Privacy Policy

YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION - GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR)

This document explains how Dedham Vale Reflexology collects, stores, and protects your personal data in line with UK GDPR and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.  It explains what personal information I hold and why, and what your rights are. I will require you to sign a declaration to confirm that you understand and accept what is outlined in this document at your first session with me.

Data Controller Contact Details: Michelle Fildes - michelle@dedhamvalereflexology.com

THE PURPOSE OF PROCESSING CLIENT DATA

In order to give professional reflexology treatments, I will need to gather and retain potentially sensitive information about your health. I will only use this information for informing reflexology treatments and associated recommendations concerning aspects of health and wellbeing which I will offer to you. If you email, call or text me to arrange an appointment I will retain your contact details in order to contact you and handle bookings.

LAWFUL BASIS FOR HOLDING AND USING CLIENT INFORMATION

I abide by the Code of Practice and Ethics for the Association of Reflexologists (AoR). The lawful basis under which I hold and use your information is for my legitimate interests i.e.my requirement to retain the information in order to provide you with the best possible treatment options and advice.

As I hold special category data (i.e. health related information), the ‘Additional Condition’ under which I hold and use this information is for me to fulfil my role as a health care practitioner bound under the AoR Confidentiality as defined in their Code of Practice and Ethics. 

I keep records of our sessions together for several important reasons:

• Continuity of care - Having accurate records allows me to provide you with the best possible treatment over time
• Professional obligations - As a reflexologist in private practice, I am expected to maintain adequate records that demonstrate the care I have provided
• Insurance requirements -My professional indemnity insurance requires me to retain records in case a claim is made, which can happen some years after treatment ends
• Legal compliance - UK law requires me to keep certain financial records for tax purposes

WHAT INFORMATION I HOLD AND WHAT I DO WITH IT 

In order to give professional reflexology treatments, I will need to ask for and keep potentially sensitive information about your health. I will only use this for informing reflexology treatments and any advice I give as a result of your treatment. The information to be held is:

• Your contact details
• Medical history and other health-related information (which you share with me during consultations and any subsequent changes to your health that you have made me aware of)
• Treatment details and related notes (which I will take after each consultation)
• Any correspondence between us (emails, text messages)
• Payment records and invoices
• Consent forms and agreements

I engage in ongoing continuing professional development (CPD) as required by the AoR to maintain my skills and knowledge. I do not have a mandatory clinical supervision requirement and I do not currently engage in peer consultation arrangements that would involve discussing identifiable client information with other practitioners. 

I will NOT share your information with anyone else (other than within my own practice, or as required for legal process) without explaining why it is necessary and getting your explicit consent.

CONFIDENTIALITY EXCEPTIONS

Everything that you share with me during our work together is treated as confidential. However, there are specific circumstances where I may need to share information without your consent:

Risk of serious harm - If I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or another person

Safeguarding concerns - If I become aware of abuse of a child or vulnerable adult.

Court order – If I am legally compelled to disclose information by a court of law. 

In any of these situations, I will always try to discuss this with you first, unless doing so would itself put someone at risk. 

HOW LONG I RETAIN YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION FOR

I will keep your information for the following periods:

1. ‘claims occurring’ insurance: records are to be kept for 7 years after last treatment.
2. law regarding children’s records: records are to be kept until the child is 25 years old or if 17 years old      when treated, then kept until they are 26 years old.

I will not transfer your data outside the EU without your consent.

PROTECTING YOUR PERSONAL DATA

I am committed to ensuring that your personal data is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, I have put in place appropriate technical, physical and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect from you. Only I have access to your records and they are not shared with any other party except where required by law. 

I will contact you using the contact preferences you give me in relation to:

• Appointment times                             
• Reflexology information or information related to your health. 
• Exclusive offers and promotions (you may unsubscribe from this at any time)

YOUR RIGHTS

GDPR gives you the following rights:

• The right to be informed:  to know how your information will be held and used.
• The right of access: to see your practitioner’s records of your personal information, so you know what is held about you and can verify it.
• The right to rectification: to tell your practitioner to update your personal information if it is incorrect or incomplete.
• The right to erasure (also called “the right to be forgotten”): for you to request your practitioner to erase any information they hold about you.
• The right to restrict processing of personal data: you have the right to request limits on how your practitioner uses your personal information.
• The right to data portability: under certain circumstances you can request a copy of personal information held electronically so you can reuse it in other systems. 
• The right to object: to be able to tell your practitioner you don’t want them to use certain parts of your      information, or only to use it for certain purposes.
• Rights in relation to automated decision-making and profiling.
• The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office: to be able to complain to the ICO if you feel your details are not correct, if they are not being used in a way that you have given permission for, or if they are being stored when they don’t have to be.

Full details of your rights can be found on the ICO’s website, which you can see here https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/  If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please use the contact details given above. If you make a request we have one month to respond to you. If you are not satisfied with the response you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office; their contact details are at  www.ico.org.uk

PRACTITIONER’S RIGHTS

Please note:

• If you don’t agree to your keeping records of information about you and your treatments, or if you don’t allow them to use the information in the way they need to for treatments, the practitioner may not be able to treat you.  
• Your practitioner must keep your records of treatment for a certain period as described above, which may mean that even if you ask them to erase any details about you, they might have to keep these details until after that period has passed.
• Your practitioner can move their records between their computers and IT systems, providing that your      details are protected from being seen by others without your permission.

If you contact me via email to arrange an appointment I will send you a copy of this document for your records. At our first treatment I will then require a signed declaration to confirm that you have seen and accepted my privacy statement and understand your rights under the GDPR

CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

I review this privacy policy annually and whenever my data handling practices change. If I make any significant changes that affect how your data is processed, I will inform you directly.

Last updated : August 2026