Privacy Policy

Louise Bicknell, IBCLC Lactation Consultant Last updated: 12th March 2026

Introduction

Your privacy matters to me. This privacy policy explains who I am, what personal information I collect about you, how I use it, how I protect it, and what your rights are under UK data protection law.

I am committed to handling your personal information — and particularly your health information — with the highest level of care, confidentiality, and transparency. Please read this policy carefully. If you have any questions about anything in it, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Who I Am

I am Louise Bicknell, an IBCLC lactation consultant and tongue tie practitioner operating as a sole trader from Polegate, East Sussex.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, I am the data controller in respect of the personal information you provide to me. This means I am responsible for deciding how and why your personal data is used, and for ensuring it is handled lawfully and securely.

Contact details: Louise Bicknell, IBCLC Lactation Consultant Polegate, East Sussex

Email: louise@infantfeedingsupport.co.uk Phone: 07796 375186 Website: www.infantfeedingsupport.co.uk

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to your personal data, you can contact me using any of the details above.

The Legal Framework

This policy is written in accordance with:

  • The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
  • The Data Protection Act 2018
  • The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR)

What Personal Information I Collect

Depending on how you interact with me and my services, I may collect and hold the following types of information about you:

Contact & Identity Information

  • Your name
  • Your address (for home visit appointments)
  • Your email address
  • Your phone number

Health & Clinical Information

Because I provide healthcare services, I collect and process health-related information. This is classified as special category data under UK GDPR and is subject to additional legal protections.

Health information I may collect includes:

  • Your medical and obstetric history where relevant to feeding support
  • Your baby’s birth history, gestational age, weight, and feeding history
  • Clinical assessment notes made during or after consultations
  • Details of any tongue tie assessment findings and any procedure carried out
  • Written care plans and clinical correspondence

Booking & Administrative Information

  • Appointment dates, times, and type of service booked
  • Payment records (note: I do not store card details — see Payment section below)
  • Records of cancellations or rescheduled appointments
  • Correspondence between us by email, phone, or message

Website Usage Information

If you visit my website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and how you arrived at the site. This is collected via cookies and analytics tools — see the Cookies section below for more detail.

How I Collect Your Information

I collect personal information in the following ways:

  • When you complete a contact or booking form on my website
  • When you email, call, or message me directly
  • When you complete a client intake form prior to a consultation
  • During a consultation, through clinical assessment and conversation
  • When you interact with my website (automatically, via cookies)

Why I Use Your Information and the Legal Basis for Doing So

UK GDPR requires me to have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. For health information (special category data), I must also satisfy an additional condition. The table below sets out how and why I use your information and the legal basis on which I do so.

Providing consultations and clinical care I use your contact, health, and clinical information to deliver lactation consultancy and tongue tie services, including preparing for appointments, carrying out assessments, and creating care plans. Lawful basis: Contract (Article 6(1)(b)) and, for health data, the provision of healthcare (Article 9(2)(h)).

Communicating with you about your appointment I use your contact details to confirm bookings, send reminders, share care plans, and follow up after appointments. Lawful basis: Contract (Article 6(1)(b)) and Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)).

Maintaining clinical records I keep records of consultations, assessments, and care plans as required by my professional obligations as an IBCLC. Lawful basis: Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)) and the provision of healthcare (Article 9(2)(h)).

Responding to enquiries I use the contact information you provide when you get in touch to respond to your question or request. Lawful basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)).

Processing payments I use booking and payment information to manage fees and maintain financial records. Lawful basis: Contract (Article 6(1)(b)) and Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)).

Improving my services I may use anonymised, non-identifiable information to review and improve the care and support I provide. Lawful basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)). No identifiable information is used for this purpose.

Marketing and communications (only with your consent) If you have explicitly opted in to receive newsletters, updates, or blog content from me, I will use your email address for this purpose. You can withdraw your consent and unsubscribe at any time. Lawful basis: Consent (Article 6(1)(a)).

How Long I Keep Your Information

I retain personal and clinical records in line with professional guidance for healthcare practitioners.

  • Clinical records for adult clients are retained for a minimum of 8 years from the date of the last consultation, in line with NHS and professional body guidance.
  • Clinical records relating to children (including records about your baby) are retained until the child’s 25th birthday, or 26th birthday if the individual was 17 at the time of treatment — again in line with standard healthcare record retention guidance.
  • Correspondence and administrative records are retained for up to 3 years after our last contact, unless a longer retention period is required.
  • Financial records are retained for 7 years in line with HMRC requirements.

When records are no longer required, they are securely deleted or destroyed.

Who I Share Your Information With

I take confidentiality seriously and do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes under any circumstances.

I may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

With your explicit consent: For example, if you ask me to write to your GP, health visitor, or midwife, or to share a clinical report with another healthcare professional involved in your care.

With other healthcare professionals involved in your care: Where it is in your or your baby’s best interests to do so, and where you would reasonably expect this to happen — for example, referring to a GP where a medical concern is identified. I will always tell you when I have done this.

With third-party service providers: I use a small number of trusted third-party tools to operate my business — for example, booking software, email providers, and secure file storage. These providers are carefully selected and are contractually required to handle your data securely and only for the purposes I specify. They do not use your data for their own purposes.

Where required by law: I may be required to disclose information to comply with a legal obligation — for example, in response to a court order, or where there is a safeguarding concern relating to the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult. In the latter case, I have a professional and legal duty to act regardless of consent.

I do not transfer your personal data outside of the UK without ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place.

Safeguarding

As a healthcare professional working with babies and families, I have a duty to safeguard the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. In the rare circumstance that I have concerns about the safety or welfare of a child or vulnerable adult, I may be required to share information with appropriate statutory agencies — such as children’s social care or the police — without your consent and regardless of your wishes. This is a legal and professional obligation that overrides normal confidentiality.

I will always endeavour to be transparent with you about this duty.

How I Keep Your Information Secure

I take the security of your personal and health information seriously. The measures I use to protect your information include:

  • Storing clinical records and personal data in password-protected, encrypted systems
  • Using secure, encrypted email communication where possible for sensitive information
  • Not discussing client information in public or with unauthorised third parties
  • Regularly reviewing and updating my data security practices
  • Ensuring any third-party providers I use meet appropriate data security standards

Despite these measures, no data transmission or storage system is completely secure. If you have concerns about the security of information you have provided to me, please contact me directly.

In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to affect your rights and freedoms, I will notify you and, where legally required, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), as promptly as possible.

Cookies

My website uses cookies — small text files placed on your device — to help the site function and to understand how visitors use it.

The types of cookies my website may use include:

Essential cookies: Necessary for the website to work properly. These cannot be switched off.

Analytics cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with the site — for example, which pages are visited most and how people navigate through the site. This information is collected in aggregate and anonymised form. I use this data to improve the website. Collected via Google Analytics

Functionality cookies: Used to remember your preferences and improve your experience on the site.

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please be aware that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website. When you first visit my website, you will be asked to consent to non-essential cookies via a cookie banner. You can withdraw that consent at any time by adjusting your browser settings.

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

The right to be informed — You have the right to know how your data is being used. This privacy policy is how I fulfil that obligation.

The right of access — You can request a copy of the personal information I hold about you at any time. This is known as a Subject Access Request (SAR). I will respond within one month.

The right to rectification — If any information I hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to ask me to correct it.

The right to erasure — In certain circumstances, you have the right to ask me to delete your personal data. Please note that as a healthcare practitioner, I am required to retain clinical records for minimum periods — this right may be limited where records must be kept for legal or professional reasons.

The right to restrict processing — You can ask me to limit how I use your data in certain circumstances — for example, while a query about accuracy is being resolved.

The right to data portability — Where data is processed by automated means and on the basis of your consent or a contract, you have the right to receive that data in a portable, machine-readable format.

The right to object — You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests. You also have an absolute right to opt out of direct marketing at any time.

Rights related to automated decision-making — I do not use automated decision-making or profiling in any aspect of the services I provide.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the details at the top of this policy. I will not charge you for making a request and will respond within one month (or let you know if I need longer in complex cases).

How to Make a Complaint

If you are unhappy with how I have handled your personal information, I would always encourage you to contact me directly in the first instance so I have the opportunity to put things right.

If you remain unsatisfied after contacting me, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK’s supervisory authority for data protection:

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Website: www.ico.org.uk Helpline: 0303 123 1113

Third-Party Websites

My website may contain links to other websites — for example, professional body websites, support organisations, or resources for parents. This privacy policy applies only to my website and services. I am not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party websites and encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Changes to This Policy

I may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practices, services, or legal obligations. When I do, I will update the “last updated” date at the top of this page. I encourage you to review this page periodically. Where changes are significant, I will make reasonable efforts to notify existing clients directly.

Questions & Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, how I handle your data, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please get in touch:

Louise Bicknell, IBCLC Lactation Consultant Email: louise@infantfeedingsupport.co.uk Phone: 07796 375186 Address: 86 Hailsham Road, Polegate, East Sussex. BN26 6NP

I aim to respond to all data-related enquiries within 5 working days.