Privacy Policy

Last updated: 12 August, 2026

1. Who We Are

This website is operated by Yayoi Acupuncture (“the Practice”). The Practice provides acupuncture services in the United Kingdom and is the data controller for the personal information collected through this website and in the course of providing treatment.

Contact details:

Yayoi Acupuncture

yayoi (dot) acupuncture (at) gmail (dot) com

2. What Personal Information We Collect

The Practice may collect and process the following personal data:

- Name and contact details, such as your email address, telephone number, and any other information you provide when making an enquiry.

- Information you submit through the website contact form or by email.

- Appointment-related information where relevant.

- Clinical and health information shared during consultations, treatment, and follow-up care.

Health information is treated as special category personal data and is handled with additional care and confidentiality.

3. How Your Information Is Used

Your personal information may be used to:

- Respond to enquiries.

- Communicate with you about appointments or treatment.

- Provide safe and appropriate acupuncture care.

- Keep accurate clinical records.

- Meet legal, regulatory, insurance, and professional obligations.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Personal data is processed in accordance with UK data protection law, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

The lawful bases relied on may include:

- Consent, where you choose to contact the Practice or provide information voluntarily.

- Contract, where processing is necessary to take steps at your request or provide treatment services.

- Legal obligation, where records must be retained or information must be disclosed by law.

- Legitimate interests, where processing is necessary for the safe and efficient running of the Practice and does not override your rights and freedoms.

Where health information is processed, the Practice also relies on the applicable condition for processing special category data in connection with the provision of health care and related record-keeping obligations.

5. Clinical Information

If you attend for treatment, the Practice will collect relevant health and clinical information needed for assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment notes, and follow-up care. This information is confidential and is only accessed where necessary for providing care or complying with legal or professional obligations.

6. How Long Information Is Kept

If you contact the Practice through the website or by email but do not book an appointment or become a patient, your enquiry details will usually be kept for up to 6 months and then securely deleted, unless there is a legal reason to keep them for longer.

If you attend for acupuncture treatment, your clinical records will be kept for 8 years after your last session (or until you are 25 if you were underage when you received treatment), in line with professional and legal record-keeping obligations. After that period, information will be securely deleted when it is no longer necessary to retain it.

Please note that the right to deletion does not always apply immediately where the Practice is still required to keep records to comply with legal, regulatory, insurance, or professional obligations.

7. Sharing Your Information

Your personal information will not be sold or shared for marketing purposes.

Information may be shared only where necessary:

- With professional advisers, insurers, or regulators.

- Where disclosure is required by law.

- Where there is a safeguarding concern or serious risk issue.

- With your consent, where appropriate.

8. Data Security

The Practice takes appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, misuse, loss, alteration, or disclosure. Personal and clinical information is kept securely and accessed only where necessary.

9. International Transfers

The Practice does not intentionally transfer your personal data outside the UK unless this becomes necessary through the use of a service provider. If this happens, appropriate safeguards will be used in accordance with UK data protection law.

10. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you may have the right to:

- Request access to the personal data held about you.

- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.

- Request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.

- Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances.

- Object to processing where it is based on legitimate interests.

- Withdraw consent where consent is the basis for processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact the Practice using the details above.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are concerned about how your personal data has been handled. Information about this is available at https://ico.org.uk.

11. Web analytics and cookies

We may use Google Analytics to understand how visitors engage with our website so that we can continuously improve the user experience.

• How it works: Google Analytics uses cookies—small text files placed on your device—to collect standard internet log information and visitor behavior details in an anonymous, aggregated form.

• Data collected: This includes information about the pages you visit, how long you spend on them, your approximate location, and the type of browser or device you use. It does not collect directly identifiable personal information (like your name or email address).

• Data Processing: The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website is transmitted to and stored by Google. You can learn exactly how Google handles this data by visiting How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.

• Your Choices: You can prevent Google Analytics from recognising you on return visits by disabling cookies in your browser settings. Alternatively, you can completely opt out of being tracked by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

If this changes in future, this Privacy Policy will be updated accordingly.

12. External Links

This website may contain links to third-party websites, including professional bodies or educational resources. The Practice is not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of external websites. You should review their privacy notices before providing any personal information.

13. Website Information and Medical Disclaimer

Information provided on this website is for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional.

Website content, including information about acupuncture and conditions it may support, should not be relied upon as a substitute for personalised medical advice. If you have any concerns about your health, symptoms, or treatment, you should seek advice from an appropriate qualified medical professional. In an emergency, contact the relevant emergency services.

14. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements or practice procedures. The most current version will always be available on this website.

15. Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact:

Yayoi Acupuncture

yayoi(dot)acupuncture (at) gmail (dot) com