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Privacy Policy

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Privacy Policy

This website is owned and operated by Melinda Downing.  I am committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

This policy (together with my terms of use WEBSITE TERMS OF USE) sets out the basis on which any personal data I collect from you via this website, or that you provide, will be processed.  Please read the following carefully to understand my views and practices regarding your personal data and how I will treat it.

This privacy policy is for this website; [www.meldowning.com] and served by [Mel Downing, 8 The Maltings, Blyth, S81 8HD] governs the privacy of its users who choose to use it. It explains how we comply with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), the DPA (Data Protection Act) [pre GDPR enforcement] and the PECR (Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations). This policy will explain areas of this website that may affect your privacy and personal details, how we process, collect, manage and store those details and how your rights under the GDPR, DPA & PECR are adhere to. Additionally it will explain the use of cookies or software, advertising or commercial sponsorship from third parties and the download of any documents, files or software made available to you (if any) on this website. Further explanations may be provided for specific pages or features of this website in order to help you understand how we, this website and its third parties (if any) interact with you and your computer / device in order to serve it to you. Our contact information is provided if you have any questions.

The DPA & GDPR May 2018

We and this website complies to the DPA (Data Protection Act 1998) and already complies to the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) which comes into affect from May 2018. We will update this policy accordingly after the completion of the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Use of Cookies

This website uses cookies to better the user experience while visiting the website.

What are cookies? Cookies are small files saved to the user’s computers hard drive that track, save and store information about the user’s interactions and usage of the website. This allows the website, through its server to provide the users with a tailored experience within this website.

Users are advised that if they wish to deny the use and saving of cookies from this website on to their computers hard drive they should take necessary steps within their web browsers security settings to block all cookies from this website and its external serving vendors.

Website Visitor Tracking

This website uses tracking software to monitor its visitors to better understand how they use it. The software will save a cookie to your computers hard drive in order to track and monitor your engagement and usage of the website, but will not store, save or collect personal information.

Adverts and Sponsored Links

This website may contain sponsored links and adverts. These will typically be served through our advertising partners, to whom may have detailed privacy policies relating directly to the adverts they serve. Clicking on any such adverts will send you to the advertisers website through a referral program which may use cookies and will track the number of referrals sent from this website. This may include the use of cookies which may in turn be saved on your computers hard drive. Users should therefore note they click on sponsored external links at their own risk and we cannot be held liable for any damages or implications caused by visiting any external links mentioned.

Downloads & Media Files

Any downloadable documents, files or media made available on this website are provided to users at their own risk. While all precautions have been undertaken to ensure only genuine downloads are available users are advised to verify their authenticity using third party anti virus software or similar applications. We accept no responsibility for third party downloads and downloads provided by external third party websites and advise users to verify their authenticity using third party anti virus software or similar applications.

Contact & Communication With us

Users contacting this us through this website do so at their own discretion and provide any such personal details requested at their own risk. Your personal information is kept private and stored securely until a time it is no longer required or has no use. Where we have clearly stated and made you aware of the fact, and where you have given your express permission, we may use your details to send you products/services information through a mailing list system. This is done in accordance with the regulations named in ‘The policy’ above.

External Website Links & Third Parties

Although we only look to include quality, safe and relevant external links, users are advised to adopt a policy of caution before clicking any external web links mentioned throughout this website. External links are clickable text / banner / image links to other websites. Shortened URL’s; URL shortening is a technique used on the web to shorten URL’s (Uniform Resource Locators) to something substantially shorter. This technique is especially used in social media and looks similar to this (example: http://bit.ly/zyVUBo). Users should take caution before clicking on shortened URL links and verify their authenticity before proceeding. We cannot guarantee or verify the contents of any externally linked website despite our best efforts. Users should therefore note they click on external links at their own risk and we cannot be held liable for any damages or implications caused by visiting any external links mentioned.

Social Media Policy & Usage

We adopt a Social Media Policy to ensure our business and our staff conduct themselves accordingly online. While we may have official profiles on social media platforms users are advised to verify authenticity of such profiles before engaging with, or sharing information with such profiles. We will never ask for user passwords or personal details on social media platforms. Users are advised to conduct themselves appropriately when engaging with us on social media. There may be instances where our website features social sharing buttons, which help share web content directly from web pages to the respective social media platforms. You use social sharing buttons at your own discretion and accept that doing so may publish content to your social media profile feed or page. You can find further information about some social media privacy and usage policies in the resources section below.

Resources & Further Information

March 2018. Edited & customised by: Mel Downing

 

Privacy Policy for Homeopathy Patients of Mel Downing

Registered Homeopath of The Society of Homeopaths

PRIVACY POLICY

I take the privacy rights of my patients very seriously.  This privacy policy sets out how I deal with your ‘personal information’, that is, information that could identify, or is related to the identity of, an individual.

What personal information do I collect?

In order to treat you, I will ask you to provide certain information.  This includes:

  • Name
  • Gender
  • Date of birth
  • Home address
  • Email address
  • Telephone number
  • Medical history.

To this, over time, I will add details of the conditions for which you have consulted me and the remedies and other therapies that I have prescribed or recommended.

How do I collect this personal information?

All the information collected is obtained directly from you.  This is usually at the point of your initial consultation. The information is at the initial consultation.  At the point at which you provide your personal information, I will also request that you provide consent for me to store and use your data.  Your consent is required in order to ensure my compliance with data protection legislation.  Subsequently, I will add to this initial information with details of the consultations you hold with me.

How do use this personal information?

I use your personal information to analyse the conditions for which you have consulted me and to prescribe remedies and other therapies.

I may communicate with you by email, social media messenger platforms, by telephone, text message and by post.

With whom do I share your personal information?

I will not disclose any personal information that I hold on you to any unrelated third party, except where required by law.

How long do I keep your personal information?

I need to keep your information for as long as you continue to consult me.  Since patients often return for more consultations after a period of absence, I will keep your information for seven years after your last consultation.   In the case of children, 7 years after their 18thBirthday.   At that point, your file will be securely destroyed and any digital information will be erased from my computer systems.

How your information can be updated or corrected.

To ensure that I have accurate and up-to-date information, you need to inform me of any changes you believe I should make to the personal information I hold.  You can do this by contacting me by any of the methods previously described.

Under data protection legislation, you have the right to inspect the personal information I hold about you.  You can make a request to do so by contacting me and I will endeavour to respond within 14 working days.

How do I store your personal information?

My patient files are paper-based and are held securely within my consulting room in either a locked cabinet or in a locked steel filing cabinet in my garage, both at 8 The Maltings, Blyth, S81 8HD.  I take steps to protect your personal information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorised access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification.

Your email address, if you have one, is held securely on the servers of my email providers, currently with www.outlook.live.com.

Changes to this policy

This policy may change from time to time. If I make any material changes, I will make you aware of them.

Contact

If you have any queries about this policy, need it in an alternative format, or have any complaints about my privacy practices, please contact me:

Mel Downing

8 The Maltings

Blyth, N. Notts  S81 8HD

Tel: 01909 591972 or 07968 049578

Email: [email protected]

www.meldowning.com

Policy review date: Every 2 years – next due August 2024

22.8.2022

WWW.MELDOWNING.COM