Last Updated: 15 Oct 2024

1. Introduction

Manchester Chemist ("we", "us", "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This privacy policy will inform you about how we look after your personal data when you use our services, including our website, management system, and other digital platforms. It also tells you about your privacy rights and how the law protects you. We aim to be transparent about the data we collect and how we use it to provide you with the best possible services. This platform provides NHS services, private health services, and sells over-the-counter and pharmacy-only medications, with a comprehensive management system to handle patient and customer information securely and effectively.

At Manchester Chemist, we treat each customer as a valued patient in our backend management system. This ensures that our pharmacists and staff can manage patient data, private services, bookings, orders, and customers seamlessly and efficiently, while maintaining the highest standards of care and privacy. We understand the importance of data privacy, especially when it involves sensitive healthcare information, and we are dedicated to keeping your data safe.

2. Information We Collect

We collect, store, and use the following types of personal data to provide our services effectively:

• Patient Data: This includes your name, date of birth, NHS number, contact information, medical history, prescription details, and other personal or health information that is necessary for the services we provide. This data is crucial for ensuring that we deliver safe and effective healthcare, including prescription management and other medical services.
• Customer Data: When you create an account with us, we collect your contact details, order history, and payment information. This helps us process your orders accurately and provide you with a seamless shopping experience.
• Booking Information: We collect details related to your appointments for private and NHS services, consultations, and other bookings. This information helps us manage and coordinate your healthcare needs, ensuring that you receive timely and appropriate services.
• Transaction Data: This includes details about payments and purchases, such as billing address and payment method. We collect this data to facilitate transactions and provide you with accurate billing information.
• Technical Data: We may collect technical data, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, and other information gathered through cookies. This data helps us improve our services, optimize the user experience, and ensure that our website and management system function smoothly.
• Communication Data: We collect information about your communications with us, including messages, emails, and interactions with our customer support team. This helps us provide better customer service and address any issues or concerns you may have.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal data we collect for a variety of purposes, all aimed at providing you with high-quality healthcare services and an efficient customer experience:

• To provide our NHS and private health services, including managing prescriptions, bookings, and consultations. Accurate and timely data allows us to offer the best possible care to our patients.
• To deliver medication orders and manage your purchases effectively. This includes ensuring that medications are delivered safely and that you have all the information needed for their proper use.
• To verify your identity, process payments, and manage your accounts. This helps us protect against fraud and ensures that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive health information.
• To maintain patient records and provide accurate health information to healthcare professionals involved in your care. This ensures continuity of care and allows our pharmacists to make informed decisions about your health.
• To improve our services and enhance customer experience through analytics and feedback. We use the data collected to understand how our services are used and identify areas for improvement, ensuring that we meet your needs effectively.
• To communicate with you about our services, offers, and updates. We may send you important information related to your health, as well as promotional offers that may be of interest to you.
• To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, including maintaining accurate health records in line with healthcare regulations and standards. Compliance is key to ensuring that we provide safe and effective healthcare services.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data based on the following legal grounds, which ensure that your data is handled lawfully and responsibly:

• Consent: For certain communications, we will only process your data if you have explicitly agreed to receive such information. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
• Contractual Necessity: We process your data to fulfill our obligations under contracts with you, such as providing healthcare services or processing your orders. Without this data, we would not be able to provide the services you require.
• Legal Obligations: We are required to process certain types of data to comply with healthcare regulations, professional standards, and other legal requirements. This ensures that we operate in line with all relevant laws and guidelines.
• Legitimate Interests: We process your data to ensure effective administration of our website, improve our services, secure our platform, and provide you with the best possible experience. We always consider your privacy rights and ensure that our legitimate interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

5. Sharing Your Information

We may share your personal data with the following parties to provide our services effectively:

• Healthcare Providers: To provide you with the best possible care, we may share your data with other healthcare providers, including pharmacists, doctors, and NHS professionals involved in your treatment. This sharing is done securely and only when necessary for your healthcare.
• Service Providers: We work with trusted companies that assist us in processing payments, hosting our website, and providing customer support. These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and only use it as instructed by us.
• Legal Authorities: We may disclose your personal data when required by law or to protect the rights, safety, and well-being of Manchester Chemist, our staff, and our patients. This may include cooperating with law enforcement or regulatory bodies.

We do not sell or rent your information to third parties for marketing purposes. Your data is shared only to the extent necessary to provide our services and ensure compliance with legal requirements.

6. Security

We use a range of appropriate security measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. This includes technical measures such as encryption, secure servers, and access controls, as well as organizational measures like staff training and regular security audits. We are committed to maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of your data, and we regularly review our security procedures to ensure that your information is handled securely.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, or regulatory requirements. Patient health data is retained in accordance with NHS retention guidelines, which specify how long health records must be kept. Generally, data retention periods are determined by the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and other applicable regulations. For example, prescription data may need to be kept for a minimum of 10 years. We also retain other data, such as transaction information, for as long as required to meet our legal obligations and provide you with an effective service.

8. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data, which help you stay in control of your information:

• Access: You have the right to request access to your personal data, including details of the data we hold and how it is used. We will provide you with a copy of your data upon request.
• Rectification: You have the right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete data we hold about you. Keeping your information accurate helps us provide the best possible service.
• Erasure: You may request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances, such as when the data is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected, or if you withdraw your consent. Please note that we may need to retain certain data to comply with legal obligations. Data deletion requests will typically be fulfilled within 30 days, subject to any regulatory requirements that may require us to retain specific information for a longer period.
• Restriction of Processing: You can ask us to restrict the processing of your data under certain circumstances, such as if you contest the accuracy of the data or object to its processing. This means that we will store your data but not use it for further processing until the issue is resolved.
• Data Portability: You have the right to request the transfer of your data to another party, where technically feasible. This allows you to move, copy, or transfer your data easily to another provider.
• Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process your personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdraw your consent.

9. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience and gather information about your use of our site. Cookies help us understand how you interact with our website, which enables us to improve our services and provide you with a more personalized experience. For more details about the types of cookies we use and how you can manage your cookie preferences, please see our Cookie Policy.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy occasionally to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or privacy practices. Any significant changes will be communicated to you via our website or other appropriate channels. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data and any updates that may affect you.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding this privacy policy, concerns about how your personal data is handled, or if you wish to exercise your data protection rights, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

Manchester Chemist  
Email: [email protected]  
Address: Unit 11, 20-22 Mary St, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M3 1DZ, United Kingdom

We are here to help and will do our best to address any concerns you may have about your privacy.

12. Complaints

If you feel that we have not adequately addressed your data protection concerns or if you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO is the UK's independent authority set up to uphold information rights and protect personal data. For more information on how to contact the ICO, please visit their website at [www.ico.org.uk](https://www.ico.org.uk).