Privacy - why I collect your data and what I do with it.

When you supply your personal details to myself, Jane Newman 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 – ie the law.

1. I 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 refuse to provide the information, but if you were to do that I would not be able to provide treatment.

2. I have a Legitimate Interest in collecting that information, because without it I couldn’t do my job effectively and safely. 

3. I also think that it is important that I can contact you in order to confirm your appointments with me or to update you on matters related to your medical care. This again constitutes Legitimate Interest, but this time it is your legitimate interest.

4. Provided I have your consent, I may occasionally send you general health information in the form of articles, advice or newsletters. You may withdraw this consent at anytime, just let me know by any convenient method.

I have a legal obligation to retain your records for 8 years after your most recent appointment (or age 25, if this is longer). After this period you can ask me to delete your records if you wish, otherwise, I may retain your records indefinitely in order to provide you with the best possible care should you need to see me at some future date. Your records are stored on paper, in locked filing cabinets at my home address. With your permission I may share relevant information with other health professionals responsible for your healthcare, otherwise I will never share your data with anyone else.

Contact details:

From March 2017 I have been using Acuity on-line appointment scheduler for all my appointments at BHWC. Contact details and a record of your appointments are stored electronically in the cloud. All devices I use to access Acuity are password / code protected. They have updated their Privacy Policy and Terms of Service to take the GDPR into account, if you no longer wish to see me at BHWC I can remove your details however if you remain a client of mine there it would be unpractical for me to do so. 

For e-mail, I use Gmail, I will have saved some of your contact details, also if you have contacted me via email, Gmail will have auto saved your details. This is cloud based and all devices I use for access are pass code /word protected. I currently link Acuity to my google calendar, so any appointments at BHWC from March 2017 will show your contact details. The calendar is only visible to only to me and I have not shared with anyone else. In both cases I can remove your details if requested. For appointments taken elsewhere I use only your initials without contact details.

If you are a current client it is practical for me to have your phone number saved. If you are no longer a client I can delete your number. The phone is passcode protected. I will only contact you in relation to your appointments and will only share your number if you wish me to do so to enable another practitioner to contact you.

I also use a paper diary, your names are not fully given or recognisable. For any other administration such as bookkeeping I use initials only and no contact details are recorded.

Card Payments:

I currently use Sum up to process card payments, no personal data is recorded.

Paypal has been used in the past for card payments, I still use Paypal for payments taken in advance for appointments or Gift vouchers through my website. In this instance Paypal are the 'data controllers'.

Newsletters:

I use Mailchimp to coordinate newsletters, so your name and email address may be saved on their server. With your permission I will occasionally send newsletters. If I do not have your permission your details will be deleted.

You have the right to see what personal data of yours I 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. I want you to be absolutely confident that I am treating your personal data responsibly, and that I am doing everything I can to make sure that the only people who can access that data have a genuine need to do so.

I you feel that I am mishandling your personal data in some way, you have the right to complain to me as I am the 'Data Controller'. If you are not satisfied with my response, then you have the right to raise the matter with the Information Commissioner’s Office. Please feel free to contact me if the above details aren't clear. 

Jane - 16/05/2018

I am now required to pass your name and contact details to NHS track and trace if required. No other information will be given and so remain as above. Added 05/10/20