Our Privacy Statement:
(or - why we collect your personal data and what we do with it)
When you supply your personal details to this clinic they are stored and processed for 4 reasons (the bits in bold are the relevant terms used in the Data Protection Act 2018, which includes the General Data Protection Regulation – i.e. the law):
1. We need to collect personal information about your health in order to provide you with the best possible treatment. Your requesting treatment and our agreement to provide that care constitutes a contract. You can, of course, refuse to provide the information, but if you were to do that we would not be able to provide treatment.
2. We have a 'Legitimate Interest' in collecting that information, because without it we couldn’t do our job effectively and safely.
3. We also think that it is important that we can contact you to confirm your appointments with us or to update you on matters related to your care. This again constitutes 'Legitimate Interest', but this time it is your legitimate interest.
We have an obligation to retain your records for 8 years after your most recent appointment (or until you are aged 25, if this is longer), but after this period you can ask us to delete your records if you wish. Otherwise, we will retain your records indefinitely in order that we can provide you with the best possible care should you need to see us at some future date.
Your records are stored in just a couple of ways:
· Mostly on paper: a small number are stored in the clinic in locked filing cabinets, but most are not held in public areas. The clinic is always locked out of working hours.
· Electronically: A small number of reports and letters are stored on computers, again not in public areas and these are password protected. These computers are back up securely to “the cloud”. Our provider has given their assurances that they are fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulations.
We will never share your data with anyone who does not need access without your written consent. Only the following people/agencies will have routine access to your data:
· Your practitioner(s) in order that they can provide you with treatment
personal information)
· Administrative staff, such as our bookkeeper. Administrative staff will not have access to your medical notes, but might see your name on a diary page.
You have the right to see what personal data of yours we hold, and you can also ask us to correct any factual errors. Provided the legal minimum period has elapsed, you can also ask us to erase your records.
We want you to be absolutely confident that we are treating your personal data responsibly, and that we are doing everything we can to make sure that the only people who can access that data have a genuine need to do so.
Of course, if you feel that we are mishandling your personal data in some way, you have the right to complain. Complaints need to be sent to what is referred to as the 'Data Controller'. Here are the details you need for that:
Data Controller: Alan Watt
Tel: 01509 413111
Address: 66 Loughborough Road
Quorn Loughborough
Leics. LE12 8DX
If you are not satisfied with our response, then you have the right to raise the matter with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Their details can be found at https://ico.org.uk/