This privacy notice explains:
- how personal information is obtained
- what it is used for
- who it might be shared with and why
- how long it is kept.
The information you provide helps us deliver our services effectively.
Personal and special category data
The categories of personal data we are processing are:
- name
- date of birth
- medical history from the GP and hospitals
- cause of death
- family details
- lifestyle and social circumstances
- addictions
- financial details
- employment and education details
- occupation and place of work
- offences and alleged offences contained in police report
- physical or mental health details
- racial or ethnic origin
- religious or other beliefs
- criminal proceedings, outcomes and sentences
- results of DNA reports and finger reports results
- juror information - name, address, bank account details - to pay expenses
- witnesses - name, address, bank account details - to pay expenses.
Data Controller
The Senior Coroner for West Sussex, Brighton & Hove is the data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (Regulation (EU) 2016/679).
You can find details for the West Sussex County Council Data Protection Officer (DPO) on our Privacy Policy.
We ensure that your personal data is accurate, processed fairly and lawfully, kept secure and retained for no longer than is necessary.
The legal basis for processing personal data
The Senior Coroner must investigate all deaths which are violent or unnatural, where the cause of death is unknown, and where a death occurs while in custody or state detention.
Your personal data is collected to enable us to administer the running of the Coroner's Office and carry out our statutory responsibilities under the different legislative frameworks.
In addition, we collect your personal data for:
- service delivery
- statistical analysis and reporting
- safeguarding (future prevention of death).
How we use your personal information
When deciding what personal information to collect, use and hold, we are committed to making sure that we will:
- only collect, hold and use personal information where it is necessary and fair to do so
- keep your personal information secure and safe
- securely dispose of any personal information when it is no longer needed.
We collect this data because we are required to under:
- the Coroners Act 1988
- the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and its subordinate legislation
- other legislation appertaining to the administrative and judicial functions of the Coroner.
Who we share your information with
As inquests are accessible to the public, this data will be shared with anyone attending the proceedings, including the press.
The Senior Coroner may share data with:
- West Sussex County Council
- District and Borough councils
- The Chief Coroner
- Sussex Police
- Pathologists
- Funeral Directors in West Sussex and surrounding areas
- Local Coroners - specifically those where cases are often transferred to or from
- NHS Hospital Trusts in the West Sussex and surrounding areas
- Clinical Commissioning Groups covering Sussex
- Ministry of Justice
- West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service
- British Transport Police
- South East Ambulance Service
- Crown Prosecution Service
- Health and Safety Executive
- GPs
- Accident investigation branches
- Registration of Births and Deaths office staff
- Coroner’s Court Support Service
- Local authority support staff
- Cemeteries and crematoria in the West Sussex and surrounding area
- families affected, appointed executor representative of the person whose personal data we are processing
- financial organisations, such as insurance companies and pension schemes
- West Sussex Public Health
- Brighton Public Health
- other organisations, which from time to time are involved with an investigation and who are required to provide evidence or assistance to the Coroner.
We primarily receive data from Sussex Police, NHS Hospital Trusts in the West Sussex, Brighton & Hove Coroner's area and GPs; however, data will be received from other organisations listed above. The data we have includes personal details and/or sensitive classes of data.
We will not share data with third parties for marketing purposes and it will not be transferred abroad.
See our Privacy Policy if you require more information about how we use this data.
How long we keep your personal data
Deaths that are reported to the Senior Coroner for West Sussex, Brighton & Hove are held for a minimum of 15 years.
Your rights
See our Privacy Policy for more information on your rights.
Complaints
See our Privacy Policy for information about making a complaint.