Privacy policy

This privacy notice advises Customers and Clients of Hird and Partners LLP data protection responsibilities on the collection and processing of their personal information.

 

THE PURPOSE OF PROCESSING

We collect and process your personal data to assist in the running of Hird and Partners LLP and to manage a high level of service for the individual in relation to their animal(s). GDPR regulations however, do not relate to information held on your animal(s) but you the individual.

We are committed to being transparent about how we collect and use that data and to meeting our data protection obligations.

We are required to explain how and why we collect such data and what we do with that information. This notice will also provide information as to what you can do about your personal information that is held and processed with us.

What is personal information? Personal information is any information that relates to you and can be used directly or indirectly to identify you.

 

THE LAWFUL BASIS OF PROCESSING

We process personal data about individuals in accordance with the following data protection principles:

• We process personal data lawfully, fairly and ih a transparent way.
• We collect personal data only for specified and legitimate purposes.
• We process personal data only where it is adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purposes of processing.
• We keep accurate personal data and take all reasonable stepsto ensure that inaccurate personal data is rectified or deleted without delay.
• We keep personal data only for the period necessary for processing.
• We adopt appropriate measures to make sure that personal data is secure and protected against unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage.

In our privacy notices, we tell individuals the reasons for processing their personal data, how we use such data and the legal basis for processing. We will not process personal data of individuals for reasons other than the stated purpose or purposes.

We will update personal data promptly, if an individual advises that his/her information has changed or is inaccurate.

Our legal basis for using your personal data, there are several reasons why we hold, process and share individuals' personal data. Under data protection laws, the lawful reasons for processing personal data include:

• Consent
• For the performance of a contract.
• To comply with a legal obligation.
• To protect the vital interests of the individual or another person.
• For a task carried out in the public interest.
• For a legitimate interest

Our legitimate interest for processing your data may include:

• Making contact with you for the purpose of your animal(s) - updating you on medical health issues.
• Appointment/Vaccination reminders.
• Marketing - Legitimate interest.
• Promotions.
• Insurance claims.
• Consent for clinical history to be transferred between clinics.
• Pet passports.
• Medical history.

Your personal data, where it is reasonable to do so, may also be shared with other professionals such as legal and professional advisers.

Other examples include:

• Ensure effective business administration.
• Vital interests, this legal basis can be used where, for example, we need to disclose information about you to prevent you or someone else from being seriously harmed or killed.
• Respond to and defend against legal claims or other investigatory processes.

What data do we hold on you? The personal data we hold regarding you can include, but is not limited to, information such as:

• Your name and address.
• Email address and telephone number.

Anyone engaged by us wishing to see a copy of the information about them that we hold should contact the manager.

How do we obtain personal data? We may collect this information in a variety of ways. For example, data might be collected through:

• Enquiries to the business.
• Registering as a client.
• Contact made to the business via emailing.

We will not share information about those engaged with third parties unless the law or our policies allows us to. In circumstances where consent is the basis for processing, such as with clinical histories, we will not share your data with third parties unless we have your consent.

In some cases Hird and Partners LLP may collect personal data about you form third parties, such as referrals, other clinics or individual enquiring on your behalf.

Hird and Partners LLP will process your personal data for the performance of care being carried out for an animal it may hold with a third party. For example referral reports etc.

Who has access to your personal data? Your personal data may be shared internally with other members of staff in order for them to perform their roles. We may also share your personal data with third parties like Insurance companies or companies abroad for travel purposes etc. Throughout these processes we maintain strict confidentiality and only process and retain the personal data for a long as is necessary.

Legal Claims-The processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. This allows us to share information with our legal advisers and insurers.

How do we protect individuals' personal data? We take the security of your personal data very seriously. We have internal policies and controls in place to try to ensure that data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused or disclosed and is not accessed except by our employees in the performance of their duties.

Where we engage third parties to process personal data on our behalf, they do so based on written instructions, are under a duty of confidentiality and are obliged to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure the security of data. For example, we ensure Hird and Partners LLP uses encrypted devices and passwords. Virus protection has appropriate firewalls to ensure protection of systems and personnel.

 

THE RETENTION PERIOD FOR PERSONAL DATA

We will only retain the data we collect for as long as is necessary to satisfy the purpose for which it has been collected.

 

YOUR RIGHTS AVAILABLE IN RESPECT TO PROCESSING

You will have the following rights in relation to your personal data. Some of these rights are new.

• The right to be informed
• The right of access to the personal data and supplementary information. This right is to enable you to be aware of and verify the lawfulness of processing personal data.
• The right to rectification. This right allows you to have personal data rectified if it is inaccµrate or incomplete.
• The right to erasure. This is also known as the 'right to,be forgotten'. This is not an absolute right and applies in specific circumstances.
• The right to restrict processing. This right applies in circumstances where, for example, the data subject contests the accuracy of the data or challenges the public interest or legitimate interest basis. Further guidance can be obtained from the ICO website.
• The right to data portability. This allows individuals to obtain and reuse their personal data for their own purposes.
• The right to object. Individuals have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or the performance of a task in the public interest/exercise to official authority. Direct marketing. Processing for scientific/historical research and statistics.
• Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.

 

THE RIGHT TO WITHDRAW CONSENT

If you want to exercise any of these rights, then please contact our Manager.

You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal information (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request for access is clearly unfounded or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with the request in such circumstances.

We may need to request specific information form you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access the information (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is another appropriate security measure to ensure that personal information is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it.

 

THE RIGHT TO LODGE A COMPLAINT WITH THE ICO

Further guidance and advice on the above rights can be obtained from the ICO's website

https:ljico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulationgdpr/individual­rights/.

If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, or if you would like to exercise any of the above rights, we ask that you raise your concern with us in the first instance by contacting the Manager.

Alternatively, you can contact the Information Commissioner's office at https://ico.org.uk/conerns to raise any issues you have.