Applying to PAC

You should complete an application to the Privacy Advisory Committee if you are carrying out health research or audit and are asking for:

1. Information containing patient identifiable variables to be released; and/or
2. Information containing potentially disclosive information to be released in circumstances when NSS or GROS now part of the National Records of Scotland (NRS) have indicated their intention to seek guidance from PAC; and/or
3. Record linkage of previously unlinked datasets.

Use the following form and guidance notes for submitting your application:

PAC Application Form (Word 248KB)Updated October 2010

PAC Guidance notes (Word 133KB) Updated 6th November 2009

Once your application is submitted to the PAC mailbox nss.pac@nhs.net it is reviewed by the NSS Data Protection Advisor, NSS Information Security Officer and ISD Caldicott Guardian to ensure that the application contains all the information PAC members require in order to make a decision.

Once they are satisfied, your application is forwarded to the members. PAC members are given a deadline of 4 working weeks within which to respond. These responses are collated and considered by NSS. At this stage, NSS aims to provide a final decision to you within 2 working weeks.

More information about completing the form and the applications process is provided under Your Questions Answered.