PRIVACY POLICY

Kerry Earp is the appointed information controller (IC) and Data Protection Officer (DPO) for Minerva Vets LTD 

Minerva Vets LTD customer privacy notice 

This privacy notice tells you what to expect us to do with your personal information. 

• Contact details 
• What information we collect, use, and why 
• Lawful bases and data protection rights 
• Where we get personal information from 
• How long we keep information 
• Who we share information with 
• How to complain 

Contact details 

Post 

Minerva Vets, Clarence House, Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, PETERBOROUGH, , PE2 6FT, GB 

Telephone  01733 930300

Email  Contact@minervavets.co.uk 

We will never knowingly or unlawfully process your data. We hold all data you share with us in strictest confidence, and we regularly review our GDPR policy and this Privacy Notice to ensure it remains accurate and compliant. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Our ICO registration number ZC181319

What information we collect, use, and why 

We collect or use the following information to provide and improve products and services for clients and to allow us to meet our contractual obligations: 

• Names and contact details 
• Addresses 
• Gender 
• Pronoun preferences 
• Marital status 
• Third party information (such as family members or other relevant parties) 
• Payment details (including card or bank information for transfers and direct debits) 
• Transaction data (including details about payments to and from you and details of products and services you have purchased) 
• Usage data (including information about how you interact with and use our website, products and services) 
• Information relating to compliments or complaints 
• Records of meetings and decisions 
• Pet insurance details 

We collect or use the following personal information for the operation of client or customer accounts: 

• Names and contact details 
• Addresses 
• Purchase or service history 
• Account information, including registration details 
• Marketing preferences 
• Technical data, including information about browser and operating systems 

We collect or use the following personal information for information updates or marketing purposes: 

• Names and contact details 
• Addresses 
• Marketing preferences 
• Purchase or account history 
• Website and app user journey information 

We collect or use the following personal information for scientific or historical research purposes, for statistical purposes or for archiving in the public interest: 

• Names and contact details 
• Addresses 

We collect or use the following personal information to comply with legal requirements: 

• Name 
• Contact information 
• Client account information 
• Health and safety information 
• Any other personal information required to comply with legal obligations 

We collect or use the following personal information to protect client welfare: 

• Names and contact information 
• Client account information 
• Emergency contact details 
• We may rarely collect information considered special category data, this will only be done lawfully and with consent, when such information is required to ensure client safety, such as allergies that may affect pet medication choices. 

We collect or use the following personal information for recruitment purposes: 

• Contact details (eg name, address, telephone number or personal email address) 
• Date of birth 
• National Insurance number 
• Copies of passports or other photo ID 
• Employment history (eg job application, employment references or secondary employment) 
• Education history (eg qualifications) 
• Right to work information 
• Details of any criminal convictions (eg Disclosure Barring Service (DBS), Access NI or Disclosure Scotland checks ) 

We collect or use the following personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims: 

• Names and contact details 
• Addresses 
• Payment details 
• Account information 
• Purchase or service history 
• Witness statements and contact details 
• Photographs 
• Relevant information from previous investigations 
• Customer or client accounts and records 
• Financial transaction information 
• Information relating to health and safety (including incident investigation details and reports and accident book records) 
• Correspondence 
• Telematics data and connected car information 

Lawful bases and data protection rights 

Under UK data protection law, we must have a “lawful basis” for collecting and using your personal information. There is a list of possible lawful bases in the UK GDPR. You can find out more about lawful bases on the ICO’s website. 

Which lawful basis we rely on may affect your data protection rights which are set out in brief below. You can find out more about your data protection rights and the exemptions which may apply on the ICO’s website: 

• Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. You can request other information such as details about where we get personal information from and who we share personal information with. There are some exemptions which means you may not receive all the information you ask for. Read more about the right of access. 
• Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to correct or delete personal information you think is inaccurate or incomplete. Read more about the right to rectification. 
• Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information. Read more about the right to erasure. 
• Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to limit how we can use your personal information. Read more about the right to restriction of processing. 
• Your right to object to processing - You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data. Read more about the right to object to processing. 
• Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you. Read more about the right to data portability. 
• Your right to withdraw consent – When we use consent as our lawful basis you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Read more about the right to withdraw consent. 

If you make a request, we must respond to you without undue delay and in any event within one month. 

To make a data protection rights request, please contact us using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice. 

Our lawful bases for the collection and use of your data 

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to provide and improve products and services for clients are: 

• Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. 
• Legal obligation – we have to collect or use your information so we can comply with the law. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability. 
• Legitimate interests – we’re collecting or using your information because it benefits you, our organisation or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. Our legitimate interests are: 
• It is vital to be able to contact owners of patients in the veterinary setting to allow for appropriate medical care such as sending out reminders, contacting clients for results and medical discussions as well as to appropriately identify individuals allowing their details to be appropriately linked to information such as their insurance status. 

For more information on our use of legitimate interests as a lawful basis you can contact us using the contact details set out above. 

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for the operation of client or customer accounts are: 

• Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. 
• Legal obligation – we have to collect or use your information so we can comply with the law. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability. 
• Legitimate interests – we’re collecting or using your information because it benefits you, our organisation or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. Our legitimate interests are: 
• It is vital to be able to contact owners of patients in the veterinary setting to allow for appropriate medical care such as sending out reminders, contacting clients for results and medical discussions as well as to appropriately identify individuals allowing their details to be appropriately linked to information such as their insurance status. 

For more information on our use of legitimate interests as a lawful basis you can contact us using the contact details set out above. 

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for information updates or marketing purposes are: 

• Legitimate interests – we’re collecting or using your information because it benefits you, our organisation or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. Our legitimate interests are: 
• It is vital within the veterinary:client relationship to ensure that we are providing high levels of care and reminding clients of services available/due for their pet. 

For more information on our use of legitimate interests as a lawful basis you can contact us using the contact details set out above. 

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to comply with legal requirements: 

• Legal obligation – we have to collect or use your information so we can comply with the law. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability. 

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to protect client welfare are: 

• Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. 

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for recruitment purposes are: 

• Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. 

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims are: 

• Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. 

Where we get personal information from 

• Directly from you (this is the majority of cases) 
• Regulatory authorities (most appropriate for employment situations) 
• Legal bodies or professionals ( rarely-such as courts or solicitors) 
• Previous employment 
• Providers of marketing lists and other personal information (veterinary employment only) 
• Third parties: 
• Via Go Daddy website (non identifiable data), transfer of histories to us, other parties such as referral centers, other professional bodies 

How long we keep information 

We retain your data for as long as necessary to provide safe and effective veterinary care, and for at least the minimum periods required by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and HMRC. As a guide: 

• Clinical records: retained for the minimum period set by the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct e.g. 8 years from last entry.
• Financial records: retained for 6 years from the end of the last tax year, in line with HMRC requirements  

For more information on how long we store your personal information or the criteria we use to determine this please contact us using the details provided above. 

Who we share information with 

• Our IT software company (Lupa), which processes appointment and preventative-care reminders on our behalf under a data processing agreement. In addition our pet health plan is run via VetSure. 
• Another vet practice, at your request, or a specialist referral hospital/practice for a second opinion. 
• External laboratories, to analyse samples from your pet. 
• Your pet insurer, with your consent, to assist with a claim. 
• A debt collection agency, where an invoice remains unpaid following written requests and a final reminder . 
• A charity with whom you have a payment agreement.
• Our Chartered Accountants and HMRC, for tax purposes.
• Public bodies such as DEFRA, where required by law (for example, a notifiable disease).
• The APHA for travel or export certification purposes.

Our website is managed by an external company that collects non-identifiable data and cookies; your personal data is not transferred to them through this process.  

Our website is not intended for use by children. 

Other organisations we may share personal information with. 

• Professional or legal advisors. 
• Emergency services. 
• Organisations we’re legally obliged to share personal information with. 
• Suppliers and service providers such as pharmaceutical companies when drug reaction reporting. 
• Professional consultants such as The British Veterinary Association or similar body, at your request.    

We are a UK-based data controller and this notice is governed by UK GDPR. Where any of our processors (for example, our IT software provider or accountants) are based outside the UK, including in the EU, we only transfer your data where an adequacy decision is in place or appropriate safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses, have been agreed.

How to complain 

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a data protection complaint to us: 

Email: contact@minervavets.com 

If you remain unhappy with how we’ve used your data after raising a complaint with us, you can also complain to the ICO.  

The ICO’s address: 

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF 

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113  
Website: https://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint 

Last reviewed Aug 2026 

Whilst we take every care to provide the best treatment we can, there may be occasions you wish to provide feedback.

Initially we encourage you to raise any concerns directly with the practice, either in person or via phone. 

If you feel we have been unable to resolve your complaint, please then raise your concerns via email, stating your name, your pet's name and a brief summery of your concerns along with any expected outcome.  We will aim to respond within 5 working days to acknowledge your email but it may take up to 28 working days to give a full response, if a more involved internal investigation is required.

The above procedure does not affect your right to contact the Veterinary Client Mediation Service or the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.