We will require at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment.

This change is to help us manage our appointment schedule more effectively and ensure that valuable clinical time is not lost.

Please ensure that you are providing us enough notice if you need to cancel or re arrange your appointment. Please note if less than 48 hours’ notice is given, a cancelation fee may apply.

Due to large amount of diary time and preparation needed, implants appointments may require a 7 days’ notice to cancel or move, ones again subject to circumstances at the discretion of the practice.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. If you have any questions, please ask our reception team.

Purpose

This policy outlines the use of chaperones during clinical examinations and procedures at Secret Dental & Medical Centre, a private General Practice. It aims to protect both patients and clinicians, ensuring that all clinical interactions are conducted safely, respectfully, and in line with professional and legal standards.

Scope

This policy applies to all clinicians at Secrets Dental & Medical Centre, including those working alone or outside standard hours. It covers all intimate examinations and any other situation where a patient or clinician requests a chaperone.

 Definitions

• Chaperone: An impartial person, trained to act as a witness during a medical examination or procedure, offering support to the patient and protection to the clinician.
• Intimate Examination: Includes examination of the breasts, genitalia, or rectum, and any procedure where it may be necessary to touch or expose these areas.

 Policy Statement

Patients have a right to request a chaperone during any consultation, examination, or procedure. Clinicians must offer a chaperone for all intimate examinations, regardless of whether the patient has requested one.

 Chaperone Availability

• During normal operating hours, a trained chaperone (e.g., practice manager, receptionist trained as a chaperone or a GDC registered nurse) will be available on request.
• When the GP is working alone, the following procedures will apply:
  • The GP must offer a chaperone for all intimate examinations.
  • If a chaperone is not available, the GP must:
    • Explain the situation to the patient and offer to reschedule the appointment.
    • Document in the patient record that a chaperone was offered, the patient’s response, and the outcome.
    • Use clinical judgment to decide whether it is appropriate to proceed without a chaperone (e.g., in urgent care situations).
  • If the patient refuses an intimate examination without a chaperone present, the GP must respect this decision and offer an alternative appointment.

 Chaperone Role and Training

All chaperones must:

• Be trained in their role and understand issues of patient dignity, confidentiality, and safeguarding.
• Know how to raise concerns if they observe inappropriate behaviour.
• Be of an appropriate gender, if requested by the patient, wherever possible.

Patient Information

• Information about the right to a chaperone is provided in:
  • Waiting room signage
  • Practice website
  • Appointment booking confirmations
• Patients should be informed in advance if intimate examinations may be part of their appointment.

 Documentation

• The offer and use (or refusal) of a chaperone must be clearly documented in the patient’s medical record.
• If a chaperone is present, their name and role should be recorded.

 Safeguarding and Escalation

• If a patient or chaperone raises concerns about the conduct of an examination, this must be reported immediately to the Practice Manager or Safeguarding Lead.
• Any allegations of misconduct will be handled in line with Secrets Medical Centre’s safeguarding and disciplinary policies.

Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if required due to changes in legislation or guidance.

July 2025

Reviewed October 2025

Reviewed April 2026

Reviewed September 2026

Next due April 2027

In this practice, we take complaints very seriously and try to ensure that all our patients are pleased with their experience of our service. If you have a complaint, we will treat you courteously and promptly so that the matter is resolved as quickly as possible. We learn from your feedback and respond to your concerns in a caring and sensitive way.

Complaints will only be shared with the staff involved, and only those who need to know will have the full details. The theme of any complaints will be discussed in team meetings so that all members can learn from them and improve the service that we provide.

Verbal Complaints in person or by telephone

If you complain on the telephone or at Reception, we will listen to your complaint and acknowledge it with empathy. Minor complaints will be dealt with immediately. For more complex issues the complaint will be referred to Angela Goulbourne immediately if possible. If the complaints manager is not available, you will be told when She is available and offered a choice of how she may contact you, to discuss the issue.

Complaints in writing or via email

If you complain in writing or by email, your complaints will be passed on, immediately to Angela Goulbourne.

She will acknowledge your complaint in writing or by email (by the same method that you contacted us). She will aim to have investigated the complaint within 10 working days. We will offer to discuss the complaint at a time agreed with you, giving you a choice of how you would like to be kept informed, for example, face to face, by telephone, email or letter.

We will inform you how the complaint will be handled and the likely timescale that the investigation will be completed. If you do not wish to discuss the complaint, we will still advise you of the likely timescales for completing the process.

In all cases, we will seek to investigate the complaint speedily and efficiently and we will keep you regularly informed, as far as is reasonably practicable, as to the progress of the investigation.

Investigations will normally be completed in 2 weeks. When the investigation is complete, we will provide you with a written report. This will include an explanation of how the complaint was considered, the conclusions reached in respect of each part of the complaint, details of any necessary remedial action and whether the practice is satisfied with any action we have taken or will be taking as a result of the complaint.

We will keep full, confidential records of any complaint received as well as any actions taken to improve services because of your complaint.

Any complaint regarding clinical care or associated charges will be passed on to the treating dentist unless you do not wish this to happen.

Data Protection and GDPR Complaints

This practice also takes the confidentiality and security of patient information seriously. Any complaint or concern relating to the collection, use, storage, disclosure, security or handling of personal data will be treated as a data protection complaint and managed in accordance with the Practice's data protection and confidentiality procedures.

Patients may raise concerns where they believe their personal or health information has:

• been disclosed to an unauthorised person;
• been accessed or used without appropriate authorisation;
• been sent or transferred insecurely;
• been used for a purpose they were not informed about;
• been retained for longer than necessary;
• been recorded inaccurately; or
• otherwise, been handled in a manner that may not comply with UK data protection legislation.

Where a data protection concern is raised, the Practice will:

1. Acknowledge and record the complaint.
2. Assess whether the concern involves a potential personal data breach and take appropriate immediate steps to protect patient information.
3. Investigate the circumstances and identify whether Practice policies, procedures or staff training require review.
4. Provide the complainant with an appropriate response, subject to confidentiality and legal requirements.
5. Where applicable, consider whether the incident requires notification to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and/or affected individuals.
6. Use the outcome of the investigation to identify learning and implement improvements where required.

Patients may also raise concerns directly with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if they remain dissatisfied with the Practice's handling of their personal data. The Practice will cooperate with any regulatory investigation or information request.

Data protection complaints will be handled confidentially, and information will only be shared with those who need it for the purposes of investigating and resolving the complaint, subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Information relating to significant or recurring failures in confidentiality, information governance or the protection of patient information may also be relevant to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as part of its assessment of the Practice's governance and quality of care.

If you are not satisfied with the result of our procedure, you can complain to:

Dental Complaints Service

37 Wimpole Street

London

W1G 8DQ

T: 0208 253 0800

General queries: information@gdc-uk.org

Formal Complaints: contactus.gdc-uk.org

Completed September 2023

Reviewed October 2024

Reviewed October 2025

Reviewed March 2026

Updated August 2026

Who We Are

Secrets Medical Centre
147 Liverpool Road
Southport PR84NT
Telephone: 01704 607125
Email: enquiries@secrets-medical.com

We are the Data Controller responsible for your personal data.

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

Data Protection Lead:
Name: Angela Goulbourne – Practice manager
Email: angela@screts-medical.com
Telephone: 01704 607125

What Information We Collect

We collect and process the following types of personal data:

Identity & Contact Details

• Name
• Address
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• Email address

Health & Clinical Information (Special Category Data)

• Medical history
• Dental records
• X-rays
• Treatment plans
• Clinical notes
• Photographs (where relevant)

Financial Information

• Payment details

Technical Data

• CCTV images (if applicable)
• Website enquiry forms

Why We Collect Your Data (Purpose & Lawful Basis)

We process your personal data for the following purposes:

To Provide Dental and Medical Care

• Diagnose and treat dental conditions
• Maintain accurate clinical records
• Refer to specialists where necessary

Lawful basis: Contract
Special category condition: Provision of healthcare

To Comply with Legal & Regulatory Obligations

• Maintain patient records
• Respond to legal claims
• Comply with regulatory standard

For Payment & Administration

• Process payments
• Manage accounts
• Send appointment reminders

Marketing (Where You Have Given Consent)

• Promotions
• Practice updates
• Special offers

You may withdraw marketing consent at any time.

Appointment reminders are considered part of your care and are not marketing.

Who We Share Your Data With

We may share your information with:

• Dental laboratories
• Referral specialists
• Dental hygienists and associates
• IT and software providers
• Accountants
• Legal advisors
• Regulatory authorities where required

All third parties are required to respect the security and confidentiality of your data.

We do not sell your data.

 How We Store & Protect Your Data

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including:

• Secure dental software systems
• Password-protected access
• Role-based access controls
• Encrypted backups
• Locked filing cabinets for paper records
• Confidential waste disposal

Only authorised staff can access your information.

How Long We Keep Your Data

We retain dental records in accordance with professional guidance:

• Adults: minimum 11 years from last treatment
• Children: until age 25

After this period, records are securely destroyed.

Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data (Subject Access Request)
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request erasure (in limited circumstances)
• Restrict processing
• Object to processing
• Withdraw consent (where applicable)
• Lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority

Requests can be made by contacting the Data Protection Lead Angela Goulbourne

We will respond within 10 working days.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you may contact:

Information Commissioner's Office
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113

We encourage you to contact us first so we can resolve your concern.