification

Information relating to surveillance cameras, CCTV, (Crew Safety System inclusive of CCTV & Body Worn Cameras)

The London Ambulance Service utilises surveillance cameras (Static/Vehicle based CCTV and Body Worn Cameras) in and around the Trust’s sites, on our emergency vehicles, as well as body worn cameras used by operational crews which has been rolled out nationally following a successful local pilot.

Please note: Our surveillance cameras inside our vehicles and our body worn cameras are only activated by the crew when they feel there may be a risk to safety. Should these systems be activated, the crew will advise you and/or an audio message will be played inside the vehicle with a recording flashing light on the body worn cameras.

Depending on the processing activity, we rely on the following lawful basis for processing your personal data under the UK General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR):

• Article 6(1)(b) which relates to processing necessary for the performance of a contract.
• Article 6(1)(c) so we can comply with our legal obligations as your employer.
• Article 6(1)(d) in order to protect your vital interests or those of another person.
• Article 6(1)(e) for the for the performance of our public task.
• Article 6(1)(f) for the purposes of our legitimate interest.

Special category data

Where the information we process is special category data, for example your health data, the additional bases for processing that we rely on are:

• Article 9(2)(b) which relates to carrying out our obligations and exercising our rights in employment and the safeguarding of your fundamental
• Article 9(2)(c) to protect your vital interests or those of another person where you are incapable of giving your
• Article 9(2)(h) for the purposes of preventative or occupational medicine and assessing your working capacity as an
• Article 9(2)(f) for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal
• Article 9(2)(j) for archiving purposes in the public

In addition we rely on processing conditions at Schedule 1 part 1 paragraph 1 and Schedule 1 part 1 paragraph 2(2)(a) and (b) of the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018.

These relate to the processing of special category data for employment purposes, preventative or occupational medicine and the assessment of your working capacity as an employee. Our Safeguarding Policy provides further information about this processing.

Criminal convictions and offences

We process information about staff criminal convictions and offences. The lawful basis we rely to process this data are:

• Article 6(1)(e) for the performance of our public task. In addition we rely on the processing condition at Schedule 1 part 2 paragraph 6(2)(a). Article 6(1)(b) for the performance of a contract. In addition we rely on the processing condition at Schedule 1 part 1 paragraph 1.

The Trust will retain the personal information provided by you for as long as is required by the NHS Records Management Code of Practice.

In some circumstances, such as under a court order, we are legally obliged to share information. We may also share information about you with third parties including government agencies and external auditors. For example, we may share information about you with HMRC for the purpose of collecting tax and national insurance contributions.

Additionally we are required under the Public Records Act 1958 (as amended) to transfer records to the National Archives (TNA) for permanent preservation. Some of these records may include the personal data of our current and former employees.

Full consideration will be given to Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation when making decisions about whether such records should be open to the public.

Please note, anonymised or redacted information shall be shared to third parties such as, but not limited to, research bodies and media outlets. To ensure anonymity and possibilities of re-identification, the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust undertakes relevant appropriate privacy and security assessments before any disclosure.

As an individual you have certain rights regarding our processing of your personal data, including a right to lodge a complaint with the London Ambulance Service as the relevant supervisory authority.

We don’t routinely transfer staff personal data overseas but when this is necessary we ensure that we have appropriate safeguards in place.

HR Personal files

Electronic records are securely held for each member of staff. Some data is held securely on LAS systems and at our premises and some data is held securely with our off site storage contractor Oasis Group.

You can request your personnel file by emailing our People & Culture Team on the following email address:  [email protected]

Cycle and Car salary sacrifice schemes

These schemes allow you the use of a car or bicycle in exchange for a fixed monthly reduction from your gross salary taken before tax*, National Insurance and pension.

Your Car Benefit Scheme is managed by CPC Drive in partnership with Tusker, a recognised NHS car provider and is the smarter way to run a car. A fixed monthly amount is taken directly from your gross salary meaning you can save on National Insurance, and in return you get the use of a brand-new car – and Tusker sort everything else out at no extra cost.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) self-isolation

In addition to information relating to your health, the Trust may also collect and process information relating to coronavirus (COVID-19) self isolation status, to help with workforce planning and ensure continuity of services.

The lawful basis will be UK GDPR Article 6(1)(e), that processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority (the provision of statutory health care services).

The exemptions in UK GDPR Article 9(1)(g) and 9(2)(h) will be applied, that processing is necessary for matters of substantial public interest or for the management of health care systems. The conditions in paragraphs 2 (management of health care systems) and 3 (public health) are engaged.

NHS National Staff survey

The NHS National Staff survey runs every year. Our approved survey contractor is called Picker, who carried out staff survey on behalf of London Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

You will receive an email via your LAS or NHS.net email address from our staff survey provider called Picker, who facilitate the staff survey on behalf of the Trust. This email will contain a link to complete the survey (you can do this via any computer, smart phone or tablet). All responses to this survey is strictly confidential and won’t be shared with anyone else.

If you need any help with completing your survey please email: [email protected] or call the team on 0808 801 0678.

Any data collected by Picker for us is stored on UK servers. A link to their privacy notice can be found in Annex A.

Most survey questions require quantitative responses, however some free text boxes are included. We would advise you not to share identifiable information about yourself in these boxes if you wish to remain anonymous. When appropriate we will also provide ‘just in time’ privacy information regarding specific surveys.

Whistleblowers

The LAS has a policy and procedure in place to enable its current staff and ex employees to have an avenue for raising concerns about malpractice.

If you wish to raise a concern please refer to ‘Speak up’ – The LAS’s whistleblowing policy and procedure.

Information in this context is processed by us because it is necessary for our compliance with our legal obligations under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and The Public Interest Disclosure (Northern Ireland) Order 1998.

Equal opportunities monitoring

Equal opportunities information provided by job applicants is attached to the relevant application on NHS Jobs website, Health Jobs UK (TRAC Jobs) and [email protected] when you apply for a role at the London Ambulance Service.

This information is not made available to any staff outside our recruitment team (including hiring managers) in a way which can identify you. This information is anonymised and retained for reporting purposes only.

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities across everything we do, in terms of employment and training, providing services and our engagement and decision making. We welcome diversity and look for self-motivated, enthusiastic people from all backgrounds who care about making a difference.

We aim to:

• celebrate and encourage the diversity of our workforce
• create a working environment where everyone feels included and appreciated for their work
• promote and provide our training and employment opportunities without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or any other aspect of a person’s background
• encourage creativeness and innovation, to ensure that each member of staff can give of their best and help us move forward with our equality and inclusion goals.

We have also joined Stonewall’s Health Champions programme, receiving free advice and expertise on health services from the charity.

Workforce Development and Planning

Our Workforce and Development and Planning department use online learning platforms such as Pulse for the facilitation of its work related courses. We also use Education and Development Group (EDG).

We will share some information about you with these providers both prior to you joining the LAS and during your employment to ensure you have the necessary access to complete training required for your role.

We will also share information about you with our training providers. For example this will include information such as your name, contact details and job role. When necessary we will also share information about any dietary or access requirements that you might have when you attend training events.

Occupational health

During your employment you may be referred to occupational health following a request to HR by you or your line manager. This may result in a face-to-face consultation, a telephone appointment with an occupational healthcare professional and/or a medical report from a GP or specialist.

We use PAM OH Solutions to provide our occupational health service. The information you provide will be held by PAM OH Solutions, who will give us a fit to work certificate or a report with recommendations.

Trade Union Membership

The recognised union at the LAS (UNISON) are controllers for the personal information connected to your union membership. The LAS holds some UNISON union subscription details in order to process salary deductions for union membership for which staff will have given their consent.

Monitoring of staff

All of our ICT systems, EDRM system and the swipe access system for the entry and exit of our premises are auditable and can be monitored, though we don’t do so routinely.

We are committed to respecting individual users’ reasonable expectations of privacy concerning the use of our ICT systems and equipment. However, we reserve the right to log and monitor such use in line with our Acceptable Use Standard.

Any targeted monitoring of staff will take place within the context of our disciplinary procedures.

Staff involved in criminal enforcement

If you are involved with the process of criminal enforcement – some staff in Legal, Intelligence or the Financial Recovery Unit – we monitor and log your access to the information being processed.

Part 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018, which concerns law enforcement processing requires us to keep logs. Section 62 states that these logs that make it possible to establish the identity of the person who consulted the data, the date and time it was consulted and the justification for doing so. Beyond this, the logs must make it possible to establish the identity of the person disclosing the data, the date and time it occurred and the identity of the recipients. These logs will be kept to assist with self-monitoring by the LAS, including internal disciplinary proceedings, verifying the lawfulness of the processing, ensuring the integrity and security of personal data, and for the purposes of criminal or regulatory proceedings.

Financial monitoring

We use a financial accounting system East Lancashire Financial Services (ELFS) to log every financial transaction. This includes any transactions or loans made by or to staff. If an outstanding debt by a member of staff is highlighted via this process, the LAS will use this information to take steps to recover the outstanding amount.

Security clearance

Basic security checks and / or advanced checks based on your role in line with the Baseline Personnel Security Standards and the government Security Policy Framework are carried out by Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) on our behalf.

The LAS security clearance applications are processed by Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Scottish applicants are required to complete a Basic Disclosure check via Disclosure Scotland.

In addition some staff are required to get Security Clearance, Developed Vetting (DV) or a Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) which is also carried out by Government agencies. The outcome of these checks are stored on our systems.

Security passes

All staff are all issued with a London Ambulance Service identification badge that displays their name, department, staff reference number and photograph. Staff pass details (names, numbers and photographs) are held on a standalone machine controlled by Estates and can only be accessed by a restricted number of people.

Photographs are uploaded by Estates staff. Should you lose your pass you will need to complete a lost security pass form and return it to Estates. When you leave the LAS your details are deleted as soon as possible from this system.

CCTV

We operate CCTV inside our Waterloo, London premises to monitor access to certain areas of the office. Further information is available in our CCTV policy.

Additionally staff working in Waterloo, London, and regional offices may be filmed by CCTV which is owned and operated by the landlords or owners of the buildings in which our offices are situated. The LAS is not the data controller for this information.

Disclosures under the Freedom of Information Act (2000)

As a public authority we receive information requests under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) about our staff and we must consider whether to disclose staff information (including agency and temporary staff) in response to these requests.

We will normally disclose work-related information about staff in a public-facing role. We may also disclose information about staff members whose work is purely administrative if their names are routinely sent out externally.

It is less likely that information about those who do not deal directly with the public in an operational capacity will be disclosed. The CEO Executive Team and the COO Executive Team will have more information disclosed about them, such as photographs and biographical detail, due to their position at the LAS.

We will consider withholding information if we think that it will prejudice our regulatory role or the rights and safety of our staff, irrespective of grade or position.

The type of information you can expect we will disclose is as follows:

• Name and work contact details.
• Pay bands (not your exact salary).
• How long you have worked at the LAS, your current role, any previous roles or secondments and what your role involves.
• Your position in the corporate structure.
• Business related entries in your diary/calendar.
• Summaries of expense claims without details of where you stayed, where you ate or your itinerary.
• Any work related training at the LAS.
• Any work related opinions, for example case notes containing your opinion about an investigation or a complainant

When we are asked to disclose diary or calendar information due consideration will be given to the safety of our staff. Where this information is requested outside of an FOI request our staff are advised to consult with their manager before sharing information about a staff member, especially when it concerns movements or whereabouts.

We will consult with you prior to deciding whether to disclose any information that we consider would not be within your reasonable expectations.

Before you begin working at the LAS, contact HR if you need to make us aware of a specific reason why your information cannot be provided as part of a disclosure. At any later point, if you have any concerns about information being released you need to inform us of this fact.

Requests for references

If you leave, or are thinking of leaving, we may be asked by your new or prospective employers to provide a reference. For example we may be asked to confirm the dates of your employment or your job role. If you are still employed by us at the time the request for a reference is received we will discuss this with you before providing this.