Privacy Policy
This policy applies from 22nd November 2024 - Version 1.1
This Privacy Policy describes how and when I collect, use, and share information when you attend a session with me, purchase a product from me, contact me, or otherwise use my services. This is to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018 and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Information I Collect
To aid your sessions or as part of purchasing something from my business you will normally provide me with certain information, such as your name, email address, postal address, medical information and payment information. On my website I collect anonymous information about the IP addresses that visit the site and the browsers used, along with some other usage statistics to enable me to make my website better.
Why I Need Your Information and How I Use It
I rely on a number of legal bases to collect, use, and share your information, including:
- Where it is necessary for the purposes of the provision of health care as needed to provide my services, such as when I use your information to fulfil your sessions, or to provide customer support;
- The transfer of some or all of your information outside of the United Kingdom, including to the United States of America and Canada (such as for the use of secure online record keeping systems). Where I do transfer data outside of the United Kingdom I will ensure that your data is appropriately protected;
- When you have provided your affirmative consent, which you may revoke at any time, such as by signing up for my mailing list or sending me information through my website;
- If necessary to comply with a legal obligation or court order or in connection with a legal claim, such as retaining information about your purchases if required by tax law;
Marketing
From time to time I may wish to send you direct marketing material which may include product offers and newsletters. I will ask you to indicate which forms of communication you are happy for me to contact you with on your client record. If you want to change your choice you can do so at any time by letting me know at the contact details below.
Information Sharing and Disclosure
Information about my patients/customers is important to my business. I share your personal information for very limited reasons and in limited circumstances, as follows:
- Health/social care professionals. With your consent I will share information with health/social care professionals such as your GP/NHS care co-ordinator or members of NHS community teams and other statutory agencies to allow continuity of care. In exceptional circumstances I might choose to break confidentiality in the interests of your or anyone else's safety, in which case I would either choose to attempt to inform you of my intention to do so, or choose to inform you afterwards, or choose not to inform you if I consider that doing so would lead to increased danger.
- Service providers. I engage certain trusted third parties to perform functions and provide services to my business, such as external reception services and technology providers. I will share your personal information with these third parties, but only to the extent necessary to perform these services.
- Business transfers. If I sell or merge my business, I may disclose your information as part of that transaction, only to the extent permitted by law and with your consent.
- With laws. I may collect, use, retain, and share your information if I am legally required to.
Data Retention
I retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide you with my services and as described in my Privacy Policy. However, I may also be required to retain this information to comply with my legal and regulatory obligations, to resolve disputes, and to enforce my agreements. The retention of health records is normally a minimum of 7 years, after the last appointment. For customers who are not clients but may have bought products from my business I will keep any data you may have provided for a minimum of 7 years in line with tax legislation. I keep information about how my website is accessed for up to 5 years.
Your Rights
You have a number of rights in relation to your personal information. While some of these rights apply generally, certain rights apply only in certain limited cases. I describe these rights below:
- Access. You have the right to access and receive a copy of the personal information I hold about you by contacting me using the contact information below.
- Change, restrict, delete. You may also have rights to change, restrict my use of, or delete your personal information. In the case of health records these are normally exempt from change and deletion requests.
- Object. You can object to (i) my processing of some of your information based on my legitimate interests and (ii) receiving marketing messages from me after providing your express consent to receive them. In such cases, I will delete your personal information unless I have compelling and legitimate grounds to continue using that information or if it is needed for legal reasons.
- Complain. If you wish to raise a concern about my use of your information (and without prejudice to any other rights you may have), you have the right to do so with the Information Commissioner atico.org.uk
How to Contact Me
For purposes of the GDPR, I, Chris Ward, am the data controller of your personal information. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact me at: privacy@chrisward.life