CONFIDENTIALITY and DATA PROTECTION POLICY
The purpose of this policy is to inform you about what information we collect about you, what we will do with this information, how we will store it and how long we will keep it.
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At Belfast Community Acupuncture we want to give you the best treatments that we can.  As your acupuncturists, we will necessarily collect some information about you in order to deliver a professional and ethical service.
We are accountable to three agencies with regards to privacy and confidentiality. Firstly, we are bound by a professional code of ethics (Acupuncture Foundation Professional Association) to protect your privacy and confidentiality.  Secondly, our insurance providers (Balens UK) request that we store particular information (described below) and thirdly, we are required to comply with current data protection legislation (Data Protection Act 1998 and incoming European General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) May 25th 2018).

1. Information we collect
   • We collect contact details in order to communicate with you regarding appointments.
   • We collect health details and any information disclosed by you as relevant to your treatments with us in order to plan and review treatments. 
   • We do not collect any surplus information.

 

1. Storage and destruction of sensitive information
   • Paper information (medical/treatment forms) is kept securely locked at a home office. 
   • Emails are encrypted but you will be responsible for checking that you are happy with the privacy of your own email provider. 
   • Contact details are stored on mobile phone with appropriate security settings (app permissions and passwords).
   • We are required by our insurance company (Balens) to store your treatment information for a minimum of 7 years (or until 25 years of age) after which it will be securely deleted/destroyed.  (You have the right to see your records but we are unable to delete records until the requisite period has passed).

 

1. Confidentiality
   • We will not share your information with anyone else unless it is with your written permission (for example, if you wish us to communicate with your GP or another professional) or there is a legal or ethical duty for us to disclose information. These situations include: if you may cause serious harm to yourself or others, when instructed by a Court to disclose information, when any criminal activity, or knowledge of any criminal activity is revealed. These exceptions to confidentiality are in place to ensure your safety and the safety of others and to comply with the law. We would hope never to break confidentiality without speaking to you first, however, this may not be legally possible in every situation. 
   • Belfast Community Acupuncture is a ‘multi-bed’ clinic i.e. there is usually more than one treatment in any room at any one time.  Although your treatment couch is screened off you may be overheard or seen entering and leaving the room. There is therefore a risk of (a) being overheard or (b) being identified by someone you know.  We will endeavour to find a quiet space to discuss your first treatment although this is not always possible.  Please indicate to your acupuncturist if you wish to discuss something further in private.
   • If you by chance meet your acupuncturist outside of the clinic we won’t greet you unless you greet us, leaving it up to you if you want to keep your therapeutic relationship private.

 
Copies of this policy are online www.belfastcommunityacupuncture.com and hard copies are available in clinic.  For all other enquiries or to request a hard copy of this policy please email info@belfastcommunityacupuncture.com or call Emma 07800 906 813 or Mary 07535 371 535
Policy reviewed April 2018 by Emma Van Loock and Mary Gribbin.