Privacy notice - Support With Confidence scheme - reference check process
Overview
This privacy notice covers the personal information provided by reference checks during the Support With Confidence application and membership renewal processes.
East Sussex County Council takes data protection seriously. Please be assured that your information will be used appropriately in line with data protection legislation, will be stored securely and will not be processed unless the requirements for fair and lawful processing can be met.
What information is being used?
In order to complete the reference check on our applicants and members, we will request the following personal data in order to contact the nominated referees: name, telephone number, postal address and email address.
The referee will be asked to provide Support With Confidence with information relating to the applicant’s or member’s employment history, experience, performance and service delivery.
The reference information provided by a referee may contain further personal information relating to the referee and or the applicant or member, for example information relating to their health.
How will your information be used?
The referee’s details and the information provided within their reference will only be used for Support with Confidence purposes and will not be used for any other purpose without the referee’s permission.
We will use the reference information to either:
- complete a reference check on an applicant prior to their approval as a member of the scheme
- complete a reference check as part of the quality monitoring process during their membership renewal
Reference information will be recorded within membership records. These records are only accessible to the Support With Confidence team.
We aim to maintain high standards, adopt best practice for our record keeping and regularly check and report on how we are doing. Your information is never sold for direct marketing purposes.
Our staff are trained to handle your information correctly and protect your confidentiality and privacy.
Your information is processed in the UK or in a country with an adequacy agreement with the UK.
What is the legal basis for processing your information?
Applicants and members are asked to seek and confirm consent from the referee, before providing the referee details to us.
The reference information provided will be processed as described within the ‘How will your information be used’ section.
How long will your information be kept for?
Support With Confidence will retain the reference information for a period of 6 years from the date the membership ceases.
Sharing your information
Reference information will only be used for the purposes of the reference check for the scheme application and membership renewal purposes.
Copies of references will only be provided to applicants and members if the referee has given permission for us to share the information.
Any sharing of personal data is always done:
- on case-by-case basis
- using the minimum personal data necessary
- with the appropriate security controls in place
- in line with legislation.
Information is only shared with those agencies and bodies who have a "need to know" or where you have consented to the sharing of your personal data to such persons.
We may use the information we hold about you to assist in the detection and prevention of crime or fraud. We may also share this information with other bodies that inspect and manage public funds.
Your rights
Under data protection legislation, you have the right:
- to be informed why, where and how we use your information
- to ask for access to your information
- to ask for your information to be corrected if it is inaccurate or incomplete
- to ask for your information to be deleted or removed where there is no need for us to continue processing it
- to ask us to restrict the use of your information
- to ask us to copy or transfer your information from one IT system to another in a safe and secure way, without impacting the quality of the information
- to object to how your information is used
- to challenge any decisions made without human intervention (automated decision making)
Please visit data subject rights for further details.
How to find out more or complain
Should you have any further queries on the uses of your information, please speak directly to our service:
Email: Support with Confidence
Phone: 01323 463440
Write:
Support With Confidence
Adult Social Care & Health
East Sussex County Council
County Hall
St Anne’s Crescent
Lewes BN7 1UE
To complain about the use of your information, please contact our Customer Services Team or our Data Protection Officer.
Further information on making a complaint.
You can also contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for further information or to make a complaint:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113 (local rate)