What happens during treatment?

During the first consultation I will take a detailed case history and use a number of different diagnostic methods to get a complete picture of your health and lifestyle, including taking a full medical history, reading your pulses, and looking at your tongue. I will ask questions about your current symptoms and your medical history, as well as your sleeping pattern, your appetite and digestion, and your emotional well-being. Women are also asked about their menstrual cycle and any past pregnancies and childbirth.

You might feel that some questions appear unrelated to your condition but the information you give helps your practitioner to form a more complete picture of your health.

Is acupuncture safe?

I follow the Acupuncture Foundation Professional Association (AFPA) Code of Safe Practice and take safety very seriously.  The needles I use are single-use, sterile and disposable. Some people feel tired after treatment and very occasionally, minor bruising may occur, but any such reaction will be short-lived.

What should I do before a treatment?

Try not to have a large meal within an hour of your appointment as the process of digestion will alter the pattern of your pulse, and you may need to lie on your abdomen. You should also avoid alcohol and food or drink that colours your tongue such as coffee or strong tea. It is a good idea to wear loose-fitting clothes so that the acupuncture points, especially those on your lower limbs, are easily accessible.

What does acupuncture feel like?

Acupuncture needles are much finer than needles used for injections and blood tests. When the needle is inserted, the sensation is often described as a tingling or dull ache.  Most people find acupuncture relaxing and often feel very calm after a treatment.

How many sessions will I need?

Frequency and number of sessions depend on your individual condition. Some change is usually felt within five or six treatments, although occasionally just one or two treatments are sufficient. Some people choose to have regular acupuncture to maintain good health.

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PRIVACY POLICY

I take the privacy rights of my patients very seriously. This privacy policy sets out how I deal with your ‘personal information’, that is, information that could identify, or is related to the identity of, an individual.

What personal information do I collect?

In order to treat you, I will ask you to provide certain information. This includes:

• Name

• Gender

• Date of birth

• Home address

• Email address

• Telephone number

• Medical history

To this, over time, I will add details of the conditions for which you have consulted me and the remedies and other therapies that I have prescribed or recommended.

How do I collect this personal information?

All the information collected is obtained directly from you. This is usually at the point of your initial consultation. The information is collected via a ‘consent form’ which I ask you to complete prior to the initial consultation or which I will complete at the initial consultation from the information you provide. At the point at which you provide your personal information, I will also request that you provide consent for me to store and use your data. Your consent is required in order to ensure my compliance with data protection legislation. Subsequently, I will add to this initial information with details of the consultations you hold with me.

How do I use this personal information?

I use your personal information to analyse the conditions for which you have consulted me and to prescribe remedies and other therapies.

I will communicate with you by telephone, by post, other digital methods and when necessary by email.

With whom do I share your personal information?

I do not share your personal information.

How long do I keep your personal information?

I need to keep your information for as long as you continue to consult me. Since patients often return for more consultations after a period of absence, I will keep your information for seven years after your last consultation. At that point, your file will be securely destroyed and any digital information will be erased from my computer systems. In the case of under 18's, information will be kept for 7 years after reaching the age of 18.

How your information can be updated or corrected

To ensure that I have accurate and up-to-date information, you need to inform me of any changes you believe I should make to the personal information I hold. You can do this by contacting me by any of the methods previously described.

Under data protection legislation, you have the right to inspect the personal information I hold about you. You can make a request to do so by contacting me and I will endeavour to respond within 14 working days.

How do I store your personal information?

My patient files are paper-based and are held securely within my private practice. I take steps to protect your personal information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorised access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification.

Your email address, if you have one, is held securely on the servers of my email providers, currently Vodafone and google mail.

Changes to this policy

This policy may change from time to time.

If I make any changes, I will notify you by revising the “Last Updated” date at the top of this Privacy Notice, and in some cases, I may provide you with additional notice (such as adding a statement to our website or sending you an email notification). If there are any material changes to this Privacy Notice, I will notify you more directly by email or by means of a notice on the website to the change becoming effective. I encourage you to review my Privacy Notice whenever you access the website to stay informed about my information practices and the ways you can help protect your privacy. If you disagree with any changes to this Privacy Notice and do not wish your information to be subject to the revised Privacy Notice, you will need to discontinue professional communications with me and stop using my services. Your use of my services after the posting of such changes shall constitute your consent to such changes.

Contact

If you have any queries about this policy, need it in an alternative format, or have any complaints about my privacy practices, please contact me:

Erika Hunt 

info@erikahunt.com

DATA PROTECTION POLICY

Scope of the policy

This policy applies to the work of Erika Hunt (hereafter referred to as 'EH’). The policy sets out the requirements that EH has in order to gather personal information for professional purposes. The policy details how personal information will be gathered, stored and managed in line with data protection principles and the General Data Protection Regulation. The policy is reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that the EH is compliant. This policy should be read in tandem with the EH's Privacy Policy.

Why this policy exists

This data protection policy ensures that EH:

• complies with data protection law and follows good practice

• protects the rights of patients

• is open about how he stores and processes patients’ data

• protects himself from the risks of a data breach

Data protection principles

The General Data Protection Regulation identifies 8 data protection principles.

Principle 1 - Personal data shall be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner

Principle 2 - Personal data can only be collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes

Principle 3 - The collection of personal data must be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary compared to the purpose(s) data is collected for

Principle 4 – Personal data held should be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. Every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that personal data that are inaccurate are erased or rectified without delay

Principle 5 – Personal data which is kept in a form which permits identification of individuals shall not be kept for longer than is necessary

Principle 6 - Personal data must be processed in accordance with the individuals’ rights

Principle 7 - Personal data must be processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures

Principle 8 - Personal data cannot be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Union unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of individuals in relation to the processing of personal data

Certain of these principles are expanded upon in the sections that follow

Lawful, fair and transparent data processing

EH requests personal information from patients and potential patients for the purpose of consulting with them and providing them with advice and guidance on acupuncture treatments. The forms used to request personal information will contain a privacy statement informing patients and potential patients why the information is being requested and what the information will be used for. Patients will be asked to provide consent for their data to be held and a record of this consent along with patient information will be securely held. Patients will be informed that they can, at any time, remove their consent and will be informed as to what to do should they wish to do so.

Processed for Specified, Explicit and Legitimate Purposes

Patients will be informed how their information will be used and EH will seek to ensure that patients’ information is not used inappropriately. Appropriate use of information provided by patients includes:

• Communicating with patients in order to make, change or cancel consultations

• Assessing the conditions and issues reported by patients and devising and prescribing relevant remedies and therapies

EH will ensure that patients’ information is managed in such a way as to not infringe an individual patient's rights which include:

• The right to be informed

• The right of access

• The right to rectification

• The right to erasure

• The right to restrict processing

• The right to data portability

• The right to object

Adequate, Relevant and Limited Data Processing

EH's patients will only be asked to provide information that is relevant to support consultations and prescription. This includes:

• Name

• Date of birth

• Gender

• Postal address

• Email address (if required)

• Telephone number

• Medical history

Where additional information may be required, this will be obtained with the specific consent of the patient who will be informed as to why this information is required and the purpose for which it will be used.

There may be occasional instances where a patient’s information needs to be shared with a third party due to an accident or incident involving statutory authorities. Where it is in the best interests of the patient or of EH, in these instances where EH has a substantiated concern, then consent does not have to be sought from the patient.

Accuracy of Data and Keeping Data up to Date

EH has a responsibility to ensure that patients’ information is kept up to date. Patients will be required to let EH know if any of their personal information changes.

Accountability and Governance

EH is responsible for ensuring that his practice remains compliant with data protection requirements and can provide evidence that it has. For this purpose, those from whom data is required will be asked to provide written consent. The evidence of this consent will then be securely held as evidence of compliance.

Secure Processing

EH has a responsibility to ensure that data is both securely held and processed. This includes:

• using strong passwords for information held within computer systems

• restricting access to computer and paper-based files

• using password protection on laptops and PCs that contain or access personal information

• using password protection or secure cloud systems

• providing adequate virus-protection and firewall software to secure computer-based systems.

Subject Access Request

EH’s patients are entitled to request access to the information that is held by EH. The request needs to be received in the form of a written request to EH.

On receipt of the request, the request will be formally acknowledged and dealt with within 14 days unless there are exceptional circumstances as to why the request cannot be granted. EH will provide a written response detailing all information held on the member. A record shall be kept of the date of the request and the date of the response.

Data Breach Notification

Were a data breach to occur, action shall be taken to minimise the harm. EH will inform any patients where she believes their personal information has been compromised. Where necessary, the Data Protection Commissioner's Office would be notified.

If a patient contacts EH to say that they feel that there has been a breach by EH, she will ask the patient to provide an outline of their concerns. If the initial contact is by telephone, EH will ask the patient to follow this up with a letter detailing their concern. The concern will then be investigated fully and a response made to the patient. Breach matters will be subject to a full investigation, records will be kept and all those involved notified of the outcome.

Erika Hunt Acupuncture Privacy Policy Version: 1.0

Effective: 25th May 2018

Last updated: 13th May 2020

CLINIC  LOCATION:

Crosshill

between Arigna & Keadue

Co. Roscommon   

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OPENING HOURS:

Monday: 10:00 - 18:00

Wednesday & Thursday: 11:00 - 19:00

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Call 0870578300 or email

info@erikahunt.com

What Our Patients Say

"I saw Erika as my husband and I had been trying unsuccessfully to start a family and were about to commence ivf treatment.  Erika was an amazing support and the acupuncture really helped with the side effects of treatment.  I really had very few side effects and found the treatment to be relaxing.  I became pregnant and continued the acupuncture throughout my pregnancy.  The acupuncture really helped keep nausea and heartburn at bay and I had a good pregnancy.  We are blessed now with baby Thomas and I really believe that Erika's support played a huge part in bringing him to this world.  I wholeheartedly recommend her."  Louise

"I started to have acupuncture 4 months ago because I had been having cluster headaches every week for the last 6 years. After having 5 sessions with Erika - who is lovely - I am feeling great, my headaches have completely gone and sleeping much better."  Angela

"A great result. I went along with sciatica, lower back and hip pain and after a course of acupuncture I'm back to normal. Many thanks Erika" Pat

"Acupuncture has been such a useful method which has enabled me to manage stress, muscle pain and reduce pain with menstural cramps. I discover new things about my body during the process and Erika is a lovely practitioner who has helped me with changing my lifestyle and provided me with helpful foods and herb tips too.” Charlotte

“I find acupuncture one of the most efficient ways to keep my energy balanced and manage stress and anxiety. Erika is very skilled and provides one of the best acupuncture services I have been able to use so far.” Ben

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