Privacy Policy

Charlotte Machin Acupuncture

Purpose of this Privacy Notice

The processing of personal data is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2016/679 and the UK Data Protection Act 2018. These laws give individuals greater control over how their personal information is used and place obligations on organisations that hold personal data.

One of these rights is the right to be informed, meaning we must explain clearly how we collect, use, store and protect your personal information.

This privacy notice explains how Charlotte Machin Acupuncture collects and processes your personal data.

Who We Are

Charlotte Machin Acupuncture is the data controller. This means we decide how your personal data is processed and for what purposes.

Practitioner:
Charlotte Machin MRCHM (2020-3648)
Member of the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM).

Contact details:

Charlotte Machin Acupuncture
Email: charlottemachinacupuncture (at) gmail (dot) com

Clinics:
Albany Street Clinic – EH1 3QL
Alba Acupuncture – EH3 9DJ

Whose Information This Privacy Notice Applies To

This privacy notice applies to information we collect from:

patients
prospective patients
former patients
visitors to our clinic
visitors to our website

What Is Personal Data?

Personal data is information relating to a living individual who can be identified from that data, either on its own or combined with other information we hold.

Examples include:

name
address
telephone number
email address
appointment details

Special Category Data

Some personal data is classified as special category data, which includes sensitive information such as:

health information
medical history
medications
diagnostic notes
treatment records

As a healthcare practitioner, we collect and process this information only when necessary for your treatment and care.

How We Process Your Personal Data

We comply with GDPR obligations by:

keeping personal data accurate and up to date
storing it securely
not collecting more data than necessary
protecting it from loss, misuse, or unauthorised access
securely destroying data when it is no longer required

We use your personal data for the purposes outlined below.

How We Use Your Personal Data

1. Appointment Management

We use your name, address, telephone number and email address to arrange and manage appointments, and to organise delivery of herbal medicine where necessary.

Please note that email is not fully secure, and messages sent between us may not be encrypted.

2. Marketing Communications

We will only send marketing information (such as newsletters or clinic updates) with your explicit consent.
You can withdraw this consent at any time.

3. Pre-Appointment Information

Some patients provide medical information before their first appointment via email or online forms. This information helps us understand your health concerns and prepare for your consultation.

4. Appointment Records

We maintain a record of appointments for:

administrative and accounting purposes
insurance requirements
evidence in the event of complaints, legal proceedings or claims

5. Patient Identification

Your date of birth may be used to help identify patients with similar names and ensure safe and appropriate treatment.

6. Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

Information you provide about:

symptoms
presenting complaints
medical history
family history

is used to make a traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis, and to plan and deliver appropriate treatment.

7. Clinical Notes

We maintain clinical notes including:

examination findings
treatment provided
progress of treatment
treatment plans and changes

This ensures continuity of care and provides evidence if needed for insurance or legal purposes.

8. Communication with Other Healthcare Providers

We may record or share information with other healthcare professionals, such as your GP, where appropriate or necessary for your care, and with your consent.

9. Treatment Advice and Referrals

We record any advice given or referrals made to other healthcare professionals to support safe and appropriate treatment.

10. Patient Decisions and Consent

We keep records of treatment discussions and decisions made jointly with you, including informed consent to treatment.

11. Accident Records

We keep records of any accidents involving patients or visitors in accordance with UK Health and Safety legislation, including the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).

12. Adverse Incidents

If an adverse incident occurs during treatment, we may report this to:

our professional body, the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM)
our professional insurance provider

This helps manage potential claims and contributes to professional safety guidelines.

Complaints

If a complaint is received, we will create a file containing details of the complaint, including the identity of the complainant and relevant individuals.

This information will only be used to:

investigate and resolve the complaint
review and improve our services

Complaint information may need to be shared with:

the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine
our insurance provider

Complaint records are kept securely and retained for two years after the complaint is closed.

Website Use

When someone visits our website we may use Google Analytics to collect anonymous information about how visitors use the site. This helps us understand how the website is used and improve its performance.

This information does not identify individual visitors.

Cookies

Our website may use cookies to improve your experience by allowing the website to remember your preferences during your visit or on future visits.

Website Security and Hosting

Our website is powered and hosted by Wix.
We may use Wix security tools or plugins to maintain the security and performance of the website. These tools may process visitors’ IP addresses.

Sharing Your Personal Data

Your personal information will be treated as strictly confidential.

We may share information:

with third parties with your explicit consent
with authorities such as courts or police where legally required
with healthcare professionals if necessary to protect your health or safety
with authorities to protect children or vulnerable adults
with the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine
with our professional indemnity insurance provider
with legal professionals if required during legal proceedings

For further information see the Information Commissioner’s Office website:
https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information/sharing-my-info/

How Long We Keep Your Personal Data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary.

Patient records are normally kept for 7 years after your last treatment, in accordance with the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine Code of Safe and Ethical Practice.

After this period records will be securely destroyed.

You may request updates to your contact details at any time.

Your Rights

Under GDPR you have the right to:

request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
request correction of inaccurate information
request deletion of your data where appropriate
withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
request restriction of processing
request transfer of your data to another provider (data portability)
object to certain types of data processing
be informed if a data breach occurs affecting your information
lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

More information can be found at:
https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public

Further Processing

If we need to use your personal data for a purpose not covered by this notice, we will inform you and obtain consent where required before doing so.

Contact Details

For any questions about this privacy notice or to exercise your rights, please contact:

Charlotte Machin
Email: charlottemachinacupuncture (at) gmail (dot) com

Information Commissioner’s Office

If you are unhappy with how your data has been handled you may contact:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Tel: 0303 123 1113

https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/email/

Address:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF