Welcome to the Independent Vetcare Ltd, privacy notice. 

Independent Vetcare Ltd is part of IVC Evidensia, a global leader in veterinary care. See our website www.ivcevidensia.com for details.

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data.

This notice explains how we collect, use, and protect information about you, who we may share it with, and the rights that you have. This notice covers most of the ways in which you will interact with us, through the website, in our practices, on social media or via our Apps. 

It is important that you read this notice carefully so that you understand how we look after and process your personal data, and so that you are aware of your privacy rights and how the law protects you.

If we need to use your personal data in different ways, or for reasons not covered by this notice, we will let you know.  This could include notifications, signage in specific locations or other messages. We will also update this notice from time to time.

Please also note that this notice does not apply to data about your animal, which are covered by the Royal College of Veterinary Service (RCVS) guidelines. Data related solely to animals is not subject to data protection law.

What is included in this privacy notice?

1. Important information and who we are
2. The personal data we collect and how we use it
3. How we collect your personal data
4. Who we share your personal data with
5. International transfers
6. Keeping your personal data secure
7. Data retention
8. Being in control of your own information
9. Changes to this privacy notice and your duty to inform us of changes
10. Who we are

Controller

For the purpose of the UK General Data Protection Regulation, Independent Vetcare Ltd (‘IVC UK’) is registered as a Data Controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK with reference number Z3212973, (collectively referred to as “IVC UK”, “we”, “us” or “our” in this privacy notice)

IVC UK also includes all of our clinics, and also the brands Pet Health Club, My Family Vets, and Pet Drugs Online (PDOL). 

Personal data processed by any company within the group will also be made available to other Group companies where we need to – for example, to provide or support our services to you, where we are under a legal obligation, or if you have given us your consent (for example for marketing purposes). 

You can find a list of companies in the IVC Evidensia Group (“IVC Group”) here, which includes brands such as Easy Direct Debits, VetsNow, PetAir, Pawsquad amongst others, which may be registered as separate Controllers with the ICO.

Contact Details

IVC UK has appointed a Data Protection Officer. If you have any questions about this notice, including any requests to exercise your legal rights, please contact them:

• By post – FAO: Data Protection Officer, The Chocolate Factory, Keynsham, Bristol, BS31 2AU
• By email – privacy@ivcevidensia.com.   

Other Controllers

Where you use our websites and click on external links, or visit our social media pages, your personal data may also be processed by the providers of those services – for example Meta (Facebook) or Twitter. Those sites will collect further information about you for their own purposes, separately from IVC Group.

Where we also use the data they collect, IVC Group might also be jointly responsible with the other company for determining how and why your personal data is used, and making sure that it is protected.

The personal data we collect and how we use it

Data that we collect may include:

• Contact details such as your name and address, including email and social media account information if you contact us that way, and location information where we are referring you to local services;
• Information about services you have used or requested, customer service information such as compliments or complaints, opinions and survey responses, contact preferences, and information which our employees might record as they provide services to you or your animals. This may also include recording calls you make to some of our services;
• Financial information, including payments made, account and credit status;
• Information about how you use our websites and online services including social media pages, including technical identifiers such as cookies or via your browser’s consent management options (more information here);

We will collect these data so that:

• We can provide the services you are using or have requested, and manage payment for them as part of our contract with you;
• We can improve our services to you and other customers, including gathering feedback from you via surveys, as part of our legitimate business interests;
• We can manage our online and other services effectively and securely, as part of our legitimate business interests and legal obligations to you;
• We can meet legal and regulatory obligations, to prevent or detect crime, or in the public interest, including protection of animal welfare;
• We can provide you information about products and services that may be of interest, as part of our legitimate business interests and, where necessary, subject to your consent.  This may include using your contact details to get in touch, where we feel there would be a health benefit to your animal.

If you do not want us to use some of your personal data, we may not be able to provide services to you – for example payment data or contact details.

We do not normally collect or use ‘special category’ data, such as religion, sexuality, or health data.

How we collect your personal data

We use different methods to collect data. These include:

1. a) Directly from you – you may give us any of the above information by subscribing to one of our health plans or contacting us via social media, telephone, post, email, or face-to-face in one of our clinics. We may also collect data if you attend any events that we are participating in.
2. b) Automated technologies or interactions – as you interact with our website, we will automatically collect technical data about your equipment, browsing actions and patterns. We collect this personal data by using cookies, server logs and other tracking technologies. We may also receive this technical data about you if you visit other websites which employ our cookies – click hereto read about how we use our cookies.
3. c) Third parties – we may receive information about you from third parties such as:

• Contact, financial and transaction data from providers of technical, payment and delivery services;
• Advertising networks (based on your cookie consent);
• Analytics providers;
• Credit reference agencies;
• Where your pet is referred to us from another practice, information that practice holds about you;
• Other IVC Evidensia Group companies;
• Debt recovery agencies;
• Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons;
• Other veterinary specialists, laboratories and animal health providers and agencies, where the personal data cannot be anonymised or is otherwise necessary.

Where we have received information from other sources, we will have informed you when we collected that data that it may be shared internally and combined with the data that we collect about you from your use of this website.

We do not normally collect or use ‘special category’ data, such as religion, sexuality, or health data.

Lawful basis for processing your personal data

Depending on the processing activity, we rely on at least one of the following lawful bases for processing your personal data under the UK GDPR:

• Consent – where you have given us your explicit consent (or implied consent where appropriate), for example for marketing;
• Contract – where it is necessary for entering into or the performance of a contract with you, for example where we are treating your animal;
• Legal Obligation – where it is needed to comply with a legal obligation that is imposed on us, for example for passing on animal welfare concerns or responding to legal orders;
• Legitimate Interest – where it is necessary for our legitimate interest (or those of a third party) to improve your overall customer experience and achieve the purposes set out above and your fundamental rights do not override those interests;
• Vital interest – where it is necessary in an emergency situation, such as emergency medical care;
• Public task – where it is necessary for the performance of a specific task that is in the public interest that is set out in law.

If you fail to provide your information

If you fail to provide certain information when requested (such as your payment card details), we will not be able to sign your pet up to a health plan and you will not receive any associated benefits.

Marketing

You can ask us to stop sending you marketing messages at any time by clicking “unsubscribe” on our emails or asking your practice to change your preferences. If you have provided your consent, click here for information on how you can reject cookies and opt out of targeted advertising online.

We may ask you to confirm or update your marketing preferences if you ask us to provide further products and services in the future, or if there are changes in the law, regulation, or the structure of our business.

Change of purpose

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. If you wish to get an explanation as to how the processing for the new purpose is compatible with the original purpose, please contact us at privacy@ivcevidensia.com.

Please note, we may process your personal data without your knowledge or consent, in compliance with the above rules, where this is required or permitted by law.

Who we share your personal data with

As well as using service providers to support our business (data processors), we might share information with other separate organisations who are also Controllers. This may include:

• Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons;
• Other veterinary specialists, laboratories and animal health providers and agencies, where the personal data cannot be anonymised or is otherwise necessary;
• Insurance and related companies, and other professional and legal advisors;
• Debt recovery agencies;
• Law enforcement, fraud prevention agencies and other public authorities;
• Companies approved by you (such as social media sites).

Where any part of our business is outsourced, sold, or merged, and where permitted by law, we will share your data with the new provider so that services can continue to be provided to you. They may use your personal data in the same way as set out in this policy. We will of course inform you of any such change and give you an opportunity to opt out of your data being shared with a new provider.

International Transfers

IVC Evidensia is multinational company, and some of our business processes may take place outside of your own country. We ensure that your data continues to be protected to the same standards by:

• Ensuring that the country has been agreed by data protection regulators to provide an adequate level of protection; or
• Making sure that regulator-approved contracts are in place to protect your data and rights (including standard contractual clauses) which ensure your personal data receives adequate protection.

IVC Evidensia in Europe and the United Kingdom (UK) currently uses service providers in the following countries/regions:

• The United Kingdom (UK) and Isle of Man
• The European Union (EU) /European Economic Area (EEA)
• The United States of America (USA)
• India

Please contact us at privacy@ivcevidensia.com if you want further information on the specific safeguards used by us when transferring your personal data out of the UK.

Keeping your personal data secure

We have security and other measures in place to help protect your data and limit how it can be access or used, and to identify and handle suspected breaches of personal data and other security threats

We limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors, and service providers who have a need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions, and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality and other

contractual terms to protect your data.

If you would like to know more about how to protect your information and your computer and devices against fraud, identity theft, viruses and other online problems, please visit Get Safe Online. Get Safe Online is supported by HM Government and leading businesses.

Data retention

We will retain your data for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, tax or reporting requirements.  In most cases, client personal data will be retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date at which we stopped providing services to you.

Being in control of your own information

Under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act and EU data protection law you have some important rights available to you. In connection with these rights, you may:

• Request information about how we are using your data 
• Request a copy of your personal data 
• Request that we correct any personal data that is inaccurate 
• Request that we do not make any automated decisions based on your data (do not worry, we do not) 
• Request that we delete your data 
• Where you have been asked for and given us your consent, withdraw that consent 
• Request that we stop processing all or part of your data  
• Request that we transfer elements of your personal data to another service provider 

Right to object

Your privacy rights include the right to object or restrict or suspend us from processing your personal data in certain circumstances. If you do object to, restrict or suspend our processing of your personal data, we may not be able to provide services to you. 

Some of these rights may be limited in some circumstances, or subject to exemptions.  If you want to exercise your rights, or to make a complaint, please complete a Rights request form or contact us at privacy@ivcevidensia.com.   

If we cannot resolve a complaint as you would wish, you may also make a complaint to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) via their website, or via your local EU regulator.

Changes to this privacy notice and your duty to inform us of changes

We keep our privacy notice under regular review, and will update it from time to time If we do, we will post the revised version here and change the date below (the date it applies from) and/or contact you directly where we deem appropriate to do so under applicable law.  You should check here regularly for the most up-to-date version of the notice.

This version was last updated on 31 May 2024.

It is important that the personal data we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if your personal data changes during your relationship with us by contacting privacy@ivcevidensia.com or by visiting/contacting your practice directly.