Nutshell Nursing Care ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with the same care we bring to everything we do. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the rights you have under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Data Controller. Nutshell Nursing Care Limited (company number 17189416), registered office Walnut Tree Farm, Swill Tub Lane, Bacton, Stowmarket, IP14 4HW, is the data controller responsible for your personal information. Our ICO registration reference will be published here once confirmed. To exercise any right or raise a concern, contact us using the details at the end of this policy.
1. The information we collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following categories of information:
Information you give us
- Identity and contact details, name, address, telephone number and email address (yours and, where relevant, the person receiving care).
- Enquiry details, information you provide when you call us, complete our callback form, or request an assessment.
- Care and health information, needs, conditions, medication, mobility, preferences and other details gathered during a care assessment and recorded in a care plan.
- Next-of-kin and emergency contact details, and details of other professionals involved in care (e.g. GP, district nurse).
Information we collect automatically
- Technical data such as IP address, browser type and device information when you visit our website.
- Usage data about how you interact with our website, collected via cookies (see our Cookie Policy).
2. Special category (health) data
To provide nursing and care services we necessarily process health information, which is "special category" data under UK GDPR. We treat this information with particular care, restrict access to those who need it, and process it only where a lawful basis and an additional condition apply, typically the provision of health or social care under Article 9(2)(h), or your explicit consent.
3. How we use your information & our lawful basis
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to enquiries and arranging assessments | Legitimate interests / steps prior to a contract |
| Delivering, planning and reviewing care | Contract; provision of health & social care; consent |
| Keeping care records and medication logs | Legal obligation; provision of health & social care |
| Safeguarding and protecting vulnerable people | Legal obligation; vital interests; substantial public interest |
| Recruitment and staff vetting (DBS) | Legal obligation; legitimate interests |
| Improving our website and services | Consent (cookies); legitimate interests |
4. Sharing your information
We never sell your personal information. We only share it where necessary and lawful, for example with:
- Healthcare professionals involved in your care (GPs, community nurses, hospitals, pharmacies).
- Local authorities and the NHS where care is funded or coordinated by them.
- Regulators such as the Care Quality Commission, and safeguarding authorities where required.
- Trusted service providers (for example secure IT and care-management systems) who act on our instructions under a data-processing agreement.
5. How long we keep it
We keep personal and care records only as long as necessary to provide our services and to meet our legal, regulatory and insurance obligations. Adult social care and clinical records are generally retained for eight years after care ends, in line with the NHS Records Management Code of Practice and CQC guidance. Enquiry information from people who do not go on to use our services is held for a short period and then securely deleted.
6. How we protect your information
We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep your information secure, including access controls, staff confidentiality training, secure storage and encryption where appropriate. All our staff are bound by a duty of confidentiality.
7. Your rights
Under UK data protection law you have the right to:
- Be informed about how your data is used (this policy).
- Access the personal information we hold about you.
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Request erasure of your information in certain circumstances.
- Restrict or object to certain processing.
- Data portability, where applicable.
- Withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us. We will respond within one month. There is usually no charge.
8. Cookies
Our website uses cookies to function and to help us understand how it is used. You can control cookies through your browser and our cookie settings. For full details, see our Cookie Policy.
9. Complaints
If you have a concern about how we handle your information, please contact us first so we can put things right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be published on this page with the date it was last updated.