Your Information and GDPR:
Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic collects information relating to patients’ health and personal details. This information is classed as sensitive data and termed as special category data. Under the new General Data Protection Regulation, (GDPR), patients of Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic have a right to know why their information is collected, for what purpose it is used and how it is kept safe. Patients also have greater rights to access the information that Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic holds.
Why is information collected?
For a detailed and accurate physiotherapy assessment and treatment to take place, information about a patient’s current and past health needs to be obtained. Under the GDPR Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic has a legitimate interest in the patients’ information and that is part of the contract between a health professional and their patient. This information allows us to give patients the best treatment possible.
How is this information used?
Information such as addresses, allow us to post receipts and invoices and also to provide the treatment at your place of residence if so required. Your telephone number allow us to send text reminders of appointments and communicate with you outside of appointment times. E-mail addresses are used for sending you receipts and your
individual online exercise programme when required through Salaso. Your date of birth is used as a unique identification for your records. Medical details allow for a detailed assessment to take place which will help us diagnose and treat the problems that you have. In some instances, with your consent, there will be communication with the referring GP or consultant.
Who has access to your information?
All staff of Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic are bound by patient confidentiality laws, the standards of conduct, performance and ethics of CORU (Regulating Health & social care professionals) and the Irish Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (ICSP) code of conduct. Your information will not be shared outside Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic unless you have given consent, except when;
- requested by law
- in your best interests and you are unable to give consent
- in the public interest to prevent serious harm to others
How is your information stored?
The initial assessment and treatment notes are written on paper, which is kept in locked filing cabinets in the Clinic, Your name, address, telephone number and e-mail are transferred onto the electronic record with TM3 which is kept on a computer that is password protected with robust security measures to prevent loss of information.
All notes will be kept for a period of 7 years after the last treatment or date of death at which point they will be permanently deleted.
How can you access your records?
You have the right to request to see the information that Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic holds about you. All requests will be answered in the time frame of one month unless you are notified of a difference to this time scale. There will be no fee for information provided.
Requests can be made either verbally or in writing to:
Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic, Mill Street, Westport, Co.Mayo
Tel: 09825310 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
In the instance where requests are excessive or unfounded, Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic has the right to refuse and/or charge for time spent. This does not affect the individual’s right to complain to the data protection commissioner to seek judicial remedy. Where a fee is deemed appropriate Westport Physiotherapy &
Acupuncture Clinic will not comply with any requests until the fee is received.
Your right to amend, restrict and object to the information held.
Under the GDPR all individuals have the right to have incorrect information that is held about them amended. If this was to arise within the notes held by Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic the notes would become restricted, i.e not used until the issue was resolved. However, if Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic deems the information to be accurate then no amendment will be made.
You have the right to have the information we hold restricted;
- if you contest the accuracy,
- you need the information to establish, defend or exercise a legal claim
- you object to the information held.
In this instance all treatment will be stopped until the issue is resolved. You also have the right to object to Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic holding your personal information on grounds relating to your particular situation and as with restriction, all treatments will stop and the notes will become restricted until the issue is resolved.
How is your information kept safe?
Notes stored by Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic are kept on a password protected computer, stored in an encrypted folder within a password protected word document. There are robust security measures on the computer to prevent and minimise the risk of information theft. Written notes are kept in a locked filing cabinet in the clinic. When information is shared with others, GPs for example it will either be sent via encrypted email, recorded delivery or hand delivered.
Westport Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Clinic will take the utmost care to ensure that your personal information is safe whilst it is under our care. In the unlikely event that this safety was compromised you will be notified immediately as will the Data Protection Commissioner.