Service user privacy notice

Lifeways Group understand that the privacy and security of your information is important. This notice is to inform you what information we hold about you and why, what we do with that information, and informs you of your rights regarding the personal information we hold under current data protection law.

Who we are

Lifeways Group provide a number of care and support services, in various settings from registered care homes to support in a person’s own home or in community locations.

Lifeways Group, registered at No. 2 The Square, Birchwood Boulevard, Warrington, WA3 7QY is the Data Controller of the information covered by this privacy notice.

What information we hold and why

Before we can provide you with a service, we are required to complete an assessment to identify what your support needs are, and whether we are able to meet them. We also need to consider if there will be any risks for you, or our staff when we are providing a service. To provide you with high quality services which are relevant to your needs, Lifeways will collect and hold information about you. We will also use your information to:

• provide you with relevant advice and information
• provide services or arrange for others to provide services to meet your eligible assessed needs
• provide services to members of your family or people with whom you have an important relationship
• understand if you or others are at risk of abuse and take appropriate action.
• carry out financial assessments for care services received
• review the quality of care you are receiving
• help investigate any worries or complaints you have about your care

We will only ask you for information that we need to provide you with a service which can meet your needs and ensure your safety and well-being.

The personal information we collect and use for people we support can include (depending on the agreed support package): 

• your name, date of birth, postal address, , NI number and NHS number;
• details of family members, next of kin
• details of legal representative e.g. LPA, Court of Protection;
• details of any risks to the safety and wellbeing of the person we support;
• details of any risks to our staff or other people;
• details around management of finances, including bank details (where we acting as appointee).
• information needed for compliance and risk management, such as support files, medical records,;
• CCTV images for security purposes and investigations;
• photographs to aid identification before giving medicines and within support plans

We also collect the following special category information: 

• Gender
• Ethnic origin
• Religion
• Sexual orientation
• Health details, including details of conditions and medications and relevant treatment orders.

What is our lawful basis to obtain and use your personal information?

To lawful basis relied on by Lifeways to process service user personal information is:

• processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller (Art6(1)(e) GDPR)
• where we have a statutory obligation to process your personal data, our lawful basis is defined by Art 6(1)(c) GDPR. The legislation includes, but is not limited to:
  • Care Act 2014
  • Health and Social Care Act 2012
  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
  • Mental Health Act 1983

For special category data, which is more sensitive information, we rely on the following: 

• Health and Social Care - we use it for the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services (Art9(2)(h) GDPR)

In specific circumstances, and only with explicit consent of the person we support, Lifeways Group may contact them or their representative to capture positive stories and images for the purposes of newsletters, case studies and similar marketing material. This will not be used without your explicit consent.

Use of your NHS Number in Adult Social Care 

The NHS may share your NHS number with Lifeways. This is so that the NHS and Lifeways are using the same number to identify you whilst providing your care. By using the same number the NHS and Lifeways can work together more closely to provide your care and support services. We will use this number when sharing information with health colleagues including GP's, hospitals, community matrons, district nurses and social care practitioners. If you wish to object to the use of your NHS Number for social care purposes, please talk with your General Practitioner.

National data opt-out 
The national data opt-out programme applies to confidential patient data. The programme enables you to choose whether your confidential patient data is used for research and planning purposes such as: 

• for improving the quality and standards of care provided
• research into the development for new services
• preventing illness and diseases
• monitoring safety
• planning services

If you are happy for your data to be used for research and planning purposes you do not need to do anything.

To find out more, or to register your choice to opt out, please visit the NHS Website.

Where we obtained your information

Lifeways Group will obtain information directly from you as well as through third parties such as family members, appointees, commissioners (usually your local authority or clinical commissioning group), General Practitioners (GP’s) and doctors.

This information may be collected in person, through our website, via telephone or by email.

Profiling 

No personal or sensitive service user data will be used in automated profiling or decision-making. 

Who we share the information with 

Your information may be passed on to third parties on  a need-to-know basis. Common categories of third parties are as follows: 

• Multi-agency professionals; such as, GP’s. Doctors, Hospitals, Social Workers, Health Care Professionals;
• Regulatory Bodies:- Care Quality Commission, Care Inspectorate Wales, Care Inspectorate (Scotland);
• Commissioning Agencies/Contracts Monitoring Officers;
• Local Authority Safeguarding Teams;
• Police, Emergency Services or HSE as part of any investigation;
• Housing Associations

How long we keep your information

The type of service you receive will determine how long we must keep your information, however in general we will keep your support records for 20 years from the end of the support period for mental health support, and 8 years from the end of support for non-mental health support.

How do we keep your information secure?

The security of your personal information is important to us. The records we keep about you are secure and are confidential within Lifeways. Lifeways have a range of procedures, polices and systems to ensure that access to your records are controlled appropriately. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to only use the information for the purposes agreed and keep the information secure and confidential.

Transfer outside of the EEA

Your personal information will not be transferred outside of the EEA.

Your rights

Lifeways Group recognise the rights of the data subject in regard to this data processing. As a data subject, you have: 

• the right to access personal data held, and to portability;
• the right to rectification should any errors be noticed;
• the right to erasure;
• the right to restrict processing, e.g. by asking us not to send marketing communications to you;
• the right to be informed;
• the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority (The Information Commissioner’s Office).

Should you wish to invoke any of your rights, or have any queries about the information we hold about you, please contact us by one of the following methods:

Email: dpo@lifeways.co.uk 
Post: The Lifeways Group, No. 2 The Square, Birchwood Boulevard, Warrington, WA3 7QY 
Tel:  0207 202 6300

Information Commissioner's Office

The Information Commissioner is the UK's independent body for upholding information rights. Visit their website to find out more about your rights under Data Protection law, and what to expect from us.

For privacy practices or data protection rights concerns, contact the Information Commissioner's Office: 
Information Commissioner's Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire SK9 5AF 
0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745 
casework@ico.org.uk 

 

You can download this policy as a PDF below: