The policy outlines how we use any personal data or information personal to you both when you use this website and the functions linked to it and when you engage with our services. We outline here your right to limit access to this data. This website is linked to a number of other companies for the purpose of booking appointments, billing and archiving of personal information including patient notes. This policy does not cover individual aspects of these businesses and links to the specifics of their practice can be found below.
Policy update and agreement 20th June 2022.
Use of this website
We use Google Analytics, which allows us to see what type of traffic we see through our site and make adjustments to the way in which the site works. We do not collect any personal data from you, and none of the data analysed is specific to you or can be used to contact you regarding any other products or services. We use Google Analytics to improve access to our site and improve our business presence. Our data is handled and analysed by The Click Hub, who have their own policies regarding data handling and analysis. More information can be found at https://theclickhub.com/. We do not allow tracking of any data by Google or other providers.
Cookies
Cookies are small data files that are stored on your computer by websites that you visit. These provide information to websites and businesses and are used as part of Google Analytics. If you would prefer that our website does not analyse your search and browsing data, cookies can be disabled on the website using the pop-up box that you will see when you access the site initially. Cookies can also be disabled from all websites using the settings function on your own computer.
Booking to see us and contact details
If you want to book an appointment with us, demographic data (such as age and contact details) will be requested to enable us to contact you to confirm your booking, inform you of any changes that may occur, request feedback on your booking, and arrange follow-up guidance & future appointments using transactional emails and SMS. The data you give us is used solely for this purpose and will not be used by us or any other third parties to contact you in any other way. If you wish to receive additional information from us, including marketing and offers, we will specifically request your permission. If you opt to receive additional marketing information from us, you can opt out at any time and you will receive no further communication.
When you book with us, you will be provided with a short form to complete. This form details the nature of your condition and any other relevant medical information to the treatment being considered. This form will provide structure for the medical note we will complete and share with yourself and your GP if you wish us to do so.
Booking forms and details of your procedure are managed through a third-party online booking and medical practice software company called Medesk. All data is held encrypted and securely and can only be accessed by us or by you at your request. Your medical data will never be shared with other companies without your express permission and will only ever be used in anonymised formats for the purpose of internal audit, which forms part of good governance practice. Your medical information will be held securely by the Medesk medical notes platform and, if not accessed for a period of 7 years, will then be deleted. We will share information with your GP with your permission. You can gain access to any notes we make on request. In addition, Medesk:
- Takes GDPR compliance very seriously and has built the Medesk platform with these rules in mind from the start
- Provides role-based access to ensure people only see the information they should
- Holds a globally recognised 2048-bit SSL certificate
- Has redundant cloud storage, with servers based wholly in the United Kingdom
- Maintains high-security data centres as used by leading banks and financial institutions
All the data we store is available to you at all times, and can be permanently destroyed upon request.
Further information regarding policies and procedures around Medesk and data storage and booking can be found at https://www.medesk.net/en/security/.
Appointment reminders by email
On some pages of our website, you can choose to enter your email address to receive a copy of that page’s link and our current appointment availability. This is entirely optional and only happens if you choose to submit your email.
If you use this feature, your email address is used solely to send you this information and, if you have not since booked with us, to follow up. It will not be used for general marketing unless you separately opt in to that, as described above.
This data is handled through two third-party services: WPForms, which manages the submission, and SendLayer, which delivers the email. Both are standard providers used for this purpose and are not permitted to use your data for their own purposes.
We will keep this data for 12 months, or until you book an appointment with us, whichever comes first. You can request that we delete it sooner at any time — see “Your rights” below.
Payment to us via the website
Payments for services can be made directly through the website. We use a third-party payment platform known as Stripe. We pay a tariff for this service. Our website allows access to Stripe securely for the handling of payments. Our website does not collect any financial data. Stripe payments are subject to financial regulation and are registered with the FCA. More information can be found at http://www.stripe.com
Marketing emails and offers
We will always ask your permission to send you marketing emails. This will usually be via email and occasionally SMS. If you wish to receive offers from us, please indicate this on the booking form. Opting out is easy and can be done at any time by replying to any received marketing email, and replying STOP to SMS. Opting out does not affect your rights in any other way.
Your rights
You have the right to access your personal information at any time. If you inform us in writing or by email, we will send your data within 30 days. If you wish to challenge, amend or delete any of the data collected, please let us know and we can discuss further.
You can opt out of analytics data via the website as detailed above, and opt out of marketing by clicking on the inbuilt link.
We are registered and compliant with data management and handling as per the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). If you wish to make a complaint regarding how your data has been handled, please contact us directly. You may wish to contact the ICO directly if you feel that your issue has not been resolved.
Contact details
SouthWest Ear Clinics
St Leonards Practice
Athelstan Road
Exeter
EX1 1SB