Privacy Notice

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).

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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 the treatment.
    

2. We have a “Legitimate Interest” in collecting that information, because without it we could not do our job effectively and safely.
    

3. 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.
    

4. Provided we have your consent, we may occasionally send you general health information in the form of articles, advice or newsletters. You are welcome to choose not to receive our promotional emails at any time by clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link at the foot of each email or by emailing stevenageosteopath@gmail.com.
    

We have a legal obligation to retain your records for 8 years after your most recent appointment (or age 25, if this is longer) but after this period you can ask us to delete your records if you wish. Otherwise, we may 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.

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Your records are stored

On paper, in locked filing cabinets, and the offices are always locked out of working hours.

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Electronically “in the cloud”), using a specialist medical records service. This provider has given us their assurances that they are fully compliant with the general data protection regulations.  Access to this data is password protected and the password is changed regularly.

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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:

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• The medical records service who store and process our files.

• Your practitioner(s) in order that they can provide you with treatment.

• Our reception staff, because they organise our practitioners diaries, and coordinate appointments (but they do not have access to your medical history or sensitive personal information)

• We also use mail chimp to coordinate our messages, so your name and email address maybe saved on the server.

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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.

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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.

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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 the data have a genuine need to do so.

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Of course, if you feel that we are mis-handling your personal data in some way, you have the right to complain.

Complaints need to be sent to:-

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Maria Costello, Data controller

Email:  Stevenageosteopath@gmail.com    

Telephone: 01462 422 760

Address: Stevenage Osteopathic Clinic, 72b High Street Stevenage, Old Town SG1 3EA
 

If you are not satisfied with the response, then you have the right to raise the matter with the information Commissioners office:

Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF Telephone +44 (0) 303 123 1113 or email: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/ema