Privacy Policy - Addiscombe Osteopathic Practice

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 2018 – i.e. 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 or change your appointment 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 may withdraw this consent at any time – just let us know by any convenient method.

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 remove your records if you wish. After this statutory period from time to time we will shred all your sensitive data. You will of course be welcome to visit again and we will start up to new records.

Your records are stored on paper, in locked filing cabinets and office computers. These are password-protected, and keys and backed ups are stored in a safe.  Access to front and back entrances are only by ring the doorbell. Furthers locks are in place when the Practice is closed.

We will never share your data with anyone who does not need access without your written consent. Only the following people will have routine access to your data:

• The Practice practitioners in order that they can provide you with treatment.

• Our reception staff, because they organise our practitioners’ diaries and coordinate appointments.  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 the personal data you gave us when first came 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:

Suzanne Hoddinott

sl.hoddinott@bcot.co.uk

0208 656 9573

Addiscombe Osteopathic Practice

242 Lower Addiscombe Road

Addiscombe

Croydon

CR0 7AB

If you are not satisfied with our response, then you have the right to raise the matter with the Information Commissioner’s Office.