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Privacy Policy

NorthPaw Vets

Last updated: 19 May 2026

Welcome to NorthPaw Vets’ Privacy Policy.

At NorthPaw Vets, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you register with us, use our veterinary services, contact us, visit our website, complete an online form, or interact with us in any other way.

This Privacy Policy also explains your privacy rights and how the law protects you.

 

1. Important Information and Who We Are

Purpose of this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how NorthPaw Vets collects and processes your personal data, including data you provide when you:

  • register yourself or your pet with us;

  • book an appointment;

  • use our veterinary services;

  • request medication or prescriptions;

  • complete forms on our website;

  • contact us by telephone, email, social media, website form or in person;

  • sign up to a health plan, reminders, updates or marketing communications.

Our website and services are not intended for children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data relating to children.

Controller

NorthPaw Vets is the data controller responsible for your personal data. In this policy, “NorthPaw Vets”, “we”, “us” or “our” refers to the veterinary practice responsible for processing your personal data.

Contact Details

NorthPaw Vets
[Insert full practice address]
Chester-le-Street
[Insert postcode]

Email: [insert practice email address]
Telephone: [insert practice telephone number]

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us using the details above.

Complaints

You have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues. However, we would appreciate the opportunity to deal with your concerns first, so please contact us before approaching the ICO.

Website: www.ico.org.uk

 

2. The Data We Collect About You

Personal data means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified.

We may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about you, including:

Identity Data

This may include your first name, surname, title and, where relevant, your date of birth.

Contact Data

This may include your home address, email address, telephone number and emergency contact details.

Pet Data

This may include your pet’s name, species, breed, age, sex, microchip number, insurance details, medical history, vaccination history, medication history, laboratory results, clinical notes, treatment plans and other veterinary records.

Financial Data

This may include payment card details, direct debit details, bank account details, invoices, payment records and account balances.

Transaction Data

This may include details about payments to and from you, products and services you have purchased from us, medication orders, prescription requests, health plan membership and appointment history.

Technical Data

When you use our website, we may collect technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, time zone setting and other technology used to access our website.

Usage Data

This may include information about how you use our website, online forms, services and communications.

Marketing and Communication Data

This may include your preferences in receiving marketing, reminders or other communications from us, and your communication preferences.

CCTV or Image Data

If we use CCTV within the practice, we may collect images or recordings for safety, security and crime prevention purposes. Notices will be displayed where CCTV is in operation.

Aggregated Data

We may also use aggregated or anonymised data, such as statistical information. This data does not identify you personally.

Special Category Data

We do not usually need to collect special category data about you, such as information about your health, ethnicity, religious beliefs, political opinions or sexual orientation. If we ever need to process this type of data, we will only do so where there is a lawful basis.

 

3. If You Do Not Provide Personal Data

Where we need to collect personal data by law, under the terms of a contract with you, or to provide veterinary services, and you fail to provide that data, we may not be able to provide our services.

For example, if you do not provide accurate contact details or pet information, we may be unable to register your pet, provide treatment, supply medication, contact you about results, or send important reminders.

 

4. How Your Personal Data Is Collected

We may collect personal data in the following ways:

Directly From You

You may give us your personal data when you:

  • register with the practice;

  • complete a new client or new pet registration form;

  • book an appointment;

  • attend a consultation;

  • request medication, food, prescriptions or repeat treatments;

  • join a health plan;

  • contact us by phone, email, social media, website form or in person;

  • provide feedback or complete surveys;

  • make payments.

Automatically

When you use our website, we may collect technical and usage data through cookies or similar technologies. Please see our Cookie Policy for further details, if available.

From Third Parties

We may receive personal data from third parties, including:

  • previous veterinary practices;

  • referral centres;

  • laboratories;

  • insurance companies;

  • microchip databases;

  • payment providers;

  • health plan providers;

  • IT and website service providers;

  • public sources where appropriate.

 

5. How We Use Your Personal Data

We will only use your personal data when the law allows us to. The lawful bases under UK GDPR include consent, contract, legal obligation and legitimate interests.

We may use your personal data for the following purposes:

Purpose

Type of Data

Lawful Basis

To register you and your pet as clients of NorthPaw Vets

Identity, Contact, Pet Data

Performance of contract; legitimate interests

To provide veterinary care, treatment and advice

Identity, Contact, Pet Data

Performance of contract; legitimate interests

To book and manage appointments

Identity, Contact, Pet Data

Performance of contract; legitimate interests

To maintain clinical records

Identity, Contact, Pet Data

Legal obligation; legitimate interests

To provide medication, repeat prescriptions, parasite treatment and health plan services

Identity, Contact, Pet, Financial and Transaction Data

Performance of contract; legal obligation; legitimate interests

To process payments and manage accounts

Identity, Contact, Financial and Transaction Data

Performance of contract; legal obligation

To communicate test results, reminders and clinical information

Identity, Contact, Pet Data

Performance of contract; legitimate interests

To send vaccination, parasite treatment, medication or appointment reminders

Identity, Contact, Pet Data

Legitimate interests; consent where required

To respond to enquiries and complaints

Identity, Contact, Communication Data

Legitimate interests; legal obligation

To manage insurance claims or communicate with insurers

Identity, Contact, Pet, Financial and Transaction Data

Performance of contract; legitimate interests

To improve our services, website and client experience

Technical, Usage, Profile and Communication Data

Legitimate interests

To send marketing communications, offers or updates

Identity, Contact, Marketing Data

Consent; legitimate interests where legally appropriate

To protect our business, staff, clients, patients and premises

Identity, Contact, CCTV/Image Data

Legitimate interests; legal obligation

To comply with legal, regulatory, tax and accounting obligations

Identity, Contact, Financial, Transaction and Pet Data

Legal obligation

 

6. Marketing Communications

We may contact you with information about our services, pet healthcare, health plans, offers, practice updates or educational content where you have consented to this or where we are otherwise legally permitted to do so.

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting us.

We will still send you important service or clinical communications where necessary, such as appointment information, medication updates, laboratory results, vaccination reminders or information relating to your pet’s care.

You have an absolute right to object to your personal data being used for direct marketing.

 

7. Cookies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve website functionality, understand website usage and support online services.

Some cookies may be essential for the website to work. Others may be optional and used only with your consent.

For more information, please see our Cookie Policy, if available.

 

8. 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 compatible reason.

If we need to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, we will notify you and explain the lawful basis that allows us to do so.

 

9. Disclosures of Your Personal Data

We may share your personal data with third parties where necessary, including:

  • veterinary laboratories;

  • referral veterinary centres;

  • out-of-hours providers;

  • pet insurance companies;

  • microchip databases;

  • payment providers;

  • health plan providers;

  • IT, website and communication service providers;

  • accountants, lawyers, bankers, insurers and other professional advisers;

  • HM Revenue & Customs, regulators, law enforcement agencies or other authorities where required;

  • business purchasers or successors if NorthPaw Vets is sold, transferred or reorganised.

We require third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law.

We do not sell your personal data.

 

10. International Transfers

Some of our service providers may use systems or servers located outside the UK or European Economic Area.

Where your personal data is transferred outside the UK or EEA, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

 

11. Data Security

We have put in place appropriate security measures to help prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used, accessed, altered or disclosed without authorisation.

Access to your personal data is limited to those members of staff, contractors and service providers who have a business need to know.

We also have procedures in place to deal with suspected personal data breaches. Where legally required, we will notify you and the relevant regulator.

 

12. Data Retention

We will only keep your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which we collected it, including legal, accounting, tax, regulatory, insurance and reporting requirements.

In most cases, we may retain client, patient, financial and transaction records for up to six years after you cease to be a client, or longer where required for legal, regulatory, insurance or clinical reasons.

Veterinary clinical records may need to be retained for an appropriate period to support ongoing patient care, professional obligations, legal claims or insurance matters.

In some circumstances, you may ask us to delete your personal data. However, the right to erasure is not absolute and only applies in certain circumstances.

 

13. Your Legal Rights

Under data protection law, you may have the right to:

  • request access to your personal data;

  • request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;

  • request erasure of your personal data in certain circumstances;

  • object to processing of your personal data;

  • request restriction of processing;

  • request transfer of your personal data;

  • withdraw consent where we rely on consent.

The ICO confirms that individuals have rights including access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability and objection.

No Fee Usually Required

You will not usually have to pay a fee to exercise your rights. However, we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse to comply if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive.

Identity Verification

We may need to request information from you to confirm your identity before responding to your request.

Time Limit

We aim to respond to valid requests within one month. If your request is complex or you have made multiple requests, we may need longer, and we will let you know.

 

14. Glossary

Consent

You have given clear permission for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose.

Performance of Contract

Processing your personal data where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract.

Legal Obligation

Processing your personal data where it is necessary for us to comply with the law.

Legitimate Interests

Processing your personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include providing veterinary care, managing our practice, improving services, protecting our business and communicating with clients in ways they would reasonably expect.

External Third Parties

Service providers, advisers, regulators, insurers, laboratories, referral centres and other third parties who may process data in connection with our services.

 

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact:

NorthPaw Vets
Unit 3 St Cuthberts Walk Chester Le Street Durham, DH3 3YQ
Email: info@northpawvets.co.uk
Telephone: 0191 3037377

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