Privacy

Policy of Healthcode Limited in respect to customer confidentiality and security of information

It is the policy of Healthcode Limited ("Healthcode"), supported by its board of directors, to take steps to seek to ensure that information held about its customers and their business is kept confidential and secure.
In implementing this policy the steps taken by Healthcode include the following:

Implementing procedures to comply with all relevant statutory requirements and monitoring internal procedures periodically to ensure that there is such compliance;

Implementing and complying with the Data Protection Act 1998 (see our policy in relation to Data Protection);

Making all officers of Healthcode, its employees and sub-contractors aware of the rules and procedures laid down by Healthcode from time to time in respect to the security of information and the importance of confidentiality. Officers of Healthcode, employees and sub-contractors have a duty to follow the rules laid down by Healthcode and to co-operate with Healthcode to ensure that this policy is effective. Healthcode will where it considers it appropriate take disciplinary action against any officer or employee who fails to comply with these rules and procedures;

Taking measures to ensure the proper training, supervision and instruction of employees dealing with confidential information relating to customers;

Requiring all sub-contractors to enter into confidentiality agreements in respect to information they acquire from Healthcode;

Establishing a committee chaired by a Healthcode director to review confidentiality and security arrangements on a regular basis and to put in place measures to maintain and, where possible, improve information security.

It is Healthcode's policy to follow the Code of practice for information security management systems set out in ISO/ISE 27001.
Healthcode is owned jointly by Aviva, AXA PPPh, Bupa, Nuffield Hospitals, and Pruhealth and is aware of the sensitivities of customers who may be competitors of all or any of such companies. The directors of Healthcode, whether they are employees or officers of competitor companies or not, are aware that any information they acquire in their capacity as Healthcode directors must only be used for the purposes of Healthcode supplying services to its customers and not disclosed or used for any other purpose to the detriment of Healthcode's customers.

Policy of Healthcode Limited in relation to Data Protection

SCOPE

Healthcode Limited ("Healthcode") is committed to dealing with personal data in the spirit of the Data Protection Act 1998 ("the Act") and protecting personal privacy in accordance with the law. This statement applies to data Healthcode process on behalf of various parties (known as data controllers) and data collected by Healthcode Ltd and processed at our offices at Swan Court, Watermans Business Park, Kingsbury Crescent, Staines, Surrey, TW18 3BA, UK and (under contract) at the sites of data processors and third parties appointed by us.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Healthcode as data controller

We maintain e-mail and offline contact information of our customers and prospects (contacts) preferably in their place of business collected from registering with Healthcode.

We maintain where available information relevant to each contact's corporate affiliation, including position titles and name of company.

We maintain our contact information in a secure environment to prevent unauthorised use.

We do not pass your information to any third party companies for marketing and promotional purposes.

Healthcode as data processor

In providing our services Healthcode acts as a data processor on behalf of various parties (medical specialists, hospitals and insurers). These parties are the data controller for personal data generated by using our services.

We maintain personal information, patient history and information required to process claims on behalf of various parties (medical specialists, hospitals and insurers) received by the data controller.

We maintain the personal information received from the data controller in a secure environment to prevent unauthorised use.

We do not pass this information on to any companies for marketing and promotional purposes.

USES

Healthcode as data controller

We use the information collected from our registration and subscription process to deliver information regarding the activities of Healthcode including marketing information regarding our services.

We use the information to manage communication between contacts (you) and Healthcode.

Data will be processed in accordance with the laws of the United Kingdom.

Healthcode as data processor

Where Healthcode receives or otherwise processes personal data within the meaning of the Act, Healthcode will only process that data to the extent needed in order to provide its services: which can be:

to facilitate the electronic payment of medical bills

to provide practice management tools

Healthcode do not share or otherwise disclose the data with any other party nor do we process it or any other purposes other than the above mentioned.

Healthcode will not retain the personal data for longer than is necessary to provide the service or to comply with the contractual obligations imposed on use by the data controllers.

LINKS

Where there are links from the Healthcode website, Healthcode emphasises that it has no control over these sites, their content or the way in which they collect or use personal data. If you follow links to other sites from our website your data will be subject to the privacy policies of those sites. Healthcode therefore strongly advises users to check the privacy policy on any site they visit.

COOKIES

A cookie is a text-only string of information that a website transfers to the cookie file of the browser on your computer's hard disk so that the website can remember who you are. A cookie will typically contain the name of the domain from which the cookie has come, the 'lifetime' of the cookie, and a value, usually a randomly generated unique number.
We use session cookies for the sole purpose of maintaining user sessions. These are transient cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser and which are no longer accessed once your user session has been inactive for over 20 minutes. We do not use cookies to record personal information, track your online activity or collect information about your computer.
We use Google Analytics to analyse the use of this website. Google Analytics generates statistical and other information about website use by means of cookies, which are stored on users' computers. The information generated relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of the website. Google will store this information. Google's privacy policy is available at: http://www.google.com/privacypolicy.html

DISABLING/ENABLING COOKIES

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies by modifying the settings in your browser. However, you may not be able to use all the interactive features of our site if cookies are disabled. There are a number of ways to manage cookies. If you use different computers in different locations you will need to ensure that each browser is adjusted to suit your cookie preferences.

CONTROLS FOR YOUR PRIVACY NEEDS

Some modern browsers have a feature that will analyse website privacy policies and allow a user to control their privacy needs. These are known as 'P3P' features (Privacy Preferences Platform). You can easily delete any cookies that have been installed in the cookie folder of your browser. For example, if you are using Microsoft Windows Explorer:

Open 'Windows Explorer'

Click on the 'Search' button on the tool bar

Type "cookie" into the search box for 'Folders and Files'

Select 'My Computer' in the 'Look In' box

Click 'Search Now' Double click on the folders that are found

'Select' any cookie file

Hit the 'Delete' button on your keyboard

The Interactive Advertising Bureau is an industry body, which develops standards and guidelines to support online business processes. Its website at www.allaboutcookies.org gives further details about cookie, web beacons and suchlike, and explains how they can be managed and disabled.

SECURITY

We endeavour to take all reasonable steps to protect your personal information. All the data collected by us and data processed on behalf of various third parties is stored on a secure server. Our security includes the use of user authentication (username and password) 128-bit encryption and the use of secure direct lines to insurers.

YOUR CHOICES

You may opt out of receiving information from us by e-mail, telephone, fax or post.

To exercise either choice, indicate your wishes on the registration form or call: 01784 263 150, or indicate your wishes by email to custserv@healthcode.co.uk

You may request a copy of the information held about you by writing to: Healthcode Ltd, Swan Court, Watermans Business Park, Kingsbury Crescent, Staines, Surrey, TW18 3BA.

HOW TO REACH US

Our telephone and email contact details are:
Healthcode Ltd
Tel +44 (0) 1784 263150
Fax +44 (0) 1784 263155
or email custserv@healthcode.co.uk