Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services is committed and obliged to protect and respect your privacy and understands that your personal information is entrusted to us.  We are committed to complying with the UK’s Data Protection Law and EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). As of 25th May 2018, any kind of personal data in the UK is covered by the GDPR, which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998. The GDPR is designed to coordinate European data privacy laws, to protect the data privacy of all EU citizens and to improve the way organisations approach data privacy. This regulation sets out rules and principles in connection with processing personal and sensitive data. The information commissioner’s office (ICO) oversees compliance with this regulation and Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services is registered with the ICO as required (registration reference ZB582684). Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services is a ‘data processor’ and 'data controller' under the GDRP. This means that if Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services collect and use your personal data, they must comply with the requirements set out in the GDPR.

Our Privacy Policy tells you what to expect when we collect, use, store and disclose personal information that we hold about you and your rights in relation to that information. Please read the following carefully to understand how we process your personal information. By visiting our website, contacting us, providing your personal information and using our Services you agree that we can use your personal information for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. Please note that our Privacy Policy does not cover any links within our website linking to other websites and we encourage you to read the Privacy Policies on the other websites you visit. Further, if you have named someone as a contact for the patient and provided us with personal data about that individual, it is your responsibility to ensure that that individual is aware of and accepts the terms of this Privacy Policy. 

Processing your personal information

When we refer to personal data, we mean information that can or has the potential to identify you as an individual. We may hold and use personal data about you as a customer, a patient or in any other capacity, for example, when you visit our website, complete a form, access our Services or speak to us. Depending on what Services you receive from us this may include sensitive personal data such as information relating to your health. 

Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services requires a certain level of personal information regarding yourself/ves and/or your child in order for the multi-disciplinary team to effectively and safely carry out their professional work.

This is particularly significant for Autism Diagnostic Assessments, which require a multi-disciplinary, multi-clinician approach. As well as personally identifiable information, this also includes potentially sensitive information, for example regarding your family set-up, historical events, personal relationships etc. as this information helps to inform a thorough assessment and will be shared between the multi-disciplinary team.

Personal data we collect from you may include the following:
• information that you give us when you enquire or become a customer or patient of us including your and your child/young person’s name, address, contact details (including email address and phone number) 
• details of referrals, quotes and other contacts and correspondence we may have had with you or about you 
• details of Services and/or treatment you have received from a third party and passed on to us
• notes and reports about your or your child/young person’s health and any treatment and care you have received and/or need 
• patient feedback information you provide 
• information about complaints and incidents 
• financial information you give us when you make a payment to us.
• other information received from other sources, such as information provided by other companies or from your child/young person’s educational setting from who have obtained your permission to share information about your child/young person.. 

The data that we request from you may include sensitive personal data. This includes information that relates to the mental or physical health or racial or ethnic origin and includes children’s data. By providing us with sensitive personal data, you give us your explicit consent to process this sensitive personal data for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. 

We may collect personal data about you if you: 
• visit our website 
• enquire about any of our Services 
• Book an assessment or post diagnostic support with us
• fill in a form or survey for us 
• contact us, for example by email, telephone or social media. 

We may collect personal data about you from third parties such as: 
• with your consent  we will contact your child/young person’s educational setting to collect personal data to allow us to carry out the diagnostic assessment or provide post diagnostic support e.g. school staff 
 

Any personal and sensitive data held by Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services will be kept for seven years following its collection, and then destroyed. Where relating to children, it will be kept by Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services for seven years following the child's 18th birthday. 

 

Uses made of your personal information

Your personal data will be kept confidential and secure and will only be used for the purpose(s) for which it was collected and in accordance with this Privacy Policy, applicable Data Protection Laws, GDPR, clinical records retention periods and clinical confidentiality guidelines. Sensitive personal data related to you/your child’s health will only be disclosed to those involved with your treatment or care, or in accordance with UK laws and guidelines of professional bodies or for the purpose of clinical audits (unless you object). 

Further details on how we use health related personal data include: 
• to enable us to carry out our obligations to you including relating to the provision by us of Services or treatments to you and related matter such as, billing, accounting and audit 
• to provide you with information or Services that you request from us 
• to notify you about changes to our Services 
• to respond to requests where we have a legal or regulatory obligation to do so 
• to check the accuracy of information about you and the quality of your treatment or care, including auditing medical and billing information for insurance claims as well as part of any claims or litigation process 
• to support your doctor or other healthcare professional 
• to assess the quality and/or type of care you have received (including giving you the opportunity to complete customer satisfaction surveys) and any concerns or complaints you may raise, so that these can be properly investigated 
• to ensure that content from our website is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer. 

Security and storage of your personal information

We process personal data we hold about you in a manner that ensures its security. This includes protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage. We ensure that appropriate technical or organisational measures are used. 

The data will not be released to others without your permission except in circumstances where it is required by law, order of a court or considered in the public interest. You have the right to access the information held by Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services and correct any inaccuracies; you may request access to a copy of the information via a written request, known as a Subject Access Request (SAR), which will be responded to within one calendar month.

Disclosure and sharing of personal information

Contacting Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services and any following clinical sessions with you and/or your child are likely to entail discussing personal thoughts, feelings and experiences and anything that is disclosed within this context will remain confidential between the multi-disciplinary clinicians involved in the assessment. However, there are some situations that may arise where confidentiality needs to be broken. This will be if any of the multi-disciplinary clinicians becomes aware of any indication that you, your child or someone else is at potential risk of harm, including any safeguarding issues, and in these cases, the clinician will need to approach other professionals and authorities, e.g. your child’s GP, the police or the local authority.
 
We may disclose your personal information (to the extent necessary) to certain third party organisations that we use to support the delivery of our Services. In any case, sensitive personal data (including information relating to your health) will only be disclosed to third parties in accordance with this privacy policy. That includes third parties involved with your treatment or care, or in accordance with UK laws and guidelines of appropriate professional bodies. Where applicable, it may be disclosed to any person or organisation who may be responsible for meeting your treatment expenses or their agents, such as private medical insurance providers. If you are planning for your health insurance to cover the costs of sessions with Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services, you will hopefully be made aware that insurers will request information with regards to this. This is generally only a summary, including outcome of the assessment, and confidential information will not be shared unnecessarily. However, please take into consideration that once an insurance company requests this information, it is no longer in Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services’ control who sees it.
 
It is important to note that young people aged 16-17 and young people aged under 16 who are considered Gillick competent are also entitled to the same duty of confidentiality as adults. A child is regarded as Gillick competent if it felt that he/she has the capacity to make the decision in question and has sufficient understanding to be capable of this. This also applies to SARS made by parents or other family members; if the child is deemed Gillick competent, they will need to give their consent for their personal information to be shared. However, the same limitations to confidentiality apply; if the multi-disciplinary clinician becomes aware of any indication of a potential risk of harm, information will need to be shared with the relevant professionals and/or yourself/ves.

Unless you decline, we will also share information about the Services provided by Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services (once complete) with your GP. However, please note that in any situation of crisis where the level of potential risk (to yourself/your child or others) becomes imminent, Spectrum Autism Diagnostic Assessment Services will be required to inform the GP and/or relevant crises Services in the local area and this will override your opting-out.

If we refer you for assessment/treatment to independent consultants/practitioners in private practice, we will share with the person or organisation that we refer you to, the clinical and administrative information we consider necessary for that referral. It will always be clear when we do this and discussed with you in advance. Please note that once you or your child have been referred on to the care of another clinician or Services, our Privacy Policy will not cover their Services and data collection provided and so we encourage you to verify their own Privacy Policies and compliance with UK and EU data protection laws.  

Accessing Your Data
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Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) you have the right to access your personal data and supplementary information. You can make a 'subject access request' by emailing us on info@spectrumautismservices.org.

Following your request we will: 
• verify your identity 
• review the personal data and supplementary information and if approved* send copies of the information by preferred means (i.e. electronically/recorded delivery), and 
• respond to a request within one calendar month. 
*there may be exceptions to accessing certain information to protect the rights of others. 

You also have the right to have your personal data that we hold about you corrected and updated if it is factually inaccurate. Please note that it is important to understand that this right does not extend to matters of professional opinion, such as clinical diagnoses.

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your request, you can contact the information commissioner’s office on 0303 123 1113 or visit their website (www.ico.org.uk).