You have the right to request a copy of personal data that the University of Portsmouth holds about you. This is called a subject access request.

Before making a formal subject access request, please consider that you may be able to get the information faster by speaking directly with the relevant department.

Current members of University staff should be aware that unless you have opted out of the service, your Occupational Health records are now held by the third-party supplier of Occupational Health services to the University, Cordell Health, and the University no longer has access to those records.  If you wish to receive a copy of your Occupational Health records from Cordell Health, you should email enquiries@cordellhealth.co.uk, asking to make a Subject Access Request for your data.  You will receive any personal data directly from Cordell Health.

How do I make a request?

To make a request, download and complete our subject access request form.

  • You will need to provide proof of your identity when submitting this form.
  • If you are a solicitor making a request on behalf of someone else, you need to provide proof you have their consent (e.g. a signed form of authority).
  • You will need to provide as much contextual information as you can about the required data – it is best to be as specific as possible.
  • You will need to choose which department you would like us to find data from. Fewer departments selected will result in faster response times.
  • If the request is about a specific incident or issue, please state precise details, including where you think the information may be held.
  • When you are done, post or email the form to the address provided.

How long will it be before you receive your data?

We will provide your data within 30 days. Once we have received a fully completed subject access request form, we will let you know when to expect a response.

What data will be provided?

You will receive copies of any personal data relating to you. This may include both data identifying you by name and also data that has some reference to you. It could include paper files as well as electronic records.

A search will be carried out initially for files or folders that are named using your name in any format. After that, electronic searches will be carried out for any records that contain your name in either the title or body of the data.

What data will not be provided to you

While we will always try to release as much of your data as possible, it is not always possible to provide every piece of information about your studies or employment:

  • Discussions about final decisions made in meetings or over the telephone are not always recorded
  • Some personal data about you cannot be released because it infringes the privacy of a third party
  • There are some exemptions in the GDPR which means personal data can be withheld

References and data protection

We are not legally required to disclose the contents of a reference we have provided or of a reference we have received, but if a reference is included within the data you have requested as part of a Subject Access Request, we will check if the referee is happy for the reference to be disclosed to you on a voluntary basis.

What can you do if you are unhappy with the response to your request?

Contact us on information-matters@port.ac.uk or call +44 (0)2392 843642 to clarify any queries about the data you have received.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response to your request, you have the right to submit a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). More advice on how to do this is available from the ICO helpline.