Buchananvets Limited

We are a Data Controller under the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation.

This Privacy Notice explains what Personal Data the practice holds, why we hold and process it, who we might share it with, and your rights and freedoms under the Law.

 

Types of Personal Data

The practice holds personal data in the following categories:

  1. Pet clinical and health data and pet owner contact details and correspondence.
  2. Staff employment data.
  3. Contractors’ data.

 

When do we collect personal information?

We collect your personal information in several instances, including when you:

  1. Register your details as a new client at one of our branches or via the form on our website.
  2. Sign up to our Pet Wellness Plan.
  3. Engage with us on social media.
  4. Contact us by any means with questions about a service, product, or treatment or to raise a complaint.
  5. Ask one of our colleagues to email you information about a service, product, or treatment.
  6. Enter prize draws or competitions.
  7. Use our micro-chipping service.
  8. Comment on or review our products and services. Any individual may access personal information related to them, including opinions. So, if your comment or review includes information about the colleague who if service, it may be passed on to them if requested.
  9. Fill in any forms. For example, insurance claim forms or if an accident happens in a branch.
  10. Have given a third-party permission to share the personal information they hold about you and your pets with us.
  11. Phone us, we sometimes record phone conversations for record or training purposes.
  12. Use our car parks or veterinary surgeries which may have CCTV systems operated for the security of both customers and colleagues and for the prevention of crime. These systems may record your image during your visit.
  13. When you apply for a job or are employed by us.

 

Why we process Personal Data (what is the “purpose”)

“Process” means we obtain, store, update, and archive data.

  1. Pet health and pet owner correspondence data is held for the purpose of providing pets with appropriate, high quality, safe and effective care, and treatment.
  2. Staff employment data is held in accordance with Employment, Taxation and Pensions law.
  3. Contractors’ data is held for the purpose of managing their contracts.

 

What is the Lawful Basis for processing Personal Data?

The Law says we must tell you this:

  1. We hold pet and pet owner data because it is in our Legitimate Interest to do so. Without holding the data, we cannot work effectively.
  2. We hold staff employment data because it is a Legal Obligation for us to do so.
  3. We hold contractors’ data because it is needed to Fulfil a Contract with us.

 

Who might we share your data with?

We can only share data if it is done securely and it is necessary to do so.

  1. Pet health data may be shared with other healthcare professionals who need to be involved in your pet’s care (for example if we refer you to a specialist, if laboratory work needs to be undertaken, if your insurance company request information to process your claim or you want to move your pets to a different veterinary practice). Pet health data is also stored for back-up purposes and this may be sent to our computer software supplier who may also store it securely overseas.
  2. Employment data will be shared with government agencies such as HMRC.
  3. To any competent law enforcement body, regulatory, government agency, court or other third party where we believe disclosure is necessary as a matter of applicable law or regulation.
  4. To prevent and detect fraud – to do this, we may need to disclose information to assist legal or debt recovery processes.
  5. Send you reminders about appointments, vaccination dates and flea and worm treatment dates.
  6. To our third-party services providers who provide data processing services to us, or who otherwise process personal information for purposes that are described in this Privacy Policy or notified to you when we collect your personal information. Examples of the kind of third parties we work with are:
  • IT companies who support our website and other business systems;
  • Direct marketing companies or other third parties who help us manage postal or electronic communications with you;
  • To any other person with your consent to the disclosure.
  1. We share your personal data with MWI Animal Health, for the purposes of them providing the services provided through the Buchananvets appointment booking platform, which will include the following categories of personal data:

Your name, address, phone number, email address and pets registered details.

Where we share your personal information with third party service providers and partners, we apply a policy to ensure your personal information is safe and to protect your privacy. Our policy requires:

  1. We provide only the information they need to perform their specific services.
  2. They may only use your data for the exact purposes we specify in our contract with them.
  3. If you have any questions about the third parties, we share your personal information with, please contact us.

 

Your Rights

You have the right to:

  1. Be informed about the personal data we hold and why we hold it.
  2. Access a copy of your data that we hold by contacting us directly: we will acknowledge your request and supply a response within one month or sooner.
  3. Check the information we hold about you is correct and to make corrections if not.
  4. Have your data erased in certain circumstances.
  5. Transfer your data to someone else if you tell us to do so and it is safe and legal to do so.
  6. Tell us not to actively process or update your data in certain circumstances.

 

How long is the Personal Data stored for?

  1. We will store pet health data for as long as we are providing care, treatment or recalling pets for further care. We will archive (that is, store it without further action) for as long as is required for legal or insurance purposes, or as recommended by trusted experts.
  2. We must store employment data for six years after an employee has left.
  3. We must store contractors’ data for seven years after the contract is ended.

 

What if you are not happy or wish to raise a concern about our data processing?

You can complain in the first instance to Buchananvets Ltd, our Data protection Officer and company director Simon Snader, Timperley Veterinary Centre, 120 Wood Lane, Timperley, Altrincham, WA15 7PJ and we will do our best to resolve the matter. If this fails, you can complain to the Information Commissioner at www.ico.org.uk/concerns or by calling 0303 123 1113.

 

Last updated January 2024.