Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP Privacy Policy
Effective from 25th May 2018
1. Patient Confidentiality:
Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP will provide and maintain an environment where all information and disclosures regarding clients and client care is kept confidential and within legal parameters at all times. Those procedures comply with The Data Protection Act 1998, Access to Medical Records Act 1990 and the EU General Data Protection.
It is the policy of Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP that no information will be discussed outside of Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP employment unless consent is given.
2. Records Management:
All employees of Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP follow the company guidelines for the creation, management, handling, storage and destruction of all records that ensures that records are managed and stored securely in accordance with GDPR.
Any records required to be kept under current legislation are retained for the relevant periods as prescribed by GDPR.
Where data is to be destroyed, paper records are shredded and disposed of appropriately. Electronic records are deleted or archived as required.
All records are either stored securely electronically or within locked filing cabinets. Additionally the clinic is locked and alarmed out of office hours.
Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP are responsible for your records completed during audiological consultation, examination, wax removal, fitting of hearing instruments and diagnostic procedures.
Use of Information:
In addition to retaining records to meet and maintain your audiological needs, other purposes for the retention of data could include the following:
• Information to assist in treatment received from 3rd parties such as medical consultants and doctors.
• Information received from relatives or friends with prior approval.
• Information about changes or improvements to our services which will help us consider and assess your audiological needs.
• Information to assist Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP to assess your audiological needs from an appropriate and legitimate 3rd party. This could involve contact with an insurance company to seek information on your behalf.
• We may also use your personal information to provide you with information, about products or services which are relevant to you, where you have provided consent for us to do so.
• Financial information such as credit cards, bank accounts, and insurance policy details relevant to provision of audiological services.
3. Individual Rights for Patients:
When seeking and agreeing to treatment at Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP, we will advise you of your individual rights.
Individual rights include providing you with complete confidentiality with regard to your data. We will also provide access to information when requested, transfer information to another source, or delete all records upon request.
We are also committed to providing our reasons for collecting personal information to meet and maintain your audiological needs, subject to continued agreement.
4. Access to your data:
You have the right to access your data at anytime. If you wish to do so please make a request in writing to Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP, Chester Wellness Centre, Wrexham Road, Chester CH4 9DE. Please provide you name, address, telephone, email address and details of the information you require. We will need to verify your identity so we may ask for identification. You have the right to ask us to correct any data if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete and provided the minimum legal period has elapsed, you may also ask for your data to be erased. Please contact Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP for details.
Enquiries and Complaints:
If you have a complaint or query about how your data has been processed please contact us directly. Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP will acknowledge receipt of all complaints and endeavour to investigate the complaint within twenty working days.
Complaints by post should be directed to:
Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP
Chester Wellness Centre
Wrexham Road
Chester
CH4 9DE
You may also complain directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are concerned with how Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP is processing information.
5. Report of any Breach:
Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP recognise that a personal data breach is any breach of security leading to the destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to personal data.
We are committed to report any data breach where it is likely to result in a risk to your rights or freedoms which, if not addressed, could cause a ‘significant detrimental effect’.
Chester Hearing and Balance Services LLP will, after assessing the facts of any alleged breach, report the nature of the breach to the Information Commissioners Office, within 72 hours.
You will be informed when any breach is reported.