Privacy Policy

Guasco and Associates Ltd is a limited company. We, as a veterinary practice, hold certain information appertaining to you and your animal(s) which is necessary to provide you with the efficient and personal service you expect.  

We process personal information to enable us to provide veterinary services, to promote our services, to maintain our accounts and records and to support and manage our employees.

We store personal data on our computer systems. These systems are based in the UK. We take care of your personal data and protect it not only under the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) but as a veterinary practice we are governed by the rules of the RCVS with regard to client confidentiality, so none of the data we have on file will be shared with a third party without your prior consent.

By visiting this website, you are accepting and consenting to the practices described in this policy. Please read it carefully to understand your rights regarding your personal data.

What information we collect and why

The majority of our information is obtained directly through our clients via telephone, SMS, email or other correspondence. This information may include personal details, including name, address(es), phone number(s), email address(es), animal(s) details. Other sources of information are found via the internet via company websites.

Guasco and Associates Ltd will collect, store, and use your Personal Information in accordance with applicable data protection laws and regulations, for purposes related to account management and debt recovery.

In the event of non-payment or overdue accounts, Guasco and Associates Ltd reserves the right to share your Personal Information with Third-Party Debt Collectors, including:

• Full name

• Contact details (email, phone number, postal address)

• Outstanding balance and account information

• Transaction history and any related financial information

Personal Information may also be shared with legal entities or government agencies where required by law or court order.

The purpose of sharing your Personal Information is to assist with the recovery of overdue amounts owed to Guasco and Associates Ltd , which may include, but is not limited to:

• Contacting you regarding the debt

• Arranging payment plans or settlement of the debt

• Enforcing payment obligations through legal action if necessary

Personal Information will only be shared to the extent necessary for the purpose of debt recovery.

Why we collect this information

  • To register you and your animal(s) on our practice management system

  • For internal record keeping and clinical governance

  • To communicate with you in connection with your animal(s) health

  • To record your animal(s) health and treatment history and apply relevant fees to your account, together with veterinary prescriptions and other goods purchased

  • To communicate with you for administrative purposes

  • To provide you with service communications that enable us to perform our obligations to you (these may be sent by email, post, telephone or SMS)

  • To inform you about the goods and services you already receive and additional goods and services we offer

  • To deal with legal queries and comply with legal obligations

Storing and sharing of information

You agree that, for the purpose set out above, we have the right to share your personal information with:

  • Selected third parties who we appoint (with your prior consent) to provide services or consult in relation to the treatment and care of your animal(s).

  • Additionally, we will disclose your personal information if we are acquired by a third party, if under duty to disclose your data to comply with legal obligations, to enforce our terms and conditions or to protect the rights or safety of our customers.

  • We retain personal data for the period reasonably necessary for us to perform and process our services. We will keep information for a maximum of 7 years after the end of our relationship with you unless we require the data in relation to a claim, for legal reasons or are required to remove data from our records.

  • We hold the following information: your name, address(es), telephone number(s), email address(es) alongside details of your horse(s) and their case history. These are stored on a secure practice management system, secured with a user name and password.

  • All electronic information (including radiographs and scans etc) are kept by us on secure servers. All archived paperwork is kept in our locked clinic office with limited access.

  • We may transfer your data outside the European Economic Area, e.g. animal transport/export, and will only do this on your specific instruction.

Your rights and accessing your personal data

You can exercise your rights at any time by contacting us at Guasco and Associates, Unit 1 & 2 North, Upper Slaughter Business Centre, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 2JJ or at office@guascoandassociates.com.

Under the GDPR, you have the right to:  

  • Request a copy of your personal information

  • Ask us not to process your personal data for marketing purposes

  • Ask us not to process your personal data where it is processed on the basis of legitimate interests, provided there are no compelling reasons for that processing

  • Ask us not to process your personal data for research purposes unless processing is necessary in the public interest

  • Request that any inaccurate personal information we hold about you is corrected or deleted

  • Request that we delete your personal information under certain circumstances, provided it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and there are no legitimate grounds for processing; the data is unlawfully processed; to comply with a legal obligation

  • Ask for the processing of the information to be restricted if the accuracy of the data is contested; the processing is unlawful; the personal data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected; you exercise your right to object

  • Ask for data portability if the processing is carried out by automated means and the legal basis for processing is consent or contract

  • Opt out of receiving electronic communications from us

Complaints

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), which is the supervisory authority for data protection in the UK. 

We politely request any complaints are made aware to us prior to contacting the ICO, so we may have the opportunity to take appropriate action to resolve the issues.

Updated October 2024

This policy may be amended at any time.