(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 – ie 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 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. This might be done by phone, letter, email, or text message.
4. 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 (it won’t affect your care with us, by the way!)
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 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 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 passwords are changed regularly. Our computers are password-protected, backed up regularly, and the office(s) are locked out of working hours. In the event of the sale of Belfast Chiropractic Clinic Ltd or the goodwill of the practice (in the event of retirement, death, or change in circumstances of the current owner), your records will be transferred to the new owner
We will never share your data with anyone who does not need access without your written consent. Only the following people/agencies will have access to your data:
1. The medical records service who store and process our files.
2. Your chiropractor or therapist in order that they can provide you with treatment.
3. Other healthcare providers (for instance your GP, or hospital consultant), but we will ask for your consent to do this.
4. Our support staff, because they organise our practitioners’ diaries, and coordinate appointments and reminders.
5. Other administrative staff, such as our bookkeeper. Administrative staff will not have access to your medical notes, just your essential contact details.
6. We also use Mail Chimp to coordinate our occasional general health information messages, so your name and email address may be saved on their server, if you have given us permission to send you occasional emails of general health interest.
7. We use a virtual mobile phone service in order to receive mobile phone messages. Your mobile phone number and name will be on this list, so that we know who we are dealing with when we receive text messages from you.
8. If you send us an email, we will have a separate record of your name and email address on our computers.
9. 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.
Use of our website: www.belfastchiropracticclinic.com
Our website uses cookies, like almost all sites, so by using our website, you are consenting to us having some access to information about you, as with all websites. Do note however, that by entering your name and email address into our ‘subscribe to our email newsletter’ box, you will be entered onto our email marketing database and will receive periodic emails from us (until you click ‘unsubscribe’ from the bottom of any of the emails, of course). If you click on the ‘book appointment’ button and enter your data in order to be able to book appointments online, you will be on our patient database, held by our specialist medical record and booking service Jane App.
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 in the jargon as the “Data Controller”. Here are the details you need for that: Anne Matthews, Belfast Chiropractic Clinic Ltd, 228 Ormeau Road, Belfast BT7 2FZ