top of page

​

Privacy Policy

Avalon Herbal Medicine is committed to the safekeeping and privacy of your personal data.

Avalon Herbal Medicine

Mary Bruce is the data controller and data processor. It's really important to me that you trust me with your personal data so I want to make sure that you understand what personal data I hold about you and how I collect, store and process it. 

I will use your personal data in the way(s) set out in this policy.  If you are not happy with the way that I am using your personal data, please do not provide me with your personal data (I have set out more information on how I collect your personal data below). If you have any questions about this policy, or what I do with your personal data, please contact me using the contact details below. 

You can contact me about this policy at herbalistmary@icloud.com or write to Mary Bruce, 2 Tor View Avenue, Glastonbury, Somerset BA68AE.

Personal data

Personal data is information about you that can help me identify you, such as your name, address, phone number or email address, or more discrete data such as the device ID of any smartphones, tablets or similar mobile devices you own. 

There are also special categories of personal data that are treated by law as being particularly sensitive. This may include your racial or ethnic origin, your religious beliefs or information related to your health. Your explicit consent is needed for me to collect this sensitive data so that I can make decisions regarding the services I provide to you.  

The data I collect about you

The nature and the type of personal data I collect will depend on why you are giving it to me, sensitive data about health issues is usually collected in a one to one private consultation 

I also collect personal data about you when you;

  • Use my website eg subscribe and I will add your email to my subscribers list. Contact me for a consultation and I will retain your email for up to a year  or a minimum of 7 years if you become a patient

  • Interact with me on my social media pages (such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram). I collect information about you from Twitter and Facebook's sites if the settings on your accounts or the privacy policies of those sites give me permission to do so. This would include your name, contact details and any direct or private messages sent to me. I delete these as soon as possible and prefer to communicate by email or post.

  • Request a consultation, I ask you to complete an intake form. This sensitive information is deleted from my computer and retained as paperwork for a minimum of seven years

If any of your personal data changes, or you believe that any of the personal data that I hold is incorrect, please let me know by contacting me at herbalistmary@icloud.com and I will ensure that your Personal Data is up to date. I may also contact you from time to time to verify that Your Personal Data is up to date.  

How I use your Personal Data 

When processing your personal data, I will only do so in relation to specific purposes and only after giving careful consideration to ensure that your privacy rights are not seriously impacted. I use your data to:

  • Provide you with the services that you have requested from me, such as fulfilling your repeat prescription or forming a diagnosis in order to prescribe your herbs.

  • To administer my courses and events that you wish to attend, including looking after your safety and convenience

  • In order to verify your identity (i.e. to confirm that you are who you say you are),

I will process the personal data that you provide to me in the following ways based on my "legitimate interests" as a business and health provider

  • In order to improve the services I provide to you and your experience when you come to visit me (by knowing a little bit about you I am able to deliver a better service to you);

  • To create a profile about you to ensure my communications to you are relevant and timely, and to provide you with an improved experience when using my services 

  • To provide your personal data to my insurers from time to time.

  • In addition, my intake form allows me to understand the essential points of your health presentation before a consultation so that I may refer you if necessary when herbal medicine is not suitable for you

  • I only retain your information for as long as it is appropriate to do so and will always delete this data responsibly in line with my Data Retention Policy.

  • To respond to any queries that you ask me;

  • To help me identify and fix defects or errors in my sites, system or services

  • In order to comply with my legal obligations as a medical herbalist

  • To retain and process records when you make herbal medicine appointment with m

  • To ensure that my sites are kept secure and to prevent crime; 

  • For the purposes of identifying and preventing fraud; and

  • To comply with statutory or regulatory requirements, such as reporting requirements Health and Safety Law.

Marketing Communications

I will also process your personal data where you have given your consent to for example:

  • Respond to subscription request 

  • When you have asked to receive other forms of marketing communication about me,

  • When you have asked to receive information about my upcoming events and courses 

Where I am relying on consent to process your personal data, I will only process your personal data for the purpose that you have given me consent for.  If you would like to receive these communications but have not opted in please contact me at www.avalonherbalmedicine.com or email herbalistmary@icloud.com indicating your preferred channel to receive marketing communications from me. 

Who do I share your personal data with?

You are sharing your personal information with me alone, unless I specifically state otherwise below.

A: On occasion I may contact your GP or specialist with your consent regarding your health. I will provide you with a paper copy of any communication (s)

B: I reserve the right to contact your GP/social services or police if I deem there is danger to yourself or others

C: Occasionally I leave clients herbs at a safe place on Goddess House. These clients are known to that establishment and have agreed for their herbs to be left there. Staff at Goddess House will thus know the clients name only.

D: As a clinical trainer with the Heartwood and Betonica Schools of Herbal Medicine I regularly have herbal medicine students in my clinic. I always ask clients if they are happy to have the student present during their consultation. Any personal information collected by the student is made is made anonymous by the student.

E: I occasionally use anonymous data for presentation and talks.

F: Any statutory, governmental or regulatory body that requests the personal data and that I am obliged (by law or by regulation) to provide;

G: Please be aware that advertisers or web sites that have links on my site may collect personally identifiable information about you. This privacy statement does not cover the information practices of those web sites.

As my requirements change, I may need to change the third parties that process your personal data to meet those requirements. 

I do not sell or rent your personal data to anyone, I will never provide your personal data to another company or charity for their marketing purposes without your explicit consent. 

Data protection

I will always do my best to keep your personal data secure.  Steps I take in order to do this include the use of technical controls (such as password and network protection), limiting access to your personal data to myself and ensuring students are trained in making any personal data collected anonymous.  

Retention of your personal data

I will only retain your personal data for as long as I need to keep it. In considering how long to retain your data I will always take into account factors such as any ongoing obligations I have to you, the nature of my relationship with you, legal requirements (e.g. in relation to statutory retention periods) and contractual requirements.  I will not keep your data indefinitely and will always dispose of it carefully when it is no longer necessary for me to retain it, in line with defined schedules in my Data Retention Policy. 

Your Rights

The law gives you a number of rights in relation to your personal data and my use of it. You have the right:

  • A. To ask me not to use your personal data for direct marketing purposes;

  • B. To ask to see what personal data I hold about you and to find out about the way that I process the data. I may charge for my tome and materials.

  • C. To ask me to correct or update any personal data which is inaccurate; 

  • D. To ask for personal data to be deleted in some (but not all) circumstances where there is no good reason for me to continue to process it;

  • E. To ask me to temporarily stop using your data if you don't believe that I have a right to use it, or to stop me from using your personal data where there is no good reason for me to continue to use it; and

  • F. Not to be subject to decisions made solely on the basis of 'automated processing' (i.e. the right not to be subject to decisions made solely by algorithms or computers without input from a human) in certain circumstances.  

If you would like to exercise any of the rights listed above, or if you have any queries or concerns about the way I use Your personal data (or any questions about this privacy policy), You can contact me by email at herbalistmary@icloud.com, by post to 2, Tor View Avenue, Glastonbury  or by telephone at 01458 833724.

Your Right to Lodge a Complaint

If you are unhappy with the way I have dealt with your personal data or if you have any further questions about how I process and retain personal data please contact me in the first instance at herbalistmary@icloud.com or by writing to Mary Bruce, 2, Tor View Avenue, Glastonbury, BA68AE so that I can try to put this right. 

If you are still not satisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office. Further information on how to do this is available on the ICO website. 

Changing this policy

I may make changes to this policy from time to time. If I make any significant changes to this policy that impacts the way in which your personal data is treated, I will post the changes on this page or, where I feel that the changes are really significant, I may contact you directly.  Changes will apply from the time I post them (either here on my website or when I contact you). This policy was last changed on 11 May 2018.

To access, update or delete your personal data

You may change or update some or all of your personal data depending on what data I hold for you by contacting herbalistmary@icloud.com

bottom of page