Protecting your privacy is important to us. We wanted to let you know that we’ve just updated our policy. This explains what we do with your personal data and how we keep it safe.
Privacy Notice:
(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 General Data Protection Regulation – i.e. the law):
- We need to collect personal information (e.g. name, address, telephone numbers, email address and date of birth) and 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.
- We have a “Legitimate Interest” in collecting that information, because without it we couldn’t do our job effectively and safely.
- We also think that it is important that we can contact you in order to confirm your appointments with us or to update you on matters related to your medical care. This again constitutes “Legitimate Interest”, but this time it is your legitimate interest.
- Provided we have your consent, we may occasionally send you general health information in the form of articles, advice or newsletters. You may withdraw this consent at any time – just let us know by any convenient method.
We have a legal obligation to retain your records for 8 years after your most recent appointment (or age 25, if this is longer). Once this time period has lapsed, we will destroy all the records that identify you, from our systems.
Your records are stored:
- Electronically (“in the cloud”), using a web-based practice management software and cloud storage facility. These providers have given us their assurances that they are fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulations. Access to this data is password protected, and the passwords are changed regularly.
- On our office computers. These are password-protected and the office(s) are locked and alarmed out of working hours.
We will never share your data with anyone who does not need access without your verbal 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.
- Our Clinic reception staff, because they organise our practitioners’ diaries, and coordinate appointments and reminders.
- Support staff at Jane App, the web-based practice management software company that we use (but they do not have access to your medical history or sensitive personal information).
- Staff at Myruby, a virtual reception service that we use when our own receptionists aren’t available (but they do not have access to your medical history or sensitive personal information).
- A legitimate Track and Trace service, on notification of contact with a positive case of COVID-19.
- We also use Mail chimp to coordinate our messages, so your name and email address may be saved on their server.
From time to time, we may have to employ consultants to perform tasks, which might give them access to your personal data (but not your medical notes). We will ensure that they are fully aware that they must treat that information as confidential, and we will ensure that they sign a non-disclosure agreement.
You have the right to see what personal data of yours we hold, and you can also ask us to correct any factual errors. If you would like to request a copy of your data, please make requests in writing or by email to the address below. Please provide the following information: your name, address, telephone number, email address and details of the information you require. We will need to verify your identity so we may ask for a copy of your passport, driving license and/or recent utility bill.
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 in the jargon as the “Data Controller”. Here are the details you need for that:
Blackfen Chiropractic Clinic
info@blackfenchiropracticclinic.co.uk
Tel:02083011033
248 Blackfen Road, Sidcup, DA15 8PW
If you are not satisfied with our response, then you have the right to raise the matter with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
