This privacy notice explains:
- how personal information is going to be used
- what it is used for
- who it might be shared with and why
- how long it is kept.
The information you provide helps us to undertake accurate assessments and support you/your family in being as safe and well as possible.
Personal and special category data
The categories of personal data we are processing are:
- information about you (or the person who referred you to us) provided at the time of request including name, title, address, phone number, age, gender, disabilities, physical or mental health conditions (relating to you and those who live with you), housing and property information including type and potential hazards
- ethnicity group
- information deemed relevant for our visit received from other agencies or organisations that you have had contact with
- information you provided to us or observations made by the Community Fire Safety Officer or Safe and Well Officer during the visit
- risk assessment information relating to fire, escape routes (including hoarding), health (including frailty) and wellbeing
- smoke detection equipment (existing and fitted during visit)
- any contact with your family, carer, friend or relative relating to your safety and wellbeing.
Data Controller
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) complies with the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It is registered as a ‘Data Controller’ with the Information Commissioner’s Office (Reg. No. Z6413427).
You can find details for the WSCC Data Protection Officer (DPO) on our Privacy Policy.
We ensure that your personal data is processed fairly and lawfully, accurate, kept secure and retained for no longer than is necessary.
The legal basis for processing personal data
Processing is necessary:
- for compliance with a legal duty or obligation (Article 6.1 (c)), which is ‘The Fire & Rescue Services Act 2004 (Section 6)
- for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller (GDPR Article 6.1 (e))
- for the purposes of carrying out the obligations and exercising specific rights of the controller or of the data subject in the field of employment and social security and social protection law (GDPR Article 9.2 (b))
- for the purposes of substantial public interest, namely parliamentary, statutory and government purposes (GDPR Article 9.2 (g))
- to protect the vital interests of a data subject or another person when it is not possible to obtain consent to share sensitive information.
If a child or other person is considered to be at risk of significant harm, people working with them will have a duty of care to share the information with the relevant services without consent.
How we use your personal information
Our Privacy Policy determines how we use personal data. We use it specifically to:
- provide you with appropriate services including from external agencies
- undertake accurate assessments on how we can best reduce the level of fire risk and help you keep safe and well
- use information about your disability status to consider whether we need to provide adjustments during your visit
- liaise with other agencies and refer you for additional help or support
- measure whether our services are achieving the aim of keeping people safe and well in their homes
- help us develop and improve our services
- produce reports on number of visits and equipment fitted to monitor demand and expenditure
- complete statistical returns to Government departments
- help us analyse level of need in order to develop prevention campaigns
- inform the development of policies and procedures
- administer and protect public funds
- respond to and defend against legal claims.
Who we share your information with
We may pass data to:
- internal departments
- social care
- central government
- substance misuse services
- Appetito (meals on wheels)
- carer support
- local health boards
- other partner agencies that provide services on our behalf
- agencies with whom we have a duty to co-operate, such as the police and probation services
- housing associations
- benefits agency
- wellbeing services (such as winter warmth, social isolation, flu vaccination)
- sensory impairment support
- crime prevention services
- debt and financial advice services
- health support services for long-term conditions (such as dementia, diabetes)
- falls prevention.
We will make you aware if your information is intended to be used in this way and provide the opportunity for you to say no, except when we are required by law to pass it on or to protect your vital interest, or the vital interests of another.
We will not share data with third-parties for marketing purposes.
See our Privacy Policy if you require more information about how we use this data.
How long we will keep your personal data
Personal data will not be retained for longer than is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are collected.
The council is currently reviewing and updating its retention policies. See our records management page for published retention schedules.
Your rights
See our Privacy Policy for more information on your rights.
Complaints
See our Privacy Policy for information about making a complaint.