Why we collect your personal data and what we do with it
When you supply tour personal details to this practice, they are stored and processed for four 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 about your health in order to provide you with the best possible treatment and our agreement to provide that care constitutes a 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 from this consent at any time- just let us know by any convenient method.
We have a legal obligation to retain your records for seven years after your most recent treatment (or age 25, if this is loner), 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 nest possible care should you need to see us at some future date.
Your records are stored:
- On paper, in locked filing cabinets, and the practice is always locked out of working hours
- On my mobile phone are your phone numbers so that I can text you about appointments. This phone is passnumber protected
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 ours we hold and you can ask us to correct any factual errors. Provided the legal minimum period has elapsed, you can ask us to erase your records.
We want you to be absolutely confidential that we are treating your personal data responsibly and securely, and that we are doing everything we can to make sure that 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 in the jargon as the ‘Data Controller’. Here are the details you need for that:
Simon Brooks
[email protected]
07968325870
Devonshire Acupuncture, 78 Eldon Street, Sheffield, S1 4GT
