Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Blackfords Footcare
Effective Date: 16 July 2026
Your privacy matters
At Blackfords Footcare, protecting your privacy is as important to us as providing excellent clinical care. We understand that the information you share with us is personal, confidential and often sensitive. Whether you are visiting our website, booking an appointment or receiving treatment, we are committed to handling your personal information responsibly, securely and in accordance with UK data protection law.
Blackfords Footcare is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We are committed to handling your personal information lawfully, fairly and transparently.
Who we are
Blackfords Footcare
Podiatry & Foot Health Clinic
229 Cannock Road
Chadsmoor
Cannock
Staffordshire
WS11 5DD
Email: blackfordsfootcare@gmail.com
Website: www.blackfordsfootcare.com
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we use your information, please contact us using the details above.
What information we collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:
Name
Address
Date of birth
Telephone number
Email address
Emergency contact details
Medical history
Medication information
GP details
Appointment history
Treatment records
Photographs of your feet (where clinically appropriate)
Payment information
Information submitted through our website contact forms
Technical information such as IP address, browser type and device information
Website usage data collected through cookies and Google Analytics
We only collect information that is necessary to provide safe, effective podiatry care or to improve your experience of using our website.
How we use your information
We use your information to:
Provide podiatry assessment and treatment
Arrange and manage appointments
Maintain accurate clinical records
Communicate with you regarding your care
Respond to enquiries
Process payments
Improve our website and services
Meet our legal and professional obligations
We will never sell your personal information.
Our lawful basis for processing
Under UK GDPR, we process your personal information because:
it is necessary to provide healthcare services requested by you
it is necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations when appointments are booked
it is necessary to comply with our legal and professional obligations as an HCPC-registered healthcare professional
where applicable, we rely on your consent for optional communications or services
Special category health information is processed only where permitted under UK GDPR for the provision of healthcare.
Clinical records and record retention
As a healthcare provider, Blackfords Footcare is legally and professionally required to maintain accurate clinical records.
Your records are stored securely and retained in accordance with UK legislation and the professional standards expected of HCPC-registered podiatrists.
Records are retained only for as long as necessary to meet our legal, regulatory and professional obligations.
Our current retention periods are based on NHS Records Management Code of Practice guidance and professional recommendations, including:
Adult patient records: Minimum of 8 years after your last appointment.
Children's records: Until the patient's 25th birthday, or 8 years after the last appointment if this is longer.
Following the applicable retention period, records are securely destroyed or permanently deleted where appropriate.
Whilst you have rights under UK GDPR, healthcare providers are legally required to retain certain clinical records for these minimum periods. This means we may not be able to comply with a request to delete clinical records immediately.
How your information is stored
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information.
Patient records are stored securely using Cliniko, our clinical practice management system.
Access to personal information is restricted to authorised personnel only.
Online bookings and payments
Appointments booked through our website are managed securely using Cliniko, our practice management system. The personal information you provide during the booking process is used to arrange and manage your appointments and forms part of your healthcare record where appropriate.
Where payment is required at the time of booking, transactions are processed securely through Stripe, our trusted payment provider, which is integrated with Cliniko. Blackfords Footcare does not store or have access to your full payment card details.
Both Cliniko and Stripe maintain their own robust privacy and security measures to help protect your personal information. We encourage you to review their respective privacy policies for further information about how they process your data.
Website analytics and cookies
Our website is hosted by Squarespace.
We use cookies and similar technologies to help the website function correctly and to understand how visitors use our website.
This includes the use of:
Google Analytics
Google Search Console
These services collect anonymous information such as pages visited, time spent on the website and general visitor behaviour. This information helps us improve our website and the services we provide.
You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings.
Third-party services
To provide our services, we use trusted third-party providers including:
Squarespace (website hosting)
Cliniko (appointment booking and clinical records)
Stripe (secure payment processing)
Google Analytics
Google Search Console
Google Business Profile
These organisations process personal information only where necessary to provide their services and are responsible for protecting the information they receive.
International transfers
Some of the third-party services we use, such as Squarespace, Google, Cliniko and Stripe, may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom.
Where this occurs, these organisations use appropriate safeguards to protect your information, including the use of Standard Contractual Clauses, adequacy regulations or other lawful mechanisms approved under UK data protection legislation.
We only use reputable providers that are committed to maintaining high standards of information security and data protection.
Sharing your information
We will only share your information where:
you have given consent
it is necessary for your healthcare
we are legally required to do so
it is required to protect you or another person from serious harm
Where appropriate, information may be shared with healthcare professionals involved in your care.
Data security
We take the security of your information seriously.
Measures we use include:
Secure, password-protected clinical software
Encrypted data transmission where available
Secure payment processing
Regular software updates
Access to patient information limited to authorised personnel only
Whilst every effort is made to protect your information, no method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
request access to your personal information
request correction of inaccurate information
request erasure where legally possible
request restriction of processing
object to processing
request data portability where applicable
lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
If you have concerns about how your information has been handled, we encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve the matter promptly.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation or the way we provide our services.
The latest version will always be available on this website.
Your rights
If you remain unhappy with how your information has been handled, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AFWebsite: https://ico.org.uk
Last updated: 16 July 2026