Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 2025. Welcome Care & Support ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you use our website, contact us, or use our care services. We process personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We are the data controller in respect of the personal data described below.

1. Who we are

Welcome Care & Support is a domiciliary care provider registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our registered address is: Aone Business Centre Gateshead, 3 Summerhill, Blaydon-on-Tyne NE21 4JR. Contact: info@welcomecare.co.uk, 01918 236771.

2. What personal data we collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

• Contact and identity: name, address, email address, phone number, and (where relevant) date of birth.
• Enquiry and communication data: content of messages you send us via the website contact form, email, or phone, and records of correspondence.
• Care-related data: where you or a family member receive or enquire about our services, we may hold information about care needs, preferences, and (with consent or where legally required) health-related information necessary to deliver safe, person-centred care.
• Technical and usage data: when you use our website, we may collect IP address, browser type, device information, and how you use the site. We use cookies and similar technologies as described in our Cookie Policy.

3. How we use your data and our legal basis

We use your personal data only where we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR:

• Contract: to provide care services, manage care plans, and communicate with you about your or your family member's care.
• Legitimate interests: to respond to enquiries, improve our website and services, run our business (e.g. administration, quality and safety), and protect our rights, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Consent: where we rely on consent (e.g. for certain marketing communications or non-essential cookies), you may withdraw it at any time.
• Legal obligation: where we must process data to comply with law (e.g. CQC, tax, or safeguarding requirements).
• Vital interests / public task: in limited circumstances, where necessary to protect someone's life or to carry out tasks in the public interest (e.g. safeguarding).

4. Who we share your data with

We do not sell your personal data. We may share it only where necessary with: (a) trusted service providers who help us run our business (e.g. IT, hosting, professional advisers), under strict confidentiality and data processing agreements; (b) regulators such as the CQC or the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) when required by law; (c) health or social care bodies (e.g. GPs, local authority) where necessary for care or safeguarding; (d) law enforcement or courts when required by law. We require all such parties to use your data only for the purposes we specify and in line with data protection law.

5. How long we keep your data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. For example: enquiry and contact data may be kept for a reasonable period to respond and follow up; care records are retained in line with CQC and legal requirements (typically several years after the end of care). After the retention period, we securely delete or anonymise the data.

6. Your rights under UK GDPR

You have the right to:

• Access your personal data (subject access request).
• Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Erasure ("right to be forgotten") in certain circumstances.
• Restrict processing in certain circumstances.
• Data portability— receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format where applicable.
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests or (where applicable) direct marketing.
• Withdraw consent where we rely on consent, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@welcomecare.co.uk or in writing at our address above. We will respond within one month. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

7. Security

We put in place appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. These include secure systems, access controls, and staff training. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure; we encourage you to use secure channels when sending us sensitive information.

8. International transfers

We generally store and process your data within the UK. If we ever transfer data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards (e.g. adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses) are in place as required by UK data protection law.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top will be revised, and we encourage you to review this page periodically. Significant changes may be communicated via the website or by email where appropriate.

10. Contact

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or our use of your personal data, contact us at info@welcomecare.co.uk, or write to: Welcome Care & Support, Aone Business Centre Gateshead, 3 Summerhill, Blaydon-on-Tyne NE21 4JR. Phone: 01918 236771.