Privacy and Cookies Policy

This privacy policy explains how Acupuncture Berkshire (operated by Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto) collects, uses and protects your personal information when you visit this website or use our services. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy was last updated in 2025. We may update it from time to time — please check back periodically.

Who we are

The data controller for this website is Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto, practising as Acupuncture Berkshire. If you have any questions about how we handle your personal data, please contact us via the booking system at drattiliodalberto.as.me.

What information we collect

We may collect the following personal information:

• Contact and booking information — your name, email address, phone number and appointment details when you book online via our booking system (Acuity Scheduling)
• Health information — medical history, symptoms and treatment details provided during your consultation and treatment, which we are required to keep as clinical records
• Website usage data — anonymous information about how you use this website, collected via Google Analytics (see Cookies section below)

How we use your information

We use your personal information to:

• Book and manage your appointments
• Provide acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treatment
• Maintain clinical records as required by our professional obligations to the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC)
• Contact you about your appointments or treatment where necessary
• Improve our website and services using anonymised analytics data

We will never sell your personal data to third parties, use it for marketing without your explicit consent, or share it with anyone outside of your direct care without your permission — except where required by law.

Legal basis for processing

We process your personal data on the following legal bases under UK GDPR:

• Contract — to fulfil our obligations when you book and receive treatment
• Legitimate interests — to manage our practice and improve our services
• Legal obligation — to maintain clinical records as required by our professional regulatory body
• Vital interests / health care — for the provision of health care treatment

How long we keep your data

Clinical records are retained for a minimum of seven years from the date of your last treatment, in accordance with BAcC guidelines. Booking and contact information is retained for as long as necessary to manage your care. You may request deletion of non-clinical data at any time.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data (subject to our legal obligations to retain clinical records)
• Object to or restrict certain types of processing
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via our booking system.

Third-party services

This website uses the following third-party services which may process your data:

• Acuity Scheduling — our online booking system. When you book an appointment, your name, email and contact details are processed by Acuity Scheduling. Please see their privacy policy at acuityscheduling.com
• Google Analytics — we use Google Analytics to collect anonymous data about website visits (pages viewed, time on site, referral source). This data does not identify you personally. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking using the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on
• Google Fonts — this website loads fonts from Google Fonts, which may log your IP address. See Google's privacy policy for details

Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your browser. This website uses the following cookies:

• Google Analytics cookies (_ga, _gid, _gat) — used to collect anonymous information about how visitors use this website. These cookies do not identify you personally and expire after 2 years (_ga) or 24 hours (_gid)
• Session cookies — temporary cookies used to maintain basic website functionality. These are deleted when you close your browser

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of this website. For more information about cookies and how to manage them, visit aboutcookies.org.

Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss or disclosure. Our website is served over HTTPS. Our online booking system (Acuity Scheduling) is PCI-compliant and uses industry-standard encryption.

Links to other websites

This website contains links to other websites, including the British Acupuncture Council and our booking system. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and recommend you read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.