Effective Date: 01/04/2025
Clinic Name: British Hernia Centre
Address: Lindo Wing, St Mary’s Hospital, Praed Street, London W2 1NY

Email: experts@hernia.org
Telephone: 02082 017000

1. Introduction

The British Hernia Centre is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal and medical information when you receive care from our clinic, including consultations, diagnostic assessments, and all types of hernia surgery.

We are the Data Controller responsible for deciding how your information is processed and protected.

2. What Information We Collect

We collect and process information necessary for providing safe, high-quality surgical care and meeting our legal and professional obligations.

A. Personal Information

  • Full name, date of birth, address, telephone number, and email address
  • Emergency contact details
  • NHS number (if applicable)
  • Insurance or payment information

B. Medical Information

  • Medical history, medications, allergies, and prior surgical history
  • Diagnostic tests, clinical notes, imaging, and referral letters
  • Details of your hernia and medical condition, surgical assessments, and treatment plans

C. Technical and Communication Data

  • Information collected via our website or patient portal (e.g., IP address, browser type, contact form submissions, cookies — see Section 8 below)

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process your personal data under the following lawful bases:

  • Provision of health or social care (Article 9(2)(h) UK GDPR)
  • Legal obligation (to comply with healthcare regulations and record-keeping laws)
  • Consent (for specific optional communications or marketing, where applicable)
  • Legitimate interests (for improving our services and patient safety)

We only collect the minimum necessary data and handle it with strict confidentiality.

4. How We Use Your Information

Your personal and medical information may be used to:

  • Provide medical consultation, diagnosis, surgery, and aftercare
  • Communicate with you about appointments, results, and treatment plans
  • Coordinate your care with hospitals, laboratories, or other healthcare providers
  • Process billing and insurance claims
  • Meet legal, clinical governance, and audit requirements
  • Improve service quality and patient outcomes

We do not sell, rent, or trade your information to any third parties.

5. Sharing Your Information

We may share your data with:

  • Hospitals, consultants, or healthcare professionals involved in your care
  • Diagnostic laboratories and imaging providers
  • Your GP or referring clinician (where appropriate)
  • Insurance companies or payment processors
  • Regulatory bodies (e.g., CQC, GMC, NHS England) where legally required

All sharing is done securely and in accordance with the principle of data minimisation.

6. Data Security and Retention

We store personal data in secure electronic systems and/or locked physical files, accessible only to authorised staff.

Security measures include:

  • Encrypted electronic records
  • Password-protected systems and secure backups
  • Staff training in data protection and confidentiality

We retain records in accordance with NHS record retention schedules and professional regulations (typically a minimum of 8 years after last treatment, or longer for certain cases).

After this period, records are securely deleted or destroyed.

7. Your Rights

Under the UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access a copy of your personal data (“Subject Access Request”)
  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
  • Request erasure of data (where legally applicable)
  • Restrict or object to processing of your data
  • Request a copy of your records in electronic form
  • Withdraw consent (where processing is based on consent)

To exercise your rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO) at:
Email: experts@hernia.org
Telephone: 02082 017000

We will respond to all valid requests within one month.

8. Website and Cookies

If you use our website, we may collect limited data via cookies to improve functionality and user experience.
Cookies may include analytics (e.g., site traffic), session management, and appointment scheduling tools.

You can disable cookies in your browser settings at any time.
No medical data is collected through cookies.

9. Data Transfers

Your data is normally stored within the United Kingdom.
If information is transferred outside the UK (for example, through secure cloud services), we ensure that appropriate data protection safeguards are in place in compliance with the UK GDPR.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in law or clinic practice.
The latest version will always be available on our website or at our reception desk.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact:

Privacy Officer / Data Protection Officer
British Hernia Centre
Lindo Wing, St Mary’s Hospital, Praed Street, London W2 1NY

Email: experts@hernia.org

Telephone: 02082017000

12. Contacting the ICO

If you remain concerned about how your data has been handled or are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://www.ico.org.uk