Policies

PRIVACY POLICY

Privacy Policy and Notice for Frodsham Chiropractic Studio

Your privacy is important to me, and I am committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, store, and protect your information when you visit my website or receive chiropractic care from Frodsham Chiropractic Studio. This policy is provided in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) effective from 25 May 2018.

1. Who I Am (The Data Controller)

I am Harvey Culverhouse, trading as Frodsham Chiropractic Studio. I am the data controller responsible for the personal data collected and processed through my practice and website.

My clinic is located at: 125 Main Street Frodsham WA6 7AF

You can contact me regarding privacy matters by: Telephone: +44 7356222241 Email: hello@frodshamchiropractic.co.uk

2. The Personal Data I Collect

I collect various types of personal data to provide you with safe and effective chiropractic care and to manage my practice. The categories of data I collect include:

Contact and Identification Data: Your name, address, telephone numbers (including mobile), email address, and date of birth.
Health and Medical Data: Information about your medical history, current symptoms, examination findings, diagnosis, treatment plans, progress notes, relevant lifestyle information, and any information from other healthcare providers (with your consent). This is considered sensitive personal data.
Appointment Data: Records of your appointments, including dates and times.
Payment Data: Details related to payments for services.
Website Usage Data: Information about your visits to my website, including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and the time spent on my site (collected via Google Analytics).

3. How I Collect Your Data

I collect personal data through different methods:

Directly from You: Most of the information I collect comes directly from you when you fill out my digital intake forms, during our consultations, through email or phone conversations, or via messages on platforms like WhatsApp or social media.
Through My Website: I collect information you provide through website contact forms and automatically collect website usage data through cookies and Google Analytics.
From Third Parties: With your explicit consent, I may receive relevant health information from other healthcare providers, such as your GP or a consultant.

4. Why I Collect and Use Your Data (Purposes of Processing)

I collect and use your personal data for the following specific purposes:

To provide you with a thorough chiropractic assessment, diagnosis, and safe and effective treatment tailored to your specific needs and goals.
To manage and schedule your appointments effectively.
To communicate with you about your care, appointments, or in response to your inquiries.
To maintain accurate and comprehensive patient records, which is essential for continuity of care.
To comply with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations that apply to registered chiropractors in the UK, including record-keeping requirements.
For billing and processing payments for services rendered.
To understand website traffic and how my website is used, which helps me improve its content and user experience (via Google Analytics).
For internal administrative purposes necessary to run my practice.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing Your Data

Under GDPR, I must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data.

For general personal data (like contact details, appointment information, payment data, website usage data), I rely on:
- Contract: Processing is necessary for the performance of the contract with you to provide chiropractic services.
- Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for my legitimate interests in running and managing my practice (e.g., for administrative purposes, improving my website), provided your fundamental rights do not override these interests.
- Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with legal requirements (e.g., financial record-keeping).
For sensitive personal data (your health and medical data), I rely on specific conditions for processing special categories of data:
- Explicit Consent: I obtain your explicit consent to collect and process your health information for the purposes of providing you with chiropractic care.
- Medical Diagnosis and Treatment: Processing is necessary for the purposes of medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment, and is carried out by a healthcare professional (myself).

Your data is used solely for the purpose of providing safe and effective care and related administrative tasks, and is not used for marketing or any other unrelated purpose unless I have obtained your explicit consent for a specific activity.

6. How Your Data is Stored and Protected

I am committed to ensuring the security of your personal data. All your patient records are stored digitally on Cliniko software, which is designed with data protection and security in mind. I access these digital files only through password-protected devices.

I implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access, unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction, or damage, in accordance with the privacy and data storage policies provided by Cliniko and my own internal security protocols.

7. How Long I Retain Your Data

I will retain your patient data for a period of 8 years following your last date of treatment. This retention period complies with the record-keeping requirements for registered chiropractors in the UK. Website usage data collected via Google Analytics is retained according to Google’s data retention policies, which you can find in their privacy policy.

8. Sharing Your Personal Data

I understand the sensitivity of your personal data and my commitment to your privacy. I will only share your personal data in the following limited circumstances:

With your explicit consent, for example, if I refer you to another healthcare professional such as your GP or a consultant, and need to share relevant information to support your continued care.
If required by law, for example, in response to a court order or other legal obligation.
With third-party service providers who assist me in operating my practice, such as the Cliniko software provider for record-keeping and appointment management, or payment processors. These third parties are required to protect your data in accordance with data protection laws and are only permitted to use your data for the specific purposes I instruct them to.

I will not sell, rent, or trade your personal data with third parties for their marketing purposes.

9. Your Rights Regarding Your Data

Under GDPR, you have specific rights concerning your personal data that I hold:

Right to Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data I hold about you. The first copy is usually provided free of charge.
Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that any inaccurate or incomplete personal data I hold about you is corrected.
Right to Erasure: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances (e.g., if the data is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected).
Right to Restriction of Processing: You have the right to request that I limit the way I use your personal data under certain circumstances.
Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances, including processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit that data to another data controller where technically feasible.
Right to Withdraw Consent: Where I rely on your explicit consent to process your data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the details provided in the “How to Contact Me” section below. I may require you to provide proof of identity to ensure the security of your data.

10. Cookies and Website Analytics

My website uses cookies, which are small text files placed on your device to help the site function effectively and to understand how visitors use the site.

Functional Cookies: These are necessary for the website to operate and are typically deleted when you close your browser.
Analytics Cookies (Google Analytics): My website uses Google Analytics to collect information about how visitors use the site, such as which pages they visit and how long they spend on the site. This helps me analyze website traffic and improve the website. Google Analytics collects this information anonymously, and it does not identify you personally.

Under GDPR, I am required to obtain your consent for non-essential cookies like analytics cookies before placing them on your device. My website should provide a mechanism for you to manage your cookie preferences.

You can also manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of this and other websites you visit.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practices or legal requirements. Any updates will be posted on this page of my website. If there are significant changes to how I handle your personal data, I will also inform all current patients via email.

12. Should You Wish to Complain

Should you have any concerns about how I am processing your data, please contact me directly in the first instance using the contact details below so I can try to resolve the issue.

If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues. The ICO’s website is: ico.org.uk and their contact details can be found there.

13. How to Contact Me

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or my data practices, or if you wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact me:

Harvey Culverhouse, Frodsham Chiropractic Studio

Email: hello@frodshamchiropractic.co.uk

Call, Text or Whatsapp:

+44 7356222241

FINANCIAL POLICY

This policy outlines my fees and payment procedures.

Please read it carefully and ask me if you have any questions.

My Fees:

Initial Consultation & Treatment: £85
Follow-up Appointments: £50

Payment Methods:

Payment is preferred prior to your session via my secure online payment system. I can also accept contactless card payments or exact cash payments in person at the clinic.

When Payment is Due:

Payment for your appointment is due in full prior to your appointment or at the time the service is provided.

Missed Appointments & Cancellations:

Your appointment time is reserved specifically for you. Missed appointments or appointments cancelled without sufficient notice represent a cost to my practice as I cannot offer that time to another patient.

I require at least 24 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule an appointment. If you miss an appointment or cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice, the full appointment fee will be charged. I understand that genuine emergencies can arise, and I may exercise discretion in such cases.

Private Health Insurance:

If you have private health insurance that covers chiropractic care, payment for your appointments is still due from you prior to or at the time of service. I will provide you with a receipt containing the necessary details for you to submit a claim directly to your insurance provider for reimbursement, according to the terms of your specific insurance policy.

For more information on how to use your Private Health Insurance, click the tab “Private Health Insurance”.

PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE

Guide to Using Your Private Health Insurance for Chiropractic Care

If you plan to use your private health insurance for your chiropractic care, here’s a simple guide to how it works here.

My Approach: “Pay & Claim”

At Frodsham Chiropractic Studio, payment for your appointments is made directly to me at the time of your visit, as outlined in my Financial Policy.
Following payment, I will provide you with a detailed receipt. This receipt contains the necessary information for you to submit a claim to your insurance provider.
You then seek reimbursement directly from your insurance company.

Your Key Steps:

Understand Your Policy Benefits (Recommended Before Your First Visit):
- This is the most important step, to confirm and understand the specifics of your insurance policy.
- Please contact your insurance provider directly and ask them:
  - Do I have cover for Chiropractic care?
  - What is my total annual limit for Chiropractic (or related therapies)?
  - What is the maximum amount they will reimburse per individual session?
  - Is a referral from my GP required?
  - Do I have an excess on my policy, and if so, how much is it and has it been met?
  - Do I need to see a Chiropractor registered with them for my claim to be valid? My General Chiropractic Council (GCC) registration number is 06152.
Attend Your Appointment & Provide Payment:
- Receive your chiropractic care.
- The fee for your appointment is £85 for an Initial Consultation and £50 for Follow-up Appointments. Payment is due at the time of service.
Receive Your Receipt:
- I will provide you with a comprehensive receipt after your appointment containing all the information insurers usually require.
Submit Your Claim:
- Send the receipt to your insurance company according to their specific claim procedures (usually online or via their app) for reimbursement.

Important Information:

Insurance benefits are specific to your individual policy terms.
The amount your insurer reimburses will depend on your specific cover, benefit limits, and any applicable excess.
You are responsible for confirming your level of cover with your insurer and understanding your policy’s terms.
Your out-of-pocket expense per session will be your appointment fee minus the amount your insurer reimburses you.

I am here to provide the necessary receipts to support your claims. Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions about this process.

SAFEGUARDING

Patients Under 16 and Vulnerable Adults

For safeguarding purposes and to ensure the comfort and well-being of all patients, Frodsham Chiropractic Studio requires that:

All patients are above the age of 14.
Any patient under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an appropriate adult throughout their consultation and treatment.
Any vulnerable adult who requires assistance with communication, understanding, or decision-making regarding their care should also be accompanied by an appropriate adult.

An ‘appropriate adult’ should be a parent, legal guardian, or another responsible adult who is familiar with the patient and able to understand the information being discussed.

If you have any questions about this policy, please do not hesitate to contact me before your appointment.