Privacy Notice (Why we collect your personal data and what we do with it)

Data collected by your Self Employed Therapist
Natural Balance Therapies does not store or process the consultation forms you complete when you see your therapist, other than that required for Covid screening. This information which includes your contact details, e-mail address, health notes and treatment plan is provided to your self employed therapist.

Data collected by Natural Balance Therapies

Natural Balance Therapies only stores and processes contact details, appointment details, payment details (within our secure PCI compliant booking system (Fresha)), Covid Screening data and ad-hoc notes (which may be health-related) relating to your appointments with us.

Why we collect your data

When you supply your personal details to Natural Balance Therapies and your chosen Self- Employed Therapist, they are stored and processed for 5 reasons:

1. Your therapist needs to collect personal information about your health in order to provide you with the best possible treatment. Your requesting treatment and they’re agreement to provide that care constitutes a contract. You can, of course, refuse to provide the information, but if you were to do that they would not be able to provide treatment.

2. They have a “Legitimate Interest” in collecting this information because without it they couldn’t do their job effectively and safely.

3. We also think that it is important that we can contact you in order to confirm your appointments 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. Natural Balance (UK) Limited AND your therapist may also collect data related to Covid Screening. We both have a “legitimate Interest” in minimising the risk of transmission of infectious diseases (such as Covid-19). This information may be shared with NHS Test and Trace or Public Health England in accordance with government guidance.

5. We may occasionally send you information in the form of articles, advice or newsletters. You may withdraw this consent at any time – and all communications from us will always have a one click “Opt out” or “ Unsubscribe” button.

Natural Balance and your Self Employed therapist 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 delete your records if you wish. Otherwise, we will retain your records indefinitely in order that we can provide you with the best possible care should you need to see us at some future date.

How your records are stored

Therapists will either store your consultation forms

• On paper, in locked filing cabinets, either at Natural Balance or the therapist’s home.
• Electronically (“in the cloud”), using a compliant record keeping service. Access to this data is password protected.
• They may also store your name and email electronically (“in the cloud”), using a compliant rehab/exercise prescription system. Access to this data is password protected.

Natural Balance Therapies will store data: Electronically (“in the cloud”) using the following systems

  • Fresha (from March 2021 replaces Booker/Frederick/Appinstitute)*
  • Booker / Frederick (our booking and marketing systems)*
  • Appinstitute (the Natural Balance App)*
  • Mailchimp (used for emailing newsletters)
  • ClickSend (used for SMS Text)

Our accounts are stored on paper, a password protected computer and in the cloud. Our accounts only include your name and appointment details but nothing sensitive and no health related or contact details.

What we do with your data

We will never share your data with anyone who does not need access, without your written consent, unless it is necessary to prevent the spread of a notifiable disease. In this case, contact and appointment details made be shared with Public Health England and/or NHS Test and Trace.

Only the following people/agencies will have routine access to your data:

• Your therapist(s) in order that they can provide you with treatment
• Other Natural Balance therapists, because they all help on reception coordinating appointments and reminders (but they do not have access to your medical history or sensitive personal information)
• Other administrative staff, such as our accountant. Again, administrative staff will not have access to your medical notes, just your appointment details.
• We also use Fresha / Booker* / Frederick*, Appsinstitute* & Mailchimp for marketing, so your name, email address and phone number may be saved on their server. *These services are being cancelled from March 2021 when we switch to using just Fresha and Mailchimp.

From time to time, we may have to employ consultants to perform tasks that might give them access to your personal data (but not your medical notes). 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 what personal data of yours we hold, 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.

Contacting us

Of course, if you feel that Natural Balance Therapies or a Self Employed Therapist has mishandled 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:

• Information provided on the health consultation form (contact details including email address, medical information, treatment plan). The Data Controller is your Self-Employed Therapist who should be contacted directly*
• Information held on Fresha / Booker/ Frederick, Appinstitute or Mailchimp please contact the owner of Natural Balance Therapies:

Mark Alexander
mark@anaturalbalance.co.uk

*If you do not have an email address for your therapist please get in touch and we will do our best to assist you.

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