Privacy Policy

Who I am

This privacy policy covers https://emilyclarkibclc.co.uk and my practice as Emily Clark, an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and NMC-registered midwife providing infant feeding support, tongue-tie assessment and division, and postnatal care as home visits across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey and West London. I'm the data controller for the personal information described below. Contact details are at the end of this policy.

Information I collect

Through the website itself, I collect very little: this is a static site with no accounts or database, so nothing is stored automatically just by browsing it. There is a contact form, which asks for your name, email address, phone number (optional), and your message - submitting it sends me an email with what you've entered; it isn't saved anywhere else.

If you get in touch by email, phone, or WhatsApp instead, using the contact details on the site, I'll have whatever you choose to send me - typically your name, contact details, and details about your feeding situation or your baby.

If you go on to book a consultation, I collect further information needed to provide care: yours and your baby's name and date of birth, contact and address details, relevant medical and feeding history, and clinical notes made during and after visits.

How I use your information

To respond to your enquiry, arrange and carry out consultations, keep accurate clinical records as required of a regulated healthcare professional, and follow up on your care where appropriate. I don't use your information for marketing, and I don't sell it to anyone.

Lawful basis for processing

Contact and enquiry details are processed on the basis of legitimate interest (responding to enquiries) or consent. Clinical and health information is processed under UK GDPR Article 9(2)(h), for the provision of healthcare, and is subject to the professional duty of confidentiality that applies to NMC-registered practitioners.

How I store and protect your information

Clinical notes and records are created in Heidi and stored in Cliniko. Access to your records is limited to those directly involved in your care.

How long I keep your information

Clinical records are kept for 25 years (NMC / professional indemnity guidance for midwifery and lactation consultant records set this requirement). Enquiry details from the contact form or from email, phone, or WhatsApp that don't lead to a consultation are kept only as long as needed to respond, then deleted.

Sharing your information

I don't share your information with third parties for marketing. Information may be shared with other healthcare professionals directly involved in your or your baby's care (for example your GP, health visitor, or - where you're referred or seen jointly - the team at Riverside Midwives), where it's relevant to do so and, where required, with your consent. I may also need to share information where required by law or professional regulation.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to ask what personal information I hold about you, to have inaccurate information corrected, and to ask questions about how it's used. Some rights (such as erasure) are limited for clinical records, which healthcare professionals are required to retain for defined periods regardless of a later request to delete them. To exercise any of these rights, contact me using the details below. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk) if you're unhappy with how your information has been handled.

Cookies

This website uses Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site - things like which pages are viewed, how people arrive at the site, and general device and location information (derived from IP address, not exact location). This is aggregated, statistical information; it isn't used to identify you personally. Google Analytics sets cookies to do this, and data is retained for 14 months from the time of your first visit to the site. You can opt out at any time using the cookie banner on the site, or by using a browser extension such as Google's Analytics opt-out add-on. It also loads fonts from Google Fonts, which may involve your browser making a request to Google's servers when you visit the site.

Changes to this policy

I may update this policy from time to time, for example if the way my practice or website operates changes. The date below reflects the most recent update.

Contact and complaints

If you have any questions about this policy or how your information is used, or wish to make a complaint, contact me at hello@emilyclarkibclc.co.uk. You can also raise concerns with the Information Commissioner's Office, or, for matters relating to professional conduct, the Nursing & Midwifery Council.