GDPR Privacy Policy
The Richards’ Centre Privacy Notice
Last updated: July 2026
The Richards’ Centre understands that your privacy is important and that you care about how your personal information is collected, used and protected. We are committed to processing your personal data fairly, lawfully and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
1. About Us
Company: The Richards’ Centre
Address: The Annexe, 67 Three Bridges Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 1JJ
Data Protection Lead: Dee Richards
Email: info@therichardscentre.co.uk
Telephone: 01293 562601
2. Scope of this Privacy Notice
This Privacy Notice explains:
- what personal data we collect;
- why we collect it;
- how we use, store and protect it;
- who we may share it with;
- how long we keep it;
- your rights regarding your personal data; and
- how you can raise any concerns or complaints.
3. What is Personal Data?
Personal data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.
Examples include:
- name
- address
- date of birth
- email address
- telephone number
- payment information
- health information
- online identifiers such as IP addresses.
Special category data includes information relating to your health, disability or medical treatment, which requires additional protection under UK data protection law.
4. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
- be informed about how your personal data is used;
- access your personal data;
- have inaccurate information corrected;
- request erasure of your personal data where appropriate;
- restrict processing of your data;
- object to certain processing activities;
- request data portability where applicable; and
- not be subject to solely automated decision-making or profiling (we do not carry out automated decision-making).
You may exercise any of these rights by contacting our Data Protection Lead.
Further information is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
5. What Personal Data We Collect
Depending on the services you receive, we may collect:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Address
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Occupation
- Payment information
- Next of Kin details (with their knowledge where appropriate)
- IP address
- Website usage data and cookies
We may also collect special category data including:
- Medical history
- Health information
- Disability information
- Clinical assessment notes
- Treatment records
We only collect information that is necessary to provide safe and effective healthcare and meet our legal obligations.
6. How We Use Your Personal Data
We process personal data only where we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR.
These include:
- performance of a contract;
- compliance with legal obligations;
- your consent where required;
- our legitimate interests where these are not overridden by your rights; and
- the provision of healthcare and health management.
Your information may be used to:
- provide podiatry and healthcare services;
- maintain accurate clinical records;
- arrange appointments;
- communicate with you;
- process payments;
- comply with professional and legal obligations;
- improve our services;
- send marketing communications where you have consented.
You can withdraw marketing consent at any time.
7. How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary.
Current retention periods are:
- Enquiries where treatment is not provided: 3 months
- Clinical records: 7 years after the last appointment, unless longer retention is required by law or professional guidance.
Records relating to children may be retained longer in accordance with NHS and professional record retention guidance.
8. Storage and International Transfers
We use appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your information.
Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure suitable safeguards are in place, including International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs), UK Addendum to Standard Contractual Clauses, or other legally recognised transfer mechanisms.
9. Sharing Your Information
We may share your personal information where necessary with:
- our external accountant;
- contractors or service providers working on our behalf;
- healthcare professionals involved in your care (with your consent or where otherwise lawful);
- regulators or public authorities where legally required;
- courts or law enforcement where required by law.
We never sell your personal information.
10. Subject Access Requests
You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Requests should be made in writing using the contact details below. Although we provide a Subject Access Request form to help us process requests efficiently, its use is optional.
There is normally no charge.
We will respond within one month unless an extension is permitted under UK GDPR.
In accordance with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, we will carry out reasonable and proportionate searches for your personal information when responding to Subject Access Requests. We are not required to conduct searches that would be unreasonable or disproportionate, such as extensive searches of archived backup systems where this would not be justified.
11. Data Protection Complaints
If you have concerns about how we have handled your personal information, please contact our Data Protection Lead using the details below.
We are committed to handling all data protection complaints fairly and promptly.
We will:
- provide an accessible way for you to raise a complaint;
- acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 30 days;
- investigate the matter without undue delay;
- keep you informed of the outcome; and
- explain your right to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you remain dissatisfied.
Where appropriate, we will take steps to correct any errors and improve our procedures.
12. Contact Us
For all enquiries relating to your personal information, Subject Access Requests or data protection complaints:
The Richards Centre
The Annexe
67 Three Bridges Road
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 1JJ
Data Protection Lead: Dee Richards
Email: info@therichardscentre.co.uk
Telephone: 01293 562601
13. Changes to this Privacy Notice
We review this Privacy Notice regularly to ensure it reflects current legislation and our working practices.
The latest version is always available on our website.
This Privacy Notice was last updated in July 2026 to reflect changes introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, effective from 19 June 2026.