Privacy Policy

Website Privacy and Cookies Policy

Company: Care Clarity Support & Advocacy Ltd
Brand: CareClarity – Support & Advocacy
Tagline: Care that speaks your language.
Address: 74 Branston Road, Uppingham, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 9RS
Phone: 0333 335 5869
Website: careclaritysupport.co.uk
Version: Status: professional working draft – approve before live use

Important: This is Care Clarity wording. It must not be treated as an old-provider policy or old platform policy or substitute for legal, CQC, clinical or insurance approval.

Purpose

– To explain how Care Clarity handles personal information collected through the website and how cookies or similar technologies are controlled.

Scope

– Applies to website visitors, online enquiries, newsletter/contact forms, analytics, cookies, payment links and embedded tools.
– Applies to all staff, directors, contractors, volunteers and authorised representatives where relevant.

Care Clarity position

– The company provides community support, practical administration, advocacy-style support, complaint support, casework preparation and future CQC-regulated personal care only once the correct registration is active.
– The company is not a firm of solicitors, does not hold itself out as a regulated legal practice, and must not conduct reserved legal activities unless legally permifitted, supervised by an authorised professional, or specifically allowed by the court in that individual case.
– The company does not provide regulated immigration advice, regulated debt advice, financial advice, tax advice, medical diagnosis, nursing care or clinical treatment unless an appropriately authorised professional is engaged for that task.
– Where a matter needs a solicitor, barrister, regulated immigration adviser, accountant, debt adviser, clinician, safeguarding authority, emergency service, statutory advocate or other specialist, staff must signpost or refer appropriately and record the reason.

Legal and regulatory framework

– UK GDPR Articles 5, 6, 9, 13 and 14.
– Data Protection Act 2018.
– Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
– ICO guidance on the right to be informed, cookies, online tracking and personal data breaches.
– Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, where regulated personal care is being delivered.
– Care Quality Commission provider guidance and quality statements, where applicable to regulated activity and as good-practice governance for non-regulated support.
– Care Act 2014 safeguarding and wellbeing principles.
– Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Code of Practice where capacity, consent or best interests are relevant.
– Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.
– Equality Act 2010, including reasonable adjustments and non-discrimination duties.
– Human Rights Act 1998, including dignity, privacy, family life and fair treatment principles.
– NHS Accessible Information Standard, where health or adult social care information and communication needs are relevant.

Policy statement

– Care Clarity Support & Advocacy Ltd will operate this policy in a safe, honest, accessible, accountable and proportionate way.

Key controls

– Privacy information must be clear, easy to find and written in plain language.
– Website forms must collect only information needed for the stated purpose.
– Special category information, including health, disability, care needs or safeguarding information, must be handled with extra care and a clear lawful basis and condition.
– Non-essential cookies must not be used without valid consent where consent is required.
– Cookie choices must be respected and reviewed when website tools change.
– Website privacy wording must explain rights, retention, sharing, security and how to complain to the ICO.

Procedure

1. Review all website forms before publication and remove unnecessary fields.
2. Keep a list of website tools, plugins, analytics, embedded media and payment links that may set cookies or process personal information.
3. Provide privacy information at or before the point of data collection.
4. Where a contact form reveals urgent safeguarding or emergency risk, follow safeguarding and emergency escalation before routine privacy workflow.
5. Review cookie settings after website changes, plugin changes or marketing changes.

Roles and responsibilities

– Director / Provider Lead: Approves the policy, provides resources, reviews risks and confirms the policy remains suitable for the service model.
– Registered Manager / Service Lead: Implements the policy day to day, ensures staff understand it, records decisions and escalates concerns.
– Staff, contractors and volunteers: Follow the policy, work within role boundaries, record actions accurately and report risks promptly.
– Data Protection Lead: Advises on personal information, confidentiality, data sharing, retention, breach response and privacy rights.

Records and evidence

– Website privacy notice version log
– Cookie audit
– Website form data map

– Supplier and plugin register

Accessibility, equality and reasonable adjustments

– Use plain English.
– Offer reasonable adjustments where needed.
– Record communication and access needs.
– Avoid discrimination and inaccessible processes.

Safeguarding and urgent risk

– Follow the Safeguarding Statement if abuse, neglect, exploitation, coercion, unsafe care or immediate risk is identified.
– call emergency services where there is immediate risk to life or serious harm.
– Record the concern, action and outcome.

Monitoring, audit and review

– Use complaints, incidents, audits and feedback to improve practice.