Click on the orange buttons to view each policy.
How to make a complaint
Connect Health is firmly committed to providing a high-quality service and continually improving the quality of service it provides
If you are unhappy with the treatment or service you have received from Connect Health, you are entitled to make a complaint, have it considered and receive a response in writing. This section describes Connect Health’s complaints procedure, which is in line with the NHS complaints procedure.
Connect Health provide a range of services to the NHS, employers and the public, all of whom are included within this procedure.
Connect Health’s Principles for Managing Complaints
- Connect Health aims to resolve complaints as quickly as possible, particularly through an immediate informal (verbal) response by front line staff
- Connect Health will ensure that all complaints are handled promptly, openly and thoroughly
- Connect Health’s complaints procedure will be fair to the complainant and Connect Health staff
- Connect Health will ensure the process is supportive and without blame, leading to improvement in standards of service delivery, patient safety and care
- Connect Health will carry out a full investigation which is focused on resolution being open and honest with all complainants
- If a resolution cannot be reached at local level, Connect Health will inform the complainant of how they can escalate their complaint or obtain an independent review of their complaint (if appropriate)
Who Can Complain?
A complaint can be made by a patient, a carer responsible for a patient or persons affected or likely to be affected by the actions or decision of Connect Health or its practitioners. A complaint made by someone acting on behalf of the patient, must have the patient’s consent to do so.
To Whom Should I Raise My Concern/Complaint Initially?
The first stage of our Complaints Procedure is ‘Local Resolution’. This applies principally where a ‘Informal Complaint’ (usually made verbally in the first instance), is shared with a member of staff at Connect. This could be to one of our Patient Care Advisers over the phone, to the individual practitioner who provided the service, or alternatively to the Connect Manager of that service.
‘Local resolution’ aims to resolve concerns and complaints quickly as close to the source of the complaint as possible, and, if possible, without the need to make a more formal complaint. In our experience, most complaints are due to simple areas of misunderstanding or unforeseen minor errors. In both instances, verbal dialogue, an explanation and if necessary, an apology, is all that is required.
How Do I Make a Formal Complaint?
If local resolution has not been successful, your concerns have not been addressed or if you feel your complaint is of such significance that it requires escalating to a higher authority, you will need to put your complaint formally in writing (by post, email, or via our website). This should be directed to the local Manager responsible for the service you received, or to Connect Health’s Head Office for the attention of our Complaints Team (see below).
If you make a complaint in writing, Connect Health will ensure it is logged formally and responded to fully, in writing.
What is the Process for Reviewing My Complaint?
Connect Health’s timescales for managing complaints are in line with NHS Complaints Management Timescales. For all written complaints that we receive, you will receive:
- Acknowledgement, within 3 working days of receipt
- A full response, following a review from a Connect Health manager, within 30 working days
You will be kept informed of progress if, for any reason, this is not going to happen.
Reimbursement
As a fully NHS funded service, we are unable to cover transport or parking costs on a routine basis. Short notice appointment cancellations are unfortunately outside of our control and have increased significantly in recent times. We try our best to inform patients as soon as possible to allow you/them to make alternative arrangements but this isn’t always possible. Particularly if our Workforce Planning team are informed the morning of the appointment.
Where Can I Get Independent Advice and Help?
If for any reason, you are unhappy with Connect Health’s formal response to your complaint, then you should consult with the person/organisation who referred you to Connect Health (unless you referred yourself). E.g. your GP or Employer. If you were referred to Connect Health via the NHS, (i.e. paid for by your GP) you may have access to the independent Patient Advice & Liaison Service, known as PALS, who support patients and carers in trying to resolve any issues as quickly as possible. There also a number of complaint advocacy services available depending on which area of the country you live.
Find your local PALS or contact your GP surgery for support.
[Please note some areas no longer have PALS services available to patients].
The Health Service Ombudsman
NHS patients referred to Connect Health, who remain unhappy after local resolution and independent review, can also seek a further review from the Health Service Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is independent of both the NHS and private organisations and can be contacted at:
Millbank Tower,
30 Millbank,
London,
SW1P 4QP
Telephone: 0345 015 4033
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk
How to Formally Lodge a Complaint
If you want to make a ‘formal’ complaint about any aspect of treatment or care you have received from Connect Health, then please send your complaint in writing to:
The Complaints Coordinator,
Connect Health (Central Office),
Floor 3 The Light Box,
Quorum Park,
Benton Lane,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE12 8EU
If you prefer to email your complaint, then please email to: complaints@connecthealth.co.uk | Complaints Policy
How to make a complaint
A Quality Account is a report about the quality of services offered by an NHS healthcare provider. The reports are published annually by each provider, including the independent sector, and are available to the public.
Quality Accounts are an important way for local NHS services to report on quality and show improvements in the services they deliver to local communities and stakeholders.
You can view our Annual Quality Account for 2023-24 below:
You can view our Annual Quality Account for 2022-23 below:
You can view our Annual Quality Account for 2021-22 below:
You can view our Annual Quality Accounts for 2020-21 below:
This policy supports the requirements of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) and sets out Connect Health’s approach to developing and maintaining effective systems and processes for responding to patient safety incidents and issues for the purpose of learning and improving patient safety.
The PSIRF advocates a co-ordinated and data-driven response to patient safety incidents. It embeds patient safety incident response within a wider system of improvement and prompts a significant cultural shift towards systematic patient safety management.
Read our PSIRF Policy
Read our PSIRF Plan
Connect Health Green Plan
Connect Health recognises that, through the delivery of its services, it will have an impact on the natural environment within which it operates. Working over a wide range of locations, delivering varied services, and utilising the skills and expertise of many personnel means that the impact is unavoidable. However, it is possible to make changes in the way we operate to minimise any negative issues and to make decisions that have a positive outcome and to contribute towards a more environmental aware and less impactful future.
This document recognises that the company will impact on the natural environment but then establishes what actions and programmes we can deliver to both minimise any negative effects of our activities whilst enhancing and promoting those that can deliver a positive outcome. The results of investigating our current environmental impacts have resulted in the development of this Green Plan; a document that outlines the Company approach to environmental matters and how our success in delivering tangible benefits in environmental performance can be delivered and, importantly, measured.
Key environmental concerns, such as climate change, represent serious threats to the global environment; we commit to playing our part in adapting our activities and reviewing our processes to minimise any negative impacts we may have on the environment. Connect Health makes a commitment to adopting and implementing sustainable approaches, particularly in relation to carbon reduction and promotion of good citizenship.
Access our full Green Plan (2021-2024) here.
Connect Health’s approach
Planning
- Commissioned external review on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) requirements.
- Green plan developed in 2021, recognising impact on the environment with plan for all staff to make changes to their ways of working.
- Standard operating procedures take into account carbon emissions.
Travel
- All staff encouraged to travel via the most sustainable form of transport.
- Online calculator provided for colleagues to determine the most efficient way of travelling on their business journeys.
- Promote virtual meetings instead of face-to-face meetings to reduce our carbon footprint.
- Members of a cycle to work scheme.
- Head Office is based in a business park where several businesses have access to public transport services, bike maintenance events and electric pool cars.
People
- Recruitment of dedicated role for Health and Safety and Environmental management with a remit to achieve ISO14001.
Suppliers
- Procure from local suppliers where possible, helping to support local sustainability and reduce carbon emissions.
- All new suppliers are assessed for their environmental commitment during supplier onboarding process.
- Bulk ordering encouraged to lower the number of journeys suppliers need to make.
- Procurement department ensures we reduce unnecessary packaging.
- Printed material is reduced by offering electronic alternatives.
Sites
- LED lights installed where possible in all sites.
- Air conditioning systems turned off outside of core hours.
- All Head Office PCs have an auto shutdown at 8pm and printers are automatically set to print double sided. We use virtual servers instead of physical servers, low power PCs and laptops, phones are connected over ethernet and paper usage is monitored and reported.
- For sites where we have control over waste disposal, we have recycling contracts set up to dispose of mixed recycling and battery recycling points. We use suppliers who are dedicated to disposing of waste in a responsible and compliant manner.
- At our Head Office we have installed dedicated recycling bins throughout the office for mixed recycling, glass, batteries, coffee cups and crisp packets, all of which we recycle.
- We carry out a water risk assessment at all our managed sites to pick up any risks and carry out any works to change inefficient systems.
- We have planned preventative maintenance contractors who ensure our water systems are well maintained.
Service delivery
- PhysioLine service is provided in many services, enabling patients to receive a telephone appointment rather than having to travel.
- We recently stopped using our 5-part mobile clinic units in favour of static sites which means much less emissions ferrying these around the country.
Commitment to achieving Net Zero
Connect Health is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2035.
Connect Health takes it very seriously if a member of staff or member of the public is treated in an aggressive, abusive, or violent way.
Most of our patients treat our staff and each other with kindness and respect. Equally all our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. We, like other areas of healthcare, are seeing increasing incidents of unacceptable behaviour to our staff and would like to remind all patients: We support the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign for Health Service Staff. This states that staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. To successfully provide these services, a mutual respect between all staff and patients must be in place.
Connect Health reserves the right to suspend a person temporarily or permanently from accessing our services depending on the nature of the behaviour displayed.
We feel sure that you will understand that proper behaviour is necessary for our staff and patients, and that non-observance will not be accepted. We understand that patients in pain or distress do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint.
Connect Health, an independent healthcare provider, is required to publish the annual workforce race equality standard (WRES) report to our website. This is the WRES report for 2024.
Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) Report
Access to health records
Each time you are seen by one of our clinicians, we record what you tell us and what we discuss so that our health care professionals can plan your future care. Clinic visits, operations, tests and investigations are documented in your health record, alongside copies of all correspondence relating to your care. We also hold your personal information such as your name, address, gender, next of kin and ethnic origin.
Confidentiality
Your health record is kept confidential at all times within Connect Health and is only shared with staff when it is necessary for them to carry out their job. All staff are required to work to strict professional and contractual codes of confidentiality and, where possible, we will anonymise information so that individual patients cannot be identified. The only time information will be shared to outside organisations is if they are directly involved in your care, for instance, your GP, social worker, community nurses or hospital.
Requesting access to your health records
If, for any reason, you would like access to your medical records held by Connect Health, please make your request digitally using our new online portal Home Page – SAR Portal (ams-sar.com). Click get started online, then follow the instructions to set-up your account (or login if you have an existing account).
Requests are managed electronically and once complete, you will be able to view your health records using a download function within the portal, reducing time and the need for paper copies to be printed and sent via post.
When making your request, please ensure the correct application type is selected. This will help the Subject Access Request team process your request effectively.
Download the Requester Portal Guide and view the FAQs to help you through the process. By law you will need to supply identification as part of the request process – you can find out what you need to supply by clicking here.
Requesting access to the health records of another person (Organisations)
If you’re a third party and requesting access to the health records of another person, please use our online portal to submit your request.
Access the portal at https://connecthealth.ams-sar.com
When Will the Information Be Released
The Organisation will deal with your request promptly, and in any event the records will be sent to you within 30 days of receipt of your accurately completed form. If we encounter any difficulties in locating your data we will keep you informed of our progress via the online portal.
Amending Information Within Your Record
Individuals do not have a right to have professional opinions or judgements deleted from the record, unless the entry is factually incorrect e.g. the notes on your record relate to a different patient. However, if you disagree with any content within your record, you can ask to have a statement added to reflect your opinions. You are entitled to a copy of what has been added.
Requesting Diagnostic Reports (MRI, X-ray etc.)
If you would like access to a diagnostic report requested by Connect Health please specify this on the online form.
Please note: It is deemed good clinical practice and in turn, Connect Health policy, that results of investigations are discussed with patients so that they understand the results as part of their clinical assessment and ongoing management process.
Due to your Subject Access Request, we may release these results to you early, however we encourage you to discuss them with a clinician when an appointment is available.
Please note we no longer accept Subject Access Requests via email
Recognition of vulnerability is a key first step in providing equality in care.
Our mandatory training schedule includes Safeguarding and Mental Capacity Act. This training develops skills in identifying/escalating concerns and identifying mental capacity prior to consent, in line with relevant legislation.
Staff Response to Concern About a Child or Adult at Risk
Where cause for concern is raised, our process revolves around the “four R’s”:
- Recognise concerns
- Record accurately in the clinical system
- Respond by contacting duty DSO
- Referral – the DSO reports to local authority safeguarding team
Bi-annual updates to all clinical and patient-facing administrative teams are additional to mandatory training to reinforce the importance of recognising safeguarding concerns. Here we report to staff any case studies within the Connect Health network as learning opportunities and report changes in safeguarding trends or local/national policy.
We ensure through the Clinical Governance monitoring and quarterly reporting that all relevant staff are trained as above and consistently report 100% compliance.
Infection Prevention and Control Declaration
Connect Health Ltd has an Infection Prevention and Control Policy to ensure best practice and to reduce Healthcare Associated Infections.
Gender Pay Gap Reporting (GPGR) is a requirement for all companies who employ 250 or more employees. It is not a measure of equal pay, it considers the difference in values of pay between men and women within a company.
At Connect Health we are an equal pay employer. All roles are assigned to pay frameworks, with some roles including bonus incentives, therefore colleagues, regardless of whether they are male or female, are paid equally and fairly for the role they do.
The requirement for GPGR is different to this, as we are required to:
• Take a snapshot of hourly rates of pay from payroll as at the 5th April annually and for bonus payments, consider everything paid to employees in the year leading up to that date, we then;
• Split the workforce into 4 groups, known as pay quartiles (lower, lower middle, upper middle and upper). Then we;
• Compare the average hourly rate of pay (mean) with the middle hourly rate of pay (median) for men and women and present the difference as a percentage; and we;
• Compare bonus payments of men and women to determine any percentage difference too.
Differences in pay and bonuses are affected by how many men and women are in each pay group.
At Connect Health we are proud that we have a good split of men and women across all roles who are equally paid.
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Modern Slavery Statement
Connect Health Group Limited and its subsidiaries are an independent provider of healthcare services and solutions to the NHS and businesses throughout the UK with a workforce of circa 1000 people. we are improving the health and wellbeing of communities, working together to deliver the right patient care, in the right place and at the right time. We are a delivery partner our customers can trust. Our aim is to enable everyone to live healthy and active lives by engaging and empowering people. As an ethical business we are fully aware of our responsibilities to our patients, colleagues, and service users, and have a zero tolerance towards any acts of human trafficking and/or modern slavery. We assess the risk of modern slavery and/or human trafficking playing a part in our business as extremely low.
Access our full Modern Slavery Statement here.
Caldicott Guardian
As an organisation handling patient information, Connect Health are required to have a Caldicott Guardian. The role of the Guardian is to make sure that the personal information about those who use the organisation’s services is used legally, ethically and appropriately, and that confidentiality is maintained.
The Caldicott Guardian oversees all arrangements, protocols and procedures where confidential personal information may be shared with external bodies and others with responsibilities for social care and safeguarding. This includes flows of information to and from partner agencies, sharing through IT systems, disclosure for research, and disclosure to the police.
Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 sets out a number of general duties that directors owe to a company. These includes a general duty requiring directors to act in a way in which they consider, in good faith, will promote the success of the company for the benefit of stakeholders as a whole.
New statutory reporting requirements mean that Connect Health Ltd need to include a statement in the Strategic Report within their Annual Report explain how directors have had regard to the matters set out in section 172(1).
The Section 172 (1) Statement for Connect Health Ltd can be found below.
The directors have had regard to the matters set out in Section 172(1)(a) to (f) in the Companies Act 2006 when performing their duties.
In making decisions, the directors take into account the potential long-term implications of these decisions. This is a core element of the group’s strategic planning process.
In order to take account of the group’s employees, leaders from each of the key functions meet regularly as the Senior Leadership Team (“SLT”), to present colleagues views from across the business and take these into account in our planning and decision making.
The board considers the need to listen to and foster business relationships with suppliers, customers and others as critical to the continued success of the business; as is awareness and consideration of the societal and environmental impact of our operations. In support of this and in addition to the day-to-day recognition of these matters the group engages in the following:
- Membership of relevant trade and business organisations, including senior employee involvement;
- Regular full-group briefings engaging with all employees on issues, concerns and performance;
- Research and innovation internally and with suppliers and customers to continually seek to introduce, develop and promote better services.
The directors recognise the need to act fairly between members of the group. Wherever a conflict or potential conflict arises, the board takes independent legal and professional advice to ensure that members are treated fairly.
Connect Health’s Commitment Statement to the Accessible Information Standard
NHS England has created the Accessible Information Standard which the NHS and adult social care services are legally obliged to meet. As part of the Accessible Information Standard, Connect Health will do 5 things as set out by NHS England. We will:
- Ask patients if they have any information or communication needs, and find out how to meet their needs.
- Record those needs in a set way.
- Highlight on a patient’s file, so it is clear that they have information or communication needs, and clearly explain how those needs should be met.
- Share information about a patient’s needs with other NHS and adult social care providers, when they have consent or permission to do so.
- Make sure that patients get information in an accessible way and communication support if they need it.
Accessibility
- All of our websites/online material use Recite Me software which makes the website not only accessible but useable by all, covering type and size of font, colour theme, screen masks, language, audio and magnification:
- translation of website material into 100+ languages, including 35 also available in text to speech tool
- Screen reader function & tools for visually impaired users
- Reading tools & dictionary provides assistance for users with reading or learning difficulties
- Styling tools allow users to adjust colours, font type/size and spacing to ensure content is clear and easy to read in a format that works for them
- Our services support the Relay UK talk to text app and phone service for deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired users. This service is free to use and enables our Patient Care Advisors to have a conversation over the phone with a patient via an operator texting them the call content. To access the Relay UK service, users will need to have a text phone or install the free Relay UK app.
- All of our services use Interpretation services via a number of methods, empowering spoken understanding via video, phone, or a face-to-face interpreter.
- Closed captions are available for the user to enable on our Connect Health published video content on our website and via patient programme links.
Service specific Information
For each of our NHS services, the website details:
- Services on offer
- Meet the team – photos and bios
- Patient guides and information in PDF to download
- Detailed information about each clinic – full contact information, directions, parking, opening hours, what to do on arrival, additional services, frequently asked questions
- Patient resources – informative and educational videos, PDFs and links to credible websites
If you have any questions, please email: integratedgovernance@connecthealth.co.uk
or contact your local service https://www.connecthealth.co.uk/contact
Doctors Managing Concerns Policy And Procedures
Connect Health requires high standards of conduct and performance from all colleagues. It is also committed to helping and encouraging colleagues to improve knowledge and skills and to learn from mistakes. This policy and procedure is designed to ensure that a fair, systematic and consistent approach is taken when conduct or capability of a doctor falls short of the required standard.
This policy applies to all employed by or contracted doctors within Connect Health whether on substantive, fixed term or locum contracts, or any other contractual arrangements including (but not limited to): sessional agreements, sub-contracts, training contracts (Health Education England), service level agreements, practicing privileges, self-employed, or any other engagement, honorary or voluntary work.
Quality is important to our business because we value our customers. We strive to provide our customers with products and services which meet and even exceed their expectations. We are committed to continuous improvement and have an established Quality Management System which provides a framework for measuring and improving our performance based on feedback from our stakeholders.
Quality Management Policy Statement
Connect Health was established in 1989, initially to provide physiotherapy services to both public and private sector customers. With our Head Office based in Newcastle upon Tyne, we now provide MSK, Pain, Rheumatology and Mental Health services nationwide.
Our vision is to enhance the quality of life of those who use our services and the communities we service. Therefore, the quality and effectiveness of our services is a key objective and measure of performance. We strive to provide our customers with services which meet and exceed their expectations. We are committed to continuous improvement and have an established Quality Management System which provides a framework for measuring and improving our performance. Connect Health Ltd are ISO9001:2015 certified, and we comply with all requirements of the Standard.
We have the following systems and procedures in place to support us in our aim of providing total customer satisfaction, meeting all regulatory and other requirements made of us, and ensuring continuous improvement, throughout our business:
• Regular gathering and monitoring of customer feedback, both from the payer and individual service user
• A formal customer complaints procedure
• Selection and performance monitoring of our colleagues and suppliers, against set criteria
• Training and development for our colleagues
• Regular audit of our internal processes
• Measurable quality objectives, which reflect our business aims, set by our Senior Leadership Team on an annual basis
• Formal assessment and management of risks
• Management review of audit results
• A focus on Continuous Improvement, through ‘lessons learned’ and innovative development
Our internal procedures held in our Quality System are reviewed regularly and are made available to all colleagues. Training and support on these procedures is provided where necessary.
This policy, posted on the Company Notice Board, is also accessible to colleagues through our document management system and can be made available to our customers.
Our Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has ultimate accountability for quality, with the Head of Corporate Governance responsible for monitoring compliance across the business. All colleagues have their own responsibility within their areas of work. Collectively it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that quality is embedded in everything we do, across the whole of the company.
Download Connect Health’s Quality Management Policy Statement
1 General information
This privacy notice tells you what to expect us to do with your personal information when you contact us or use one of our services.
This notice is layered. So, if you wish, you can easily select the reason we process your personal information and see what we do with it.
The first part of the notice is information we need to tell everybody.
1.1 Contact details
Connect Health Ltd. is the controller for the information we process, unless otherwise stated.
There are many ways you can contact us, including by phone, email and post. More details about how you can contact us can be seen here.
Our Head Office postal address is:
The Light Box,
Quorum Park,
Benton Lane,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
Tyne and Wear,
NE12 8EU
Our interim Data Protection Officer is Umar Sabat. You can contact him at dpo@connecthealth.co.uk or via our postal address. Please mark the envelope ‘Data Protection Officer’.
1.2 How do we get information?
Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for one of the following reasons:
- You are an NHS patient, where we provide musculoskeletal services in partnership with the NHS.
- You are patient of our Occupational Health Physiotherapy Services.
- You have applied for a job or secondment with us.
- You have visited our offices or our website.
- You have attended one of our events.
We may monitor and record communications with you, such as telephone conversations and emails, for quality, training and compliance purposes.
We also receive personal information indirectly, in the following scenarios:
- You are an NHS patient that has been referred to our services by your GP practice.
- You are a patient and as part of your treatment you have had an assessment or test at a hospital or specialist.
- You are a patient and as part of your wider care you are receiving support from other organisations, such as community services, care homes, hospices, social services and housing support.
- An employee of ours gives us your contact details as an emergency contact or a referee.
- You are an employee of one of our customers, potential customers, or business partners.
We will only use your personal information for the purpose(s) for which we have obtained it. We may process your information without your knowledge or consent where this is required by law.
1.3 Sharing your information
We will not share your information with any third parties for the purposes of direct marketing.
We will not transfer any of your information to a separate organisation or individual outside of the EU.
In some limited circumstances we may be legally obliged to share information. For example, under a court order.
We use third parties to provide elements of services for us, such as NHS patient records management systems. We have contracts in place with these third parties. This means that they cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will not share your personal information with any organisation apart from us. They will hold it securely and retain it for the period we instruct.
1.4 Your information protection rights
Under information protection law, you have rights we need to make you aware of. The rights available to you depend on the reason for processing your information.
- Right to be informed: organisations must tell individuals what information is being collected, how it’s being used, how long it will be kept and whether it will be shared with any third parties.
- Right of access: individuals have the right to request a copy of the information that an organisation holds on them.
- Right of rectification: individuals have the right to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Right to be forgotten: in certain circumstances, individuals can ask for the information an organisation holds on them to be erased from their records.
- Right of portability: individuals can request that organisation transfer any information that it holds on them to another company.
- Right to restrict processing: individuals can request that an organisation limits the way it uses personal information.
- Right to object: individuals have the right to challenge certain types of processing, such as direct marketing.
- Right related to automated decision-making including profiling: individuals are free to request a review of automated processing if they believe the rules aren’t being followed.
You have the right to obtain information from us as to whether we are processing your personal information and if we are, to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. This is known as a ‘Subject Access Request’. If you wish to make a subject access request, please do this via recordsrequest@connecthealth.co.uk. You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal information or to exercise any of your other rights. However, we may charge a reasonable fee should your request be clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. We will do our best to respond to your request within 28 days. However if that is not possible due to the number or complexity of requests, we will notify you and keep you updated.
Where you have provided consent for us to process your personal information, please note that you have the right to withdraw this consent at any time.
1.5 Complaints
We aim to meet the highest standards when collecting and using personal information, however if you have any complaints or concerns about any aspect of this privacy policy and the ways in which we obtain, store, manage or destroy personal information, then please contact us via feedback@connecthealth.co.uk.
Alternatively, you can raise an issue, if you feel we have in any way handled your personal information unfairly or inappropriately, with the Information Commissioners Office. Further details on GDPR and information protection laws can also be found at the ICO website.
1.6 Security
The protection of privacy and confidentiality are given the highest priority, with all personal information being collected, held and used in strict compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Information Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018.
Information is retained in secure electronic and paper records and access is restricted to those who need to know. It is important that your information is kept safe and secure to protect your confidentiality. There are a number of ways in which your privacy is shielded:
- By removing your identifying information.
- By using an independent review process.
- By adhering to strict contractual conditions.
- By ensuring strict sharing or processing agreements are in place.
- By managing who has access to what information (user access controls).
Our staff have a common law and contractual duty of confidentiality to protect your information.
2 Reason for contacting us
This section of the privacy notice provides information that is specific to your reason for contacting us.
2.1 You are a patient
What information do we hold?
As providers of health care services, we have a legal duty to collect and process information relating to the creation of medical records.
We only hold information that is relevant to your care and treatment. This may include:
- Basic details such as name, address and contact details.
- Details of contact we have had with you throughout your treatment with us.
- Professional information (such as job title, role and duties) if your occupation is relevant to your care and treatment.
- Details of the services you have accessed.
- Treatment notes and reports about your health and any treatment you have received.
- Your feedback and treatment outcome information.
- Information surrounding complaints and incidents which may have arisen.
- Recordings of calls, inbound and outbound.
- Any other personal information we collect in the course of providing our services or in the course of operating our business.
What we do with your information?
We collect personal information about you which will be used to support the delivery of appropriate, high quality care and treatment and provide a medical diagnosis. For further information about our patient services, please see:
NHS Services
In general, we use your information to provide our services to you, including:
- To help inform decisions that we make about your care.
- Ensure your treatment is safe and effective.
- Record keeping and administration purposes.
- To safeguard children and vulnerable adults.
- To plan our services to ensure we can meet future needs.
- To review care provided to ensure it is of the highest possible standard.
- To train health care professionals.
- For research and statistical analysis.
- Providing you an opportunity to complete a satisfaction survey.
- Process and respond to complaints, concerns or incidents.
- Comply with other legal, professional or regulatory obligations imposed on us.
- Audit our services.
We may use third parties to help provide you with care and treatment. For example, PhysioNow, which is a digital self-assessment tool that helps you rapidly get the best care to manage your symptoms or injury, is powered by EQL’s Phio.
Lawful basis for processing
Although we will always seek your consent for the medical treatment itself, this is entirely separate from our data protection obligations. We rely on the following legal reasons for processing your personal information:
- Consent: We will tell you how your information will be used and seek your consent, where it can be freely given.
- Contractual necessity: We will process your personal information when it is necessary to perform a contract. For example, where we provide services to you that are fund by the NHS or your employer.
- Legal obligation: We will process your personal information when it is necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation (e.g. identity checks, external auditing).
- Legitimate interests: We will process your personal information when we or a third party have a legitimate interest in processing it (e.g. ensuring our business policies are adhered to or improving our business through research and statistical analysis). We only process for this reason if the legitimate interest is not overridden by your own interests or fundamental rights or freedoms.
- Perform a public task: For NHS patients the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.
Information pertaining to your health is classified as ‘special category information’. We will process this information on the basis that it is necessary for medical diagnosis, the provision of health care services and historical research purposes or statistical purposes.
Sharing your health record
We will not disclose any health information to third parties unless there are specific circumstances as outlined below:
- To provide the best possible care, it may be necessary to share your health information with others. For example, with your GP, a consultant or the hospital which treats you. We will discuss this with you and seek your consent.
- We will make it clear if we are providing a service as part of multi-agency team or partnership where we may be required to share your health information with the lead organisation.
- We may need to share limited and more general information as part of the contractual arrangements with the NHS or your employer (if they are funding the treatment).
- In exceptional situations, we may need to share information without your consent if:
– it is in the public interest – for example, there is a risk of death or serious harm.
– there is a legal need to share it – for example, to protect a child under the Children Act 1989.
– a court order tells us that we must share it.
– there is a legitimate enquiry from the police for information related to a serious crime.
Connect Health will always do its best to notify you of this sharing.
How the NHS and care services use your information
Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending Accident & Emergency or using Community Care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment.
The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance, to help with:
- improving the quality and standards of care provided.
- research into the development of new treatments.
- preventing illness and diseases.
- monitoring safety.
- planning services.
This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations. Confidential NHS patient information about your health and care is only used like this where allowed by law.
Most of the time, anonymised data is used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified in which case your confidential patient information isn’t needed.
You have a choice about whether you want your confidential NHS patient information to be used in this way. If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt-out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.
To find out more or to register your choice to opt-out, please visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters.
On this web page you will:
- See what is meant by confidential patient information.
- Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care.
- Find out more about the benefits of sharing data.
- Understand more about who uses the data.
- Find out how your data is protected.
- Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting.
- Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone.
- See the situations where the opt-out will not apply.
You can also find out more about how patient information is used at:
- https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/ (which covers health and care research); and
- https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/what-you-need-know (which covers how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made)
You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
How long we hold your health records for
As a Healthcare organisation we have a legal and regulatory obligation for health care records to be kept for a minimum period of time. We will typically keep your information for a period of 8 years after the end of your care.
NHS login
Please note that if you access our service using your NHS login details, the identity verification services are managed by NHS England. NHS England is the controller for any personal information you provided to NHS England to get an NHS login account and verify your identity, and uses that personal information solely for that single purpose. For this personal information, our role is a “processor” only and we must act under the instructions provided by NHS England (as the “controller”) when verifying your identity. To see NHS login’s Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions, please click here. This restriction does not apply to the personal information you provide to us separately.
2.2 Job applicants
What information do we hold?
We may hold the following types of information when processing your application:
- Name, address and date of birth.
- Details of your employment history and qualifications.
- References.
- Proof of your identity and right to work.
- Any other personal information we collect in the course of progressing your application.
What do we do with your information?
Connect Health holds information to assess your suitability for any role you have applied for.
More details about our vacancies can be seen here.
Lawful basis for processing
We rely on the following legal reasons for processing your personal information:
- Consent: We will process your personal information where you have given your consent.
- Contractual necessity: We will process your personal information when it is necessary to perform a contract you have entered into or in order to take steps at your request prior to entry into a contract.
- Legal obligation: We will process your personal information when it is necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation (e.g. right to work checks or to make reasonable adjustments you require under the Equality Act 2010).
- Legitimate interests: We will process your personal information when we have a legitimate interest in processing it (e.g. arranging interviews or assessments, ensuring our business policies are adhered to or improving our business by monitoring and recording information relating to our recruitment processes). We only process for this reason if the legitimate interest is not overridden by your own interests or fundamental rights or freedoms.
Additionally, if your application involves more sensitive information, which is classified as ‘special category information’, we may have obligations relating to employment and the safeguarding of your fundamental rights.
How long we keep it
We’ll use all the information you provide during the recruitment process to progress your application with a view to offering you an employment contract with us, or to fulfil legal or regulatory requirements if necessary.
We will only hold information as long as it is necessary for the recruitment processes.
2.3 Visitors to our offices
What information do we hold?
If you visit our offices, we may hold the following types of information about you:
- Name and contact details if you sign in and out at reception.
- Closed-circuit television (CCTV) recordings.
- Device details and activity information if you use our guest WiFi.
What do we do with your information?
We may ask you to sign in and out at reception to help us identify and supervise visitors. Particularly in the event of a fire or emergency.
Some of our offices have guest WiFi and closed-circuit television (CCTV). We need to hold and process limited device and information about your use of the guest WiFi to help us manage and secure our WiFi. We use CCTV systems to help provide safe and secure locations for our patients and staff.
We also provide services from building that we do not directly manage, which may have guest WiFi or CCTV that is not operated by us, so we are not the controller. It will be under the control of the relevant building landlord.
Lawful basis for processing
We rely on the following legal reasons for processing your personal information:
- Legitimate interests: We will process your personal information when we have a legitimate interest in processing it (e.g. to provide a safe and secure location for our patients and staff and maintain the integrity of our IT systems).
Sharing your visitor information
We would only share your visitor information in exceptional situations. For example, if:
- it is in the public interest – for example, there is a risk of death or serious harm.
- a court order tells us that we must share it.
- there is a legal need to share it – for example, to protect a child under the Children Act 1989.
How long we keep it
We will only hold visitor information as long as it is necessary to provide safe and secure locations for our patients and staff. CCTV recording are typically only held for a few weeks.
2.4 Attending an event and marketing
What we do with your information?
If you attend an event, we may ask for information to help us manage the event, such as your name and contact details. We will let you know if an online event may enable other attendees to view your name or contact details.
We maintain a contact list for marketing to business customers and partners, which may contain information such as name, contact details, role and organisation. We may use this information to invite individuals to specific events or to send them information about our services. At any point you can let us know that you no longer wish to receive marketing information.
Lawful basis for processing
We rely on the following legal reasons for processing your personal information:
- Consent: We will seek your consent where possible.
- Legitimate interests: We will process your personal information when we have a legitimate interest in processing it. For example, in order to manage events or maintain contact with existing or potential business customers.
How long we keep it
We will only hold event information as long as it is necessary to manage the event or series of events.
We will only hold contact information for marketing purposes whilst they appear current or until an individual has requested that it be deleted. Where an individual has opted out of marketing, we will retain limited information to help ensure that we do not send them further marketing messages.
2.5 Visitors to our website
What we do with your information?
This site uses cookies, which are small text files that are placed on your machine to help the site provide a better user experience. The purpose for implementing cookies is to maintain and monitor the performance of our website and to constantly look to improve the site and the services it offers to our users. Please see our Cookie Policy.
We also use analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns.
Lawful basis for processing
We rely on the following legal reasons for processing your personal information:
- Consent: We require your consent for the optional cookies we use.
- Legitimate interests: We will process your personal information when we have a legitimate interest in processing it. For example, in order to maintain the integrity of our IT systems and the continuity of our business.
How long we keep it
We will only hold visitor information as long as it is necessary to maintain the integrity of our IT systems and the continuity of our business.
2.6 Privacy notices
What is a privacy notice?
A privacy notice requires organisations to provide certain information about processing activities. A privacy notice is one way of providing information to individuals who this affects, This is sometimes referred to as a fair processing notice.
Connect Health is the trade name for Connect Physical Health Centres Ltd
The following sets out the terms and conditions of use of Connect Health’s website and associated online services. It is your responsibility to read and understand these terms which govern your viewing and use of the website and any of Connect Health’s associated online services.
If you do not agree with these terms and conditions, then please do not use Connect Health’s website or online services.
Information & Advice
Connect Health will not be liable for any personal injury, damage, harm or loss, physical or financial, direct or consequential, as a result of individuals accessing this site.
Connect Health shall not have any liability for any loss or damage arising out of the use of or reliance on the information and advice provided including specific exercises, advice on conditions or similar information, exercises and advice provided by other parties with links to/from this site.
Modifications
Connect Health reserve the right to make changes or corrections, alter, suspend or discontinue any aspect of the website, the content or services or products available through it, including your access to it. Unless explicitly stated to the contrary, any new features including new content, our provision of new products and services, or resources shall be subject to these terms and conditions.
Warranties
Whilst we have taken all reasonable care to ensure that the information and material contained on the website is accurate at the time of last revision, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to its accuracy, completeness or that it remains up to date.
You understand that we do not control or endorse content published on the site, which is supplied by or quotes the source of specific content from third parties. All such content, which is offered by third parties that are not affiliated with Connect Health or otherwise connected with us, is published in good faith. We do not in any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of such content published or used.
Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we accept no liability for any loss or damage of any nature whatsoever and howsoever arising out of or in connection with the viewing, use of performance of the website or its contents whether due to inaccuracy, error, omission or any other cause arising directly or indirectly from the use of the information or material contained on, or services offered by, this site and whether our part of the part of our servants, agents or any other person or entity.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your computer system meets all relevant technical specifications necessary to use the website and is compatible with the website. Connect Health cannot, and do not, guarantee or warrant that any material available for downloading from the website will be free from infection, viruses and/or other code that has contaminating or destructive properties. You are responsible for taking sufficient precautions and virus checks (including anti-virus and other security checks) to satisfy your particular requirements for the accuracy of data input and output and the inherent risks in using the internet. Connect Health accepts no responsibility for any loss you may suffer as a result of accessing or downloading information from this site.
Copyright
You are entitled to view copy and print documents from this site solely for your own non-commercial use, provided that you do not remove any copyright or other proprietary notices.
You may not sell, publish, reproduce, sub-license, assign, modify or change any portion of this website or any content and information contained within this site without our prior written consent.
Links
Should you leave this site via a link contained in this site and view content that is not provided by Connect Health, you shall do so at your own risk. We provide links only as a convenience and without liability. The ability to link to another website does not mean that we endorse or guarantee such site, site sponsor or site content. In addition, be aware that when you leave this website you will be subject to the terms and conditions of use of the websites you are visiting.
Privacy Policy
Connect Health has a Privacy Policy in place. You should read this policy carefully to understand how we will deal with any information or data you provide via this website.
Cookie Policy
This site uses cookies – small text files that are placed on your machine to help the site provide a better user experience. In general, cookies are used to retain user preferences, store information for things like shopping carts, and provide anonymised tracking data to third party applications like Google Analytics. As a rule, cookies will make your browsing experience better. However, you may prefer to disable cookies on this site and on others. The most effective way to do this is to disable cookies in your browser. We suggest consulting the Help section of your browser or taking a look at the About Cookies website which offers guidance for all modern browsers
Digital Health – Physitrack
Connect Health currently uses Physitrack, a web and iOS-based exercise app that allows clinicians to engage with patients around high-quality exercises and patient information, throughout the UK.
PhysioNow® (powered by Phio)
Connect Health currently uses PhysioNow, a digital self-assessment tool that helps you rapidly get the best care to manage your symptoms or injury, across many of its NHS services in the UK.
Developed using our clinical expertise, PhysioNow allows you to begin your care journey with us, at your convenience. Everything Phio collects is reviewed by a qualified health care professional who will understand which kind of care you require.
Phio is a platform developed by EQL, please refer to their privacy policy for specific terms of data use.
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