Personal data relating to our service users and their family members shall be kept securely in client files and on our cloud based database.  All data is secure and there is no unauthorized access to these files or the database. Types of data kept include:

• Names, addresses and contact details
• Information, including sensitive information, strictly necessary to the provision of an independent advocacy service
• Personal Data, Date of Birth and Ethnicity
• Meeting & Communication Records
• Correspondence & Reports

Personal data relating to members of the public or professionals making enquiries regarding accessing the advocacy service are recorded in the ‘Enquiries’ section of our database.  If enquiries lead to referrals, information is stored and kept in accordance to our policies and procedures relating to service users’ data.  Enquiries that do not lead to referrals are kept in ‘enquiries’ on the database for eighteen months to ensure that information is available if there is a follow-up enquiry and to inform statistical reports (although no personal data is included in these reports).  All ‘enquiry’ data is ‘anonymised’ eighteen months after the date of the enquiry.

We need to process this data if we are to provide someone with an advocacy service.

We will use this data for:

• Arranging appointments with yourself.
• Helping you understand your rights, options and processes relevant to your situation.
• Providing an advocacy service by making contact with relevant third parties related to your situation when you allow us to do so.
• Keeping notes of meetings and to store hard files relevant to your issue.
• Statistical purposes.

The legal bases for processing your data will depend on your individual circumstances. They are:

• That you have provided consent.
• That processing is necessary for the performance of a public task.
• That it is necessary to carry out a legal obligation.
• That it is in line with your legitimate interest.

We may also process ‘special category’ data in order to provide you with an advocacy service. The legal bases for processing your special category data are:

• You have given explicit consent.
• It is a legitimate activity of ASA (a non-profit making organisation) to ensure your rights are safeguarded, that you understand your situation and your options.
• It is necessary for the purposes of receiving an advocacy service.

ASA will not share your information with any other person or organisation unless you want us to. The only time we will share information without your consent will be if we have a concern for your safety, the safety of someone else or if we are made aware of a crime being committed.

We may provide some statistical information to funders. This would not include any information which could identify you such as your name, address or telephone number. This would include how long people have waited for a service or the amount of people who have enquired about a certain issue.

We use trusted cloud base providers for our data base and our emails. Some data will be stored on our secure internal server which is maintained by a trusted IT company.

ASA have clear guidelines on how long we process data for if you receive a service from us.

Working with Advocacy Service Aberdeen is optional and if you do not agree with your data being stored this way then you do not have to receive an advocacy service.

You have legal rights with regard to how ASA handles your data. You have the right to:

• Access your data and get copies of this.
• Make sure your data is up to date and accurate.
• In some situations, amend or erase any information following a change of circumstances.
• Ask us to stop processing your data.

You have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioners Office if you feel there has been an infringement of data protection law. If you are unhappy with the way in which we have handled your data, ASA would appreciate an opportunity to deal with your concerns in the first instance. If you wish to make a complaint to the Information Commissioners Office they can be contacted at www.ico.org.uk or on 01625 545 745.