Privacy Policy

This page describes our privacy policy, ways that we handle data and the rights that you have under the UK Data Protection Act 2018 (often referred to as GDPR).

What information do we collect?

We collect data about patients who use our services that is relevant to their healthcare and allows Bolton Street Dental Practice to deliver dental services to our patients. We process information about our patients, customers, suppliers and employees.

The types of data we may collect are listed below. Data collected is only used for legitimate purposes and functions and in a way that is not detrimental to the interests of patients or employees. Bolton Street Dental Practice takes particular care in the collection and storage of any personal sensitive data. Everyone working within Bolton Street Dental Practice has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. Similarly, anyone who receives information from us has a legal duty to keep it confidential.

The Data Protection Act 2018 enshrines European-wide GDPR legislation in UK law. All companies and organisations that store and process personal data have a number of obligations related to the storage and processing of personally identifiable data. The law also gives individuals all rights over how their data is processed and managed.

What rights do you have under GDPR? 

  1. The right to be informed – all organisations must be completely transparent in how they are using personally identifiable data.
  2. The right of access – individuals have the right to know exactly what information is held about them and how it is processed.
  3. The right of rectification – individuals have personal data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
  4. The right to erasure – also known as ‘the right to be forgotten’, this refers to an individual’s right to having their personal data deleted or removed without the need for a specific reason as to why they wish to discontinue.
  5. The right to restrict processing – an individual’s right to block or suppress processing of their personal data.
  6. The right to data portability – this allows individuals to retain and reuse their personal data for their own purpose.
  7. The right to object – in certain circumstances, individuals are entitled to object to their personal data being used. This includes, if a company uses personal data for the purpose of direct marketing or research.
  8. Rights of automated decision making and profiling – the GDPR creates safeguards to protect individuals against the risk that a potentially damaging decision is made without human intervention. For example, individuals can choose not to be the subject of a decision where the consequence has a legal bearing on them, or is based on automated processing.

Collection of data

The dental professionals caring for you keep records about your health as well as the treatment and care you receive from our practices. These records help to ensure that you receive the best possible care. They may be written down in paper records or held on computer.

These records may include

  • Basic details about you such as name, address, date of birth, next of kin, etc.
  • Contact we have had with you such as appointments.
  • Notes and reports about your health, treatment and care.
  • X-rays and notes related to x-rays.
  • Relevant information from people who care for you and know you well such as health professionals and relatives.
  • Financial information related to payment for treatments.

It is essential that your details are accurate and up to date. Always check that your personal details are correct when you visit us and please inform us of any changes as soon as possible.

How your personal information is used

Your records are used to direct, manage and deliver the care you receive to ensure that:

  • The dental professionals involved in your care have accurate and up to date information to assess your oral health and decide on the most appropriate care for you.
  • Healthcare professionals have the information they need to be able to assess and improve the quality and type of care you receive.
  • Your concerns can be properly investigated if a complaint is raised.
  • Appropriate information is available if you see another dental professional, or if we refer you to a specialist.

Non-personal information

We may collect technical data about the type of Internet browser and computer operating system that you use when visiting this website. This information does not identify you as an individual and is used only for tracking of website use.

Disclosure to third parties
In addition to the eight rights described above Bolton Street Dental Practice will only disclose your personal information to third parties under the following circumstances:

  • In the event that we sell or buy any business or assets, in which case we may disclose your personal data to the prospective seller or buyer of such business or assets.
  • If Bolton Street Dental Practice or substantially all of its assets are acquired by a third party, in which case personal data held by it about its customers will be one of the transferred assets.
  • If we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply our terms of use, and other agreements; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Bolton Street Dental Practice, our patients, or others. This may include exchanging information with other companies and organisations for the purposes of crime prevention including fraud as well as and credit risk reduction.

Your rights

In addition to the eight rights described above, Bolton Street Dental Practice assures you that we will never share your information with third-parties for marketing purposes.

Our site may, from time to time, contain links to and from other websites such as NHS Direct or other agencies. If you follow a link to a third-party website, please note that these websites have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies. Please check these policies before you submit any personal data to these websites.

Access to information

The Act gives you the right to access information held about you. Your right of access can be exercised in accordance with the Act. Any access request may be subject to a fee of £10 for computerised records and up to £50 for any non-digital x-ray copies that are required to provide you with details of the information you have requested.

Changes to our privacy policy

Any changes we may make to our privacy policy in the future will be posted on this page and, where appropriate, notified to you by e-mail.

Disclosures

We will only disclose information about you to any of our employees, officers, agents, suppliers or subcontractors insofar as reasonably necessary for the purposes as set out in this privacy policy.

In addition, we may disclose information about you:

(a) to the extent that we are required to do so by law;
(b) in connection with any legal proceedings or prospective legal proceedings;
(c) in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights (including providing information to others for the purposes of fraud prevention and reducing credit risk);

Except as provided in this privacy policy, we will not provide your information to third parties.

Security of your personal data

We will take reasonable technical and organisational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information.

We will store all the personal information you provide on secure (password- and firewall- protected) computers.  Data related to your treatment is encrypted prior to transmission to the NHS and is kept according to NHS Data protection policies.

Policy amendments

We may update this privacy policy from time-to-time by posting a new version on our website. You should check this page occasionally to ensure you are happy with any changes.

Third party websites

The website may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of third party websites.

Updating information

Please let us know if the personal information which we hold about you needs to be corrected or updated.

Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our treatment of your personal data, please write to us by email to [email protected]