Privacy Policy

Last updated: 19 August 2026

About this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Care First Clinics handles personal data when you visit or use this website, read editorial health content, contact us, interact with site features or click through to third-party websites. Care First Clinics is an independent editorial health information website and does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment, prescriptions, clinical consultations, patient registration, appointment booking or emergency assistance.

Important medical privacy note

Please do not send confidential medical records, test results, prescription details, photographs of symptoms, NHS numbers, insurance details or other sensitive health information unless specifically requested with a clear explanation. If health information is voluntarily included in a message, it may be processed only for limited enquiry, records and legal purposes, not to provide care.

Personal data we may collect

We may collect information you provide directly, such as name, email address, message content, correspondence records, communication preferences and any information included in free-text fields. We may also receive technical and usage information such as IP address, browser type, device information, approximate location, pages viewed, date and time of visits, server logs, cookie identifiers and consent preferences.

How we use personal data

Personal data may be used to operate, maintain and secure the website; deliver pages, forms and images; respond to messages; manage optional communications; record cookie choices; analyse site performance; detect abuse; maintain records; comply with legal obligations; and manage affiliate attribution where applicable. We do not use website data to make clinical decisions.

Lawful bases for processing

Depending on context, processing may rely on consent, contract or steps before a requested feature, legal obligation, legitimate interests, or a special category condition where health information has been voluntarily supplied and a lawful condition applies. Legitimate interests include operating an editorial website, improving content, maintaining security, responding to enquiries and protecting legal rights.

How we share personal data

Personal data may be shared with service providers supporting hosting, security, analytics, email delivery, spam prevention, backups, IT support, forms, cookie consent, affiliate tracking and administration. It may also be shared with affiliate networks or merchants, professional advisers, insurers, regulators, courts, law enforcement or public authorities where necessary.

International transfers

Some providers may process personal data outside the United Kingdom. Where international transfers occur, appropriate safeguards should be used where required, such as UK adequacy regulations, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to EU Standard Contractual Clauses or other lawful mechanisms.

Data retention

We keep personal data only as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose collected, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law. Contact enquiries, subscription records, cookie consent records, analytics, security logs and legal records may have different retention periods. When no longer needed, data should be deleted, anonymised or securely archived.

Security

Reasonable technical and organisational measures are used to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure. No website, email system or internet transmission can be guaranteed completely secure, so sensitive health or financial information should not be sent unnecessarily.

Your data protection rights

Under UK data protection law, you may have rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, data portability, withdrawal of consent and rights relating to automated decision-making where applicable. Rights are not absolute and identity verification may be required. Use the Contact page to make a privacy request.

Complaints and the ICO

If you are unhappy with how personal data is handled, please contact us first so the issue can be reviewed. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK regulator for data protection, through the ICO website.

Children

This website is intended for a general adult audience and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect children’s data for profiling, targeted marketing or clinical services. Health information about children can be especially sensitive and should not be sent through the website.

Marketing communications

If email updates or similar communications are offered, a way to unsubscribe or change preferences should be provided. Direct marketing should not be sent without a lawful basis. Service messages may still be sent where appropriate.

Automated decision-making and profiling

Care First Clinics does not use website visitor data to make automated clinical, insurance, employment, credit or similarly significant decisions. Analytics, security tools or affiliate reporting may be used to understand usage, detect misuse and measure content performance.

External links

The website may link to third-party websites including NHS resources, charities, professional bodies, evidence resources, retailers, information providers or advertisers. We are not responsible for third-party privacy practices, content, security or availability.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated to reflect changes in the website, technology, legal requirements or practices. The updated page should show a revised last updated date.

Contact

For privacy questions or requests, use the Contact page. Do not use contact features for urgent medical help, diagnosis, treatment, prescriptions or appointment requests.

How this page should be read

This page is written for a general UK health information website and should be read alongside the other legal and editorial pages. It explains the website position in practical terms, but it does not create clinical services, professional advice, a seller relationship or a guarantee about third-party providers. If a question affects your rights, health, purchase, privacy choices or legal position, consider checking the relevant official source or speaking with an appropriately qualified adviser.

Future changes and feature changes

The website may change over time, including its content, technical features, analytics, affiliate links, forms or commercial arrangements. If a new feature changes how visitors use the website or how information is handled, this page should be reviewed and updated before visitors are asked to rely on it. The current page does not claim professional legal review, clinical governance, direct sales, patient registration or appointment management.

Visitor responsibilities

Visitors should use the website carefully, read policy pages together, avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information, and check third-party terms before acting on external content or merchant offers. General website information cannot account for every personal, medical, technical or legal circumstance, and it should not be used to delay urgent help or replace qualified professional advice.