top of page

Bexley Deaf Group Privacy Policy

​

Our main legal bases for collecting your personal data are consent and/or legitimate interest.  We have assessed that in order to provide you with support, advice, training or information we need to collect your personal data.

Protecting and respecting your privacy is important to Bexley Deaf Group (Working Name: Bexley Deaf Centre).  The Data Controller responsible for keeping your information secure and confidential is Bexley Deaf Group.  (Bexley Deaf Group is a Company limited by Guarantee No: 02942265, Registered Charity No: 1039183).

This privacy notice does not apply to any websites that may have a link to ours.  We do not have any control over other websites.

Bexley Deaf Group may change this policy from time to time and will update the Privacy Policy web page.  Please check periodically to ensure you are happy with the changes.

 

What we need

There are two categories of personal information which we may require when accessing our services:

  • Personal data - is the information you give about yourself – e.g. contact details, your name, address, date of birth etc.

  • Sensitive personal data – this may include health data, biometric and genetic data etc.

We will only require basic information for the most part. Occasionally however, we may need to ask for more sensitive information which may require specific permission for processing. If this is the case we will contact you to ask for your consent.

Examples of information collected but not exhaustive:

  • Personal information so we can provide services requested

  • Personal details when hearing aids are maintained

  • BSL Students’ personal details, health information, filming of students signing

  • Personal information for other courses, Clubs run by the Centre

  • Personal information for job applications/volunteering

  • Gift Aid records

 

To comply with data protection legislation we will inform you as to whether you are required to provide certain information if you have a choice in this.

 

Where we collect information about you

  • When you give it to us voluntarily

  • Require one of our support or training services

  • To sign up for an event/course

  • Want to become a volunteer/employee

  • Request information by receiving our regular bulletins

  • Contact us via Facebook or other communication methods

  • Course meeting/meetings to ensure smooth running of the Centre

 

 

When you give permission to other organisations to share or it is publicly available:

 

  • When you ‘like’ or comment on Facebook or Twitter account

  • When you are referred to us for a service by another organisation

  • When information is found on Charities Commission or Companies House

 

We use the information to:

  • Enable us to carry out specific functions/improve our services

  • Gather statistics to obtain funding (we take strict measures to ensure individual clients cannot be identified)

  • Provide you with the service/s requested by you

  • Enable us to deliver or signpost you to an appropriate support service

 

How we share information about you:

 

  • BSL students’ personal details shared with external examination boards and Freelance Tutors

  • Sending filming of students signing to external examination boards routinely throughout course/s in a secure manner

  • Sharing health information with external examination boards for the purposes of reasonable adjustments when absolutely necessary

  • Local audiology departments at hospitals, CCG, Bexley Council and other organisations to enable us to provide you with the service you require. 

  • We may need to disclose your details if required to police, regulatory bodies e.g. safeguarding concerns or legal advisors. 

  • In a secure cloud-based storage system.

 

How we keep your data safe and who has access:

In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect.

 

  • Information sent externally is secure.

  • BSL students’ filming of them signing will be kept locked away at Bexley Deaf Centre, copies of filming will be sent to examination boards in a secure manner.

  •  IT Network is protected and routinely monitored.

  • Only trained staff, volunteers and appropriate contractors have access to your information.

  • On occasions, we work with third parties who might have access to your data for legitimate purposes.

 

How long we keep your personal information for:

  • Service users information will be reviewed regularly and disposed of when no longer needed.

  • We are required to keep student contracts for a period of six years. Regarding other student information, we hold filming of students and related paperwork for no longer than 3 years after the course is completed.

  • We keep teaching contracts for six years. 

  • Other information held will be reviewed regularly to ensure we don’t keep it for any longer than necessary. 

  • Gift Aid records have to be kept by law for a period of 6 years (HMRC requirement).

  • We will keep lip reading and other course information for three years maximum (this will be regularly reviewed).

 

Requesting access to your personal data:

Under data protection regulations you have the right to request access to the personal information which we hold about you. To make a request for your personal information, please contact (in writing): Bexley Deaf Group, 20 Whitehall Lane, Slade Green, DA8 2DH. We must respond to you within one month.

 

You also have the right to:

 

  • have data updated if you believe that we hold incorrect information about you;

  • object to the processing of personal data that is likely to cause, or is causing damage or distress;

  • prevent processing for the purpose of direct marketing;

  • object to decisions being taken by automated means;

  • in certain circumstances have inaccurate personal data rectified, blocked, erased or destroyed;

  • claim compensation for damages caused by a breach of the Data Protection regulations

If you have any concerns about the way we are collecting/using your personal data please raise your concerns with us in the first instance at the above address.

If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are not processing your personal data in accordance with the law, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office Tel No: 0303 123 1113

 

Data Breach:

If there is a breach of data protection we will always record it here at Bexley Deaf Group.  If the breach is serious we are required to report it to the ICO within 72 hours of the breach.  If we assess the breach will cause any risk to you or your organisation we will also inform you in 72 hours. 

 

Bexley Deaf Centre Privacy Policy adopted May 25th 2018

Last Updated August 2023

bottom of page