Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Helsby Dental Surgery (“we”, “us”, or “our”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our website and services. We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Who We Are

Helsby Dental Surgery is a dental practice located at:

We are the data controller for the personal information we collect about you.

Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal information:

Information You Provide Directly

  • Name and contact details (address, phone number, email address)
  • Date of birth and age
  • Medical and dental history
  • Insurance and payment information
  • Emergency contact details
  • Any other information you provide in forms or correspondence

Information Collected Automatically

  • Website usage data through cookies
  • IP address and browser information
  • Pages visited and time spent on our website

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Healthcare Provision

  • Providing dental treatment and healthcare services
  • Maintaining accurate medical records
  • Coordinating care with other healthcare providers
  • Emergency medical situations

Administrative Purposes

  • Appointment scheduling and management
  • Processing payments and insurance claims
  • Communicating about your treatment
  • Managing our patient database

Legal Obligations

  • Complying with healthcare regulations
  • Maintaining records as required by law
  • Reporting to regulatory bodies when necessary

Marketing (with your consent)

  • Sending promotional emails about our services
  • Informing you about special offers or new treatments
  • Practice newsletters and updates

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on:

  • Consent: When you agree to receive marketing communications
  • Contract: To provide dental services you have requested
  • Legal Obligation: To comply with healthcare and professional regulations
  • Vital Interests: In medical emergencies
  • Legitimate Interests: For administrative purposes and practice management

How We Share Your Information

We may share your information with:

Healthcare Providers

  • NHS services and other dental practices (for referrals)
  • Specialists and consultants
  • Laboratories for diagnostic tests
  • Emergency healthcare services

Professional Bodies

  • General Dental Council (GDC)
  • NHS England
  • Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Service Providers

  • IT support companies (under strict confidentiality agreements)
  • Payment processing services
  • Appointment booking systems
  • Practice management software providers

We will never sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for the following periods:

  • Adult patient records: 10 years after last treatment
  • Child patient records: Until age 25, or 10 years after last treatment (whichever is longer)
  • Website data: 2 years from last interaction
  • Marketing data: Until you withdraw consent

Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights:

Right of Access

You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

Right to Rectification

You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.

Right to Erasure

You can request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Right to Restrict Processing

You can ask us to limit how we use your information.

Right to Data Portability

You can request your data in a portable format to transfer to another provider.

Right to Object

You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for marketing purposes.

Rights Related to Automated Decision Making

You have rights regarding any automated decision-making processes (though we don’t typically use these).

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided above.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us:

  • Remember your preferences
  • Analyse website usage
  • Provide relevant content

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect website functionality.

Types of Cookies We Use

  • Essential cookies: Required for basic website functionality
  • Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
  • Marketing cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (only with your consent)

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including:

  • Secure IT systems and networks
  • Staff training on data protection
  • Access controls and authentication
  • Regular security assessments
  • Encrypted data transmission
  • Secure disposal of confidential waste

International Transfers

We primarily process your data within the UK. If we need to transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information.

Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Children’s Privacy

We take special care when handling children’s personal information. For patients under 16, we may need to obtain consent from a parent or guardian for certain activities.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any significant changes will be communicated through our website or directly to patients. Please check this page regularly for updates.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

Helsby Dental Surgery