Privacy Policy
Foxholt Clinic For Complementary Health - Privacy Policy
In the course of initial consultations and subsequent appointments, I ask a lot of questions and gather a lot of information. The more I know about a patient, the better I can diagnose and treat them. But the information I ask about is medical - the most private and sensitive of information.
I only ask questions that could reveal information that is important to your diagnosis or treatment. Until I’ve asked, I can’t know whether the answer will be relevant. So I need patients to answer as honestly as they can, and patients have to be confident that any information they reveal in their answers will be private and secure. So I take their privacy and data security very seriously.
I have a detailed Privacy Policy below, but I also want to be as clear and unequivocal as possible. So I’ve boiled Foxholt Clinic’s Privacy Policy down to a few simple promises:
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Apart from the information necessary for using the online booking system, no information is kept online. [More detail]
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I will not retain all the information you provide but only the information that is either relevant, or that I am legally required to keep. [More detail]
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I will only retain information for as long as I am legally required to keep it. [More detail]
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At the end of that legally required period, I will try to contact you and let you know I’m about to erase the information, in case you’d like a copy before I do. [More detail]
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I will not share, sell, exchange, or otherwise give your information to anyone at all, at any time, except in two specific circumstances:
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If I have a signed consent form from you asking me to do so. [More detail]
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If I am legally compelled to provide your information. Even then, I will redact your information to provide the bare minimum I am forced to give. I will tell you if I am compelled to provide your information in this way. [More detail]
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So, here is the more detailed Privacy Policy, giving more detail about the promises above, and other information that is important for you to know:
Foxholt Clinic For Complementary Health - Privacy Policy
Download Foxholt Clinic's Privacy Policy
Current version updated May 2024
In the event of any variation between the online and downloadable text, the online version is definitive.
Contact Details
Name:
Oliver Vass
Address:
The Foxholt Clinic For Complementary Health
Chesham and Ley Hill Golf Club
Middle Road
Ley Hill, Chesham
Bucks HP5 1UZ
Phone Number:
07595 038400
E-mail:
The Types Of Personal Data Foxholt Clinic Collects (Number 2 Above)
Foxholt Clinic collects two distinct types of data:
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Personal and Contact details including: Name; Date Of Birth; Telephone Number; Email Address; your appointment times.
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Information from your medical history that is relevant to your reason for visiting the clinic, and that may affect your diagnosis and/or treatment. That may include: Your current symptoms; Your history of symptoms; Relevant physical systems information (blood pressure, breathing, digestion, physiology); Relevant anatomical presentation; Functional information; Any medications you are taking; Surgical history; Any other relevant medical information.
The first type of data will either be input into the online booking system by you, if you booked your first appointment that way. Or I will ask for that information when I book you in the first time. I’ll confirm this information at your first appointment.
These data are used for communicating important information relevant to your appointments and internal changes at the Foxholt Clinic that may impact your care.
These are the only data kept online.
The second type of data is gathered during appointments by the asking of questions. At each appointment additional questions will be asked and more information added to your notes. This information is used to benefit you, by improving your diagnosis, and so improving the specificity of your treatment. Of all the information gathered I only record the information I am either legally required to keep or that is relevant, something I will only know by asking the questions. If there is a piece of information you would rather I don’t record, please let me know.
These data are kept offline: on a clinic device and on a secure backup. On the occasions a new clinic device or a new back up device replaces a previous one, the device being replaced will have all your data securely erased.
Foxholt Clinic does not collect data indirectly, or record any data received incidentally without first asking you.
Retention Of The Information Foxholt Clinic Collects (Number 3 Above)
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (2018) Foxholt Clinic is legally required to retain this information for seven years from the date of your last appointment (or if you were under 18 years of age at the time of your last appointment, then until seven years after your 18th birthday). In the event of Foxholt ceasing to exist, the owner Oliver Vass will become responsible for managing the information. Should this happen you will be informed of the transfer of responsibilities, and how to contact me.
What Happens To Information After Seven Years (Number 4 Above)
After seven years all your information will be securely deleted. A month before deletion, Foxholt Clinic will make all reasonable efforts to contact you to let you know your information is due for deletion, and the date it will take place. Foxholt Clinic will also attempt to contact you immediately before deletion to confirm it will happen that day.
Foxholt Clinic will not contact you after deletion.
When Foxholt contacts you to inform you it will be deleting your information, you will be asked if you would like a copy of your notes. After deletion that opportunity will no longer exist. Secure deletion is final. Your information will no longer exist, so Foxholt will be unable to access it for any reason.
Who Will Have Access To Your Information (Number 5 Above)
Your personal and contact details can be accessed by Oliver Vass and appointed clinic staff for the purpose of contacting you in case of any changes you need to know about. No one is permitted to copy your information or to use it for any purpose other than contacting you for the reasons above, or to pursue your request when you contact the clinic.
Foxholt Clinic will not share, sell, exchange, or otherwise give your information to anyone at all, at any time, except in two specific circumstances:
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If I have a signed consent form from you asking me to do so.
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If I am legally compelled to provide your information. Even then, I will redact your information to provide the bare minimum I am forced to give. I will tell you if I am compelled to provide your information in this way.
Your Data Protection Rights
Under The General General Data Protection Regulation (2018), and before that the Data Protection Act (1998), you have rights including:
A Right Of Access
You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information at any time. This is called a Subject Access Request, ‘SAR’. Although Foxholt Clinic will legally have up to a calendar month to deliver your data, you can expect me to prioritise fulfilling your request without any unnecessary delay.
A Right Of Rectification
You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
A Right To Restriction Of Processing
You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information. In other words, although Foxholt Clinic will still have a legal obligation to retain your data for seven years after your last appointment, you can request the clinic does not process that data in a specific way, for example, that it doesn’t contact you any longer with important information not directly related to your appointment. The Clinic must comply with that request.
A Right To Object To Processing
You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in any capacity. In other words, although Foxholt Clinic will still have a legal obligation to retain your data for seven years after your last appointment, you can request the clinic does not process that data in any way. Please note, this would prevent the Clinic contacting you prior to deletion as stated above.
A Right To Data Portability
You have the right to ask the Clinic to provide a copy of the personal information we hold to another organisation, or to you.
You are not required to pay any charge for exercising any of your Data protection rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you, but The Clinic aspires to a swifter resolution.
Please contact me at oliver@oliver-vass.com if you wish to make a request.
Please also see the Information Commissioner’s Office information.
How To Complain
I take your privacy very seriously.
If you feel this Privacy Policy (which goes well beyond the legal requirements) does not meet the legal standard in some aspect, or if you feel it can be improved, or if you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, or that I haven’t met the standard laid out in this Privacy Policy, Please bring it to my attention so I can rectify the problem as a matter of urgency.
If you prefer you can make a complaint to us at the Foxholt Clinic’s usual email address, which I will report to the Information Commissioner.
You can complain directly to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data or you are unhappy with the outcome of your complaint to Foxholt. We will provide you with any copies of our communications with them.
The ICO’s address:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk