Privacy Policy

James Street Veterinary Centre ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of our clients and their personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect your information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Data Controller

James Street Veterinary Centre is the data controller responsible for your personal data. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us at reception@jamesstreetvets.co.uk or call 01507 602828.

What Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following personal data:

• Identity data - name, title
• Contact data - address, email address, telephone numbers
• Animal data - details of your pets including species, breed, age, medical history and treatment records
• Financial data - payment information for settling invoices
• Insurance data - pet insurance policy details
• Communication data - correspondence and communications with us
• Technical data - IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types, operating system and platform when using our website

How We Collect Your Information

We collect information directly from you when you:

• Register with our practice
• Bring your pet in for treatment
• Contact us by telephone, email, post or in person
• Use our website or complete our online forms
• Subscribe to our communications

We may also receive information from third parties such as previous veterinary practices (with your consent), insurance companies, and referral veterinary practices.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• To provide veterinary care and treatment to your animals
• To maintain accurate clinical records as required by the RCVS
• To communicate with you about your pet's care, appointments and treatment
• To process payments and manage your account
• To send reminders for vaccinations, health checks and other preventative treatments
• To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
• To manage and improve our services

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data on the following legal bases:

• Contract - processing is necessary for the performance of our veterinary services
• Legal obligation - processing is necessary to comply with our legal obligations, including RCVS requirements for maintaining clinical records
• Legitimate interests - processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, such as sending appointment reminders and improving our services
• Consent - where you have given specific consent, such as for marketing communications

Who We Share Your Information With

We may share your personal data with:

• Referral veterinary practices and specialists (for the care of your animal)
• Laboratories and diagnostic services
• Insurance companies (to support your claims, with your consent)
• Previous or subsequent veterinary practices (with your consent)
• Our professional advisers and service providers
• Regulatory bodies such as the RCVS where required

We will never sell your personal data to third parties.

How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain clinical records for a minimum of 7 years after the last consultation, as recommended by the RCVS. Financial records are retained for 6 years in accordance with HMRC requirements. Other personal data is retained only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

Data Security

We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure or destruction. This includes the use of secure practice management systems and encrypted communications where appropriate.

Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have the following rights:

• Right of access - you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification - you can request that we correct any inaccurate data
• Right to erasure - you can request that we delete your personal data (subject to our legal obligations)
• Right to restrict processing - you can request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to data portability - you can request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format
• Right to object - you can object to our processing of your data in certain circumstances
• Right to withdraw consent - where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at reception@jamesstreetvets.co.uk.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane
Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at reception@jamesstreetvets.co.uk or call 01507 602828.