What information we collect, use, and why

The personal data we process includes:

Name, address, contact details, gender, pronoun preferences, date of birth, nationality, medical history, family medical history, family contact details, emergency contact details, marital status, information about care needs, financial details, doctor’s details, treatment plans, consent, clinical photographs, appointment dates, details of complaints.
We may also process more sensitive special category data, including:
Ethnicity, race, religion, health records, sex life information, or sexual orientation.
The reasons we process the data include:

To fulfil our contract with you
To maintain a contemporaneous clinical record
To discuss treatment options
To modify treatments based on individual needs
To meet our obligations under the Equality Act 2010
To carry out financial transactions
To manage appointments, recall arrangements and send reminders
To communicate with your next of kin in an emergency
To communicate with parents or carers about the person being cared for
For debt recovery
To continually improve the care and service you receive from us
To assist with safeguarding or public protection concerns
To assist with dealing with queries, complaints or claims

Data protection rights
You have the following personal data rights:
The right of access – you can ask for a copy of the data we hold about you. We do not usually charge you for copies of your information; if we charge you, we will explain why
The right to rectification – you can ask us to correct or delete information if it is inaccurate or incomplete. If we have disclosed that information to a third party, we will let them know about the change
The right to erasure – you can ask us to delete your personal data. For legal reasons, we may be unable to erase certain information (for example, information about your  treatment). However, we can, if you ask us to, delete some contact details and other non-clinical information
The right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how we use your personal data. For example, stop sending you appointment reminders or information about our service
The right to data portability – you can ask us to transfer your personal data to someone else. For example, supplying your information electronically to another clinician
The right to withdraw consent – you can withdraw your consent to the processing of your personal data at any time. For example, even if you have given us consent to send you marketing information, you may withdraw that consent
Where we get personal information from
We obtain your details when you enquire about our care and service, when you join the practice, when you subscribe to our newsletter or register online, when you complete a registration or medical history form, from family members or carers, and when another healthcare provider refers you for treatment at our practice.

We also use CCTV to:

Protect the practice premises and property
Increase the safety of patients, staff and visitors
Deter criminal activity and anti-social behaviour
Assist in the apprehension, identification and prosecution of offenders (if required)
Provide evidence to a court or tribunal (if required)]
How long we keep information
We minimise the data that we keep, and do not keep it for longer than necessary.

We keep your records for [11 years after the date of your last visit to the Practice or until you reach the age of 25, whichever is longer]. At your request, we will delete non-essential information (for example, some contact details) before the end of this period.
[Images captured with CCTV will be kept and destroyed securely after 3 months unless they are needed for longer due to ongoing investigation, legal proceedings, or regulatory compliance.] 

How we store information
We store your personal information securely [on our computer system and in a manual filing system]. Only those working at the practice have access to your information. They understand their legal responsibility to maintain confidentiality and follow practice procedures to ensure this.

We take precautions to ensure the security of the practice premises, the practice filing systems and computers.
We record and use your personal information safely and effectively. Our computer system has a secure audit trail, and we back up information routinely.

Sharing information
We do not share our data with any third parties
Sharing CCTV recordings
When using or processing CCTV recordings, we will respect the legal rights of the individuals shown in them. We will not share images or recordings except in the following circumstances:
If requested by the local authority, police or courts for the investigation, prevention or  prosecution of anti-social behaviour or criminal activity
For bringing or defending a legal claim
To comply with a police warrant or an order given by a court or tribunal

Duty of confidentiality
Exceptional circumstances might override the duty to maintain confidentiality. We will inform you of requests to share personal information where possible. The decision to disclose information will only be taken by senior staff. Examples include:
Situations where there is a serious public health risk or risk of harm to other individuals
When information is required by the police to prevent or detect crime or to apprehend or prosecute offenders (if not providing the information would prejudice these purposes)
In response to a court order

How to complain
If you have any comments, suggestions, or complaints about how we use your data, you can contact us using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.

If you remain unhappy with our response or feel unable to discuss it with the Practice, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on 0303 123 1113 or by visiting https://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.

Review and Revision
This privacy notice is reviewed annually and updated to ensure its effectiveness and compliance with current regulations, guidance, and standards.