Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy – Quick Summary

 

- We only collect information needed to support unpaid carers and to run our charity safely and lawfully.

- We keep your information secure and confidential.

- We never sell your personal data.

- We only share information when necessary, lawful, and usually with your consent.

- Health information is handled with extra care.

- You can ask to see, change, or delete your information at any time.

- You can opt out of communications whenever you choose.

 

Full details are explained below.

 

1. Who we are

Dochas Centre is an independent Scottish charity supporting unpaid adult carers across Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands (MAKI).

  • Charity number: SC029821

  • Address: Dochas Centre, 50 Campbell Street, Lochgilphead, Argyll PA31 8JU

  • Telephone: 01546 600 022

  • Email: enquiries@dochas.scot

For the purposes of UK data protection law, Dochas Centre is the data controller, meaning we decide how and why your personal data is used.

We also work with trusted organisations that process data on our behalf (for example, IT or payroll providers). These organisations act as data processors and must follow our instructions and keep your information secure.

 

2. When we collect personal information

We may collect personal information when you:

  • Register with us as a carer

  • Are referred to us by another organisation

  • Contact us by phone, email, post, social media or via our website

  • Attend events, groups, training or appointments

  • Apply to work or volunteer with us

  • Make a donation or join our supporters’ activities

We may keep brief records of our contact with you (for example, calls, visits or emails) to help us provide safe, consistent and appropriate support.

 

3. What information we collect

A. Unpaid carers / service users

We may collect:

  • Name, address, telephone number and email address

  • Date of birth or age

  • Information about your caring role and circumstances

  • Equality monitoring information (such as ethnic background), where needed

  • Health information relevant to the support we provide

  • Limited financial information (for example, if you apply for or receive a grant)

  • Emergency contact details

B. Donors and supporters

We may collect:

  • Contact details

  • Donation history and payment information

  • Gift Aid declarations

  • Communication preferences

C. Employees and volunteers

We may collect:

  • Recruitment and application information

  • Employment or volunteering history

  • PVG / Disclosure Scotland check details (where required)

  • Training records

  • Payroll and bank details (for employees)

  • Emergency contact details

We aim to collect only the information we need for each purpose.

 

4. How and why we use your information (purposes and lawful bases)

UK GDPR requires us to have a lawful basis for each way we use personal data.

A. Carer support and service delivery

Purpose

Examples of data used

Lawful basis

Provide information, advice and support

Contact details, caring circumstances

Contract and Legitimate interests

Arrange and deliver activities or events

Attendance lists, accessibility needs

Contract / Legitimate interests

Safeguarding and risk management

Relevant case information

Legal obligation / Vital interests

Respond to enquiries

Contact details, enquiry content

Legitimate interests

Improve and plan services

Feedback, anonymised data

Legitimate interests

B. Reporting and statutory requirements

Purpose

Data used

Lawful basis

Reporting to funders or commissioners

Usually anonymised or pseudonymised data

Legitimate interests / Legal obligation

Statutory or government‑required reporting

Pseudonymised service data

Legal obligation / Public task

C. Employment and volunteering

Purpose

Data used

Lawful basis

Recruitment and safe selection

Applications, references, checks

Contract / Legal obligation / Legitimate interests

Payroll and HR administration

Bank details, employment records

Contract / Legal obligation

D. Fundraising and communications

Purpose

Data used

Lawful basis

Newsletters, events and fundraising updates

Contact details, preferences

Consent or limited Legitimate interests

You can change your communication preferences at any time.

 

5. Special category (sensitive) data

Some information we collect is classed as special category data, such as health information.

We only process this information where:

  • You have given explicit consent, or

  • It is necessary to provide social care or support services, with appropriate safeguards in place.

You may withdraw your consent at any time.

 

6. Where we obtain information

We may receive information from:

  • You directly

  • Another organisation referring you

  • Health or social care partners

  • Family members helping you access support

Where we receive information from another source, we will provide privacy information within the required timeframes unless an exemption applies.

 

7. Who we share information with

We never sell your personal data.

We may share information when necessary and lawful, including with:

  • IT and case‑management system providers

  • Payroll providers

  • Professional advisers (e.g. auditors)

  • Organisations you ask us to refer you to

  • Health and Social Care Partnership services where required

  • Statutory bodies where required by law (e.g. safeguarding or court orders)

Where it is safe and lawful to do so, we will inform you about any sharing.

 

8. International transfers

Some suppliers (such as cloud or analytics providers) may store or process data outside the UK.

Where this happens, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as UK adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

 

9. How we keep your information secure

We use physical, technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including:

  • Secure, password‑protected systems

  • Restricted access to personal data

  • Secure storage and disposal of paper records

  • Staff and volunteer training on data protection

  • Procedures for identifying and managing data breaches

 

10. Marketing preferences

We will only contact you for marketing purposes (such as newsletters, events and fundraising updates) where we have a lawful basis to do so.

You can manage your preferences or unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe or preference links included in our emails, which are provided through our email platform (Mailchimp).

You can also contact us if you need help updating your preferences:

  • Email: enquiries@dochas.scot

  • Telephone: 01546 600 022

  • Post: Dochas Centre, 50 Campbell Street, Lochgilphead, Argyll PA31 8JU

Unsubscribing from marketing communications will not affect any support services you receive from us.

 

11. Cookies and website analytics

Our website uses cookies to help it function and to understand how visitors use it.

  • Essential cookies are required for the website to work.

  • Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4) are used only if you give consent via our cookie banner.

Analytics reports do not identify you personally.
You can also manage cookies through your browser settings.

Information submitted via website contact forms is used only to respond to your enquiry.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites we link to.

 

12. How long we keep your information

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected and to meet legal requirements, after which it is securely deleted or destroyed.

Typical retention periods include:

  • Carer support records: up to 6 years after last contact

  • Volunteer records: up to 6 years

  • Employee records: in line with employment and tax law

  • Financial and Gift Aid records: at least 7 years

We may keep anonymised data indefinitely for reporting and service improvement.

 

13. Your rights

You have rights under UK GDPR, including the right to:

  • Be informed

  • Access your personal data

  • Correct inaccurate data

  • Request deletion (where applicable)

  • Restrict or object to processing

  • Data portability

  • Withdraw consent (where consent is used)

To exercise your rights, contact enquiries@dochas.scot.
We may need to verify your identity before responding.

 

14. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, please contact us first.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

 

15. Information about children

Dochas Centre provides services to adult unpaid carers only.

We do not hold personal data about children as service users. However, limited information about a child or young person may be recorded only where they are the cared‑for person of an adult carer who is registered with us (for example, a parent caring for a disabled child).

In these cases, we record only the information necessary to support the adult carer and to meet our legal and safeguarding responsibilities. Children’s information is handled with the same high standards of confidentiality and security as all personal data.

We do not provide online services directly to children and do not knowingly collect personal data from children independently of an adult carer’s record.

 

16. Changes to this policy

We review this Privacy Policy annually and may update it from time to time.
Any significant changes will be highlighted on our website.