Privacy policies can be confusing. This page explains our approach to your privacy across Chase Podiatry websites and our secure patient records system, and how it affects you.
Short version
- We collect anonymouse statics when you visit our website, such as which pages you viewed and your browser.
- If you use other 3rd parties websites such a Facebook, Twitter, and other social media they may know you visited this website. We cannot control them, but we do not believe this knowledge poses any threat to you.
- When you visit one of our practices we will need to take personal identifying details to ensure we deliver the high level of care you deserve. This information is securely stored in an off site data center and access is very strictly controlled and monitored. We may share this information between our practices and other medical professionals such as your GP to futher aide in your treatment.
- We never share your data with 3rd parties except to help us deliver our own services. Your identifying information will never be shared.
These are just the key points. If you need detail, keep reading.
Measuring our visitors
We measure visitors to our website using Google Analytics. This records what pages you view within our site, how you arrived at our site and some basic information about your computer such as the browser you are using. All of that information is anonymous – so we don’t know who you are; just that somebody visited our site.
The information we collect from analytics helps us understand what parts of our sites are doing well, how people arrive at our site and so on. Like most websites, we use this information to make our website better.
You can learn more about Google Analytics or opt out if you wish.
Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks
We use the AddThis service to provide social buttons and similar features which we use on our website – such as the “Like” and “Tweet” buttons.
To do so we embed code that they provide and we do not control ourselves. To function their buttons generally know if you’re logged in; for example Facebook use this to say “x of your friends like this”. We do not have any access to that information, nor can we control how those networks use it.
AddThis and social networks therefore could know that you’re viewing this website, if you use their services (that isn’t to say they do, but their policies may change). You can learn more about AddThis.
If you choose to visit on of our practices
When you choose to visit on of our practices we are required to collect and store some personal identifiable information about you, such as your name, date of birth, contact details, and address. This enables us to provide medical treatment and advice.
We will also need to keep a brief medical history for you, as well as a record of any treatments we provide.
You will be asked to provide this information on your first appointment, and our staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. We are required to keep this information for 8 years following the completion of treatment in adults. For childre, the information is retained until the patients 25th birthday, or 26th birthday if the patient was 17 at the conclusion of treatment.
Data sharing
In order to help us in the provision of our services, we may be required on occasion to share personal information with trusted third parties. This may include the following people:
- General Practitioner - we may need to update your GP on your medical condition
- Other Health Professional - if you need to be referred to another Health Professional, we may need to provide them information of previous treatments. This will be discussed with you prior to information being shared.
- Health Insurance Company - if you have health insurance, they will be notified of treatment via an invoice.
Security
Chase Podiatry takes many precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information. These measures include:
- Use of SSL encryption for you sensitive data.
- Hardware stored in secured offsite datacentres behind firewalls.
- All access to your information is restricted by a password and/or secure key and is logged and monitored.
- Restrictions as to who can view your medical and treatment history.
- Separate isolated staff and guest networks in our practices.
Whilst we take great care to ensure any confidential information remains protected we cannot guarantee the security of data sent outside of our secure networks.
Updates to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time-to-time, particularly as technology changes. You can always check this page for the latest version.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or your personal data, please write to us by email to reception@chase-podiatry.co.uk or by post to Chase Podiatry, 10 Mill Street, Cannock, WS11 0DL, United Kingdom.