Privacy notice.
How we collect, use and protect information during enquiry, booking and autism assessment.
Who is responsible for your information
Illumina is the private autism assessment practice of Dr Dan Stevens (HCPC PYL36831) and Dr Jess Stock (HCPC PYL040377), Clinical Psychologists. We jointly decide how personal information is used for enquiries and assessments carried out through Illumina and act as joint data controllers for this processing. You can contact us at hello@illuminaautism.co.uk.
What information we collect
Depending on where you are in the assessment process, we may collect:
- name, date of birth and contact details;
- information you provide in an enquiry or booking;
- developmental, educational, medical and mental-health information;
- questionnaire and assessment responses;
- information from a parent, partner, family member or other developmental informant;
- relevant reports or records that you or another professional provide;
- clinical notes, formulation, diagnostic conclusions and recommendations;
- payment and basic administrative information.
Because an autism assessment involves health information, much of the information we process is special-category personal data.
Where information comes from
Most information comes directly from you. With your knowledge and where appropriate, we may also receive information from a parent or other informant, a referrer, or another professional involved in your care. We may review school reports, previous clinical reports or other records that you provide or authorise us to obtain.
Why we use it
We use personal information to respond to enquiries, decide whether our service is suitable, arrange appointments, carry out the assessment, reach and explain a clinical opinion, write your report, make recommendations, manage payment and administration, and meet professional or legal responsibilities.
For information needed to respond to your enquiry and provide the assessment service, we generally rely on the UK GDPR lawful basis of contract, including steps you ask us to take before entering into a contract. Because autism assessment involves health information, we also rely on the special-category condition for health or social care where processing is necessary for medical diagnosis or the provision of health care by regulated professionals. We may also process information where this is necessary to meet a legal obligation.
Where you have a genuine choice, such as whether we send a report to your GP or consult an external specialist, we will explain the choice and seek appropriate permission.
How long we keep records
We retain the substantive clinical assessment record for 20 years from the last clinical contact. At the end of that period, the record will be reviewed and securely deleted unless there is a professional, legal or safeguarding reason for continued retention. Enquiry, administrative and duplicate information that does not need to form part of the clinical record may be kept for a shorter period and deleted when it is no longer needed.
How we keep information secure
Access to assessment information is limited to people who need it for the purposes of the service. We use Google Workspace for routine business email and administration. For booked assessments, confidential clinical records and documents are held in a secure, purpose-built electronic clinical record system; Google Workspace is not used as the primary clinical record. We use access controls and two-factor authentication and will review the security, processor and data-transfer arrangements of each service we use.
Your data-protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights to access your information, ask for inaccurate information to be corrected, object to or restrict some uses, request erasure in some situations, or receive certain information in a portable format. Some rights are limited where clinical records need to be retained for professional, legal or safeguarding reasons.
You can contact us if you have a question about your information or want to exercise a data-protection right.
Questions or complaints about information
If you have a question about how we use your information, email hello@illuminaautism.co.uk. If you remain unhappy about how your personal information has been handled, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).