Privacy and Data Protection Policy
CARELINE – THE AGENCY FOR CARE STAFF LTD
Privacy Notice
Introduction
Careline – The Agency for Care Staff Ltd ("Careline", "we", "our" or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information fairly, lawfully and transparently.
This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, store, retain and share personal information during our recruitment process and throughout your registration and engagement as a temporary worker.
This notice applies to:
- applicants;
- registered temporary workers;
- employees (where applicable);
- prospective workers; and
- former workers.
Careline is the Data Controller for the personal information described in this Privacy Notice.
Contact Details
Careline – The Agency for Care Staff Ltd
6 Arkwright Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG2 0LU
Telephone: 0118 958 5858
Email: admin@carelineagency.co.uk
If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Notice or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us using the details above.
Information We Collect During Recruitment
During the recruitment and registration process we may collect:
- personal details including name, address, date of birth and contact information;
- emergency contact details;
- proof of identity;
- Right to Work documentation and immigration information;
- employment history;
- qualifications;
- training certificates;
- references;
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) information;
- safeguarding declarations;
- disciplinary and professional conduct declarations;
- driving licence and insurance information (where applicable);
- Health Capability Declaration;
- interview notes;
- signed declarations and contractual documentation.
Completion of our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form is voluntary. The information is separated from recruitment decisions and used solely for anonymous statistical monitoring.
Additional Information We Collect Following Registration
If you become a registered worker, we may also collect and process:
- bank details;
- National Insurance number;
- payroll and tax information;
- assignment history;
- availability;
- timesheets;
- holiday records;
- supervision records;
- mandatory training and competency assessments;
- annual health declarations;
- reasonable adjustment information;
- incident, accident and safeguarding reports;
- complaints, investigations and disciplinary records;
- client feedback;
- compliance monitoring records;
- risk assessments;
- continuing Right to Work and DBS information;
- other information necessary to manage your engagement.
Why We Process Your Information
We process your personal information to:
- assess your suitability for work;
- undertake safer recruitment checks;
- verify information provided during recruitment;
- comply with legal, regulatory and safeguarding obligations;
- confirm your Right to Work in the United Kingdom;
- assess fitness for work and identify reasonable adjustments;
- register you for temporary work;
- arrange suitable assignments;
- administer payroll and statutory payments;
- manage bookings and assignments;
- maintain training and compliance records;
- investigate complaints, incidents and safeguarding concerns;
- protect the welfare of service users, children and vulnerable adults;
- comply with our contractual obligations;
- meet our obligations to regulators and public authorities;
- defend or pursue legal claims where necessary.
Verification of Information
To assess your suitability for work, Careline may verify information you provide with:
- previous employers;
- referees;
- training providers;
- awarding bodies;
- professional regulators;
- the Disclosure and Barring Service;
- the Home Office;
- government departments;
- other organisations where verification is necessary and lawful.
Sharing Your Information
Careline may share relevant personal information where necessary with:
- Clients and prospective Clients;
- commissioning organisations;
- payroll providers;
- pension providers;
- the Disclosure and Barring Service;
- the Home Office;
- local authorities;
- safeguarding agencies;
- police and law enforcement agencies;
- professional regulators;
- HM Revenue & Customs;
- the Care Quality Commission (CQC);
- Ofsted;
- the Information Commissioner's Office;
- insurers;
- legal advisers;
- occupational health providers;
- other organisations where disclosure is required by law or reasonably necessary.
Where appropriate, information shared with Clients may include confirmation of identity, Right to Work status, qualifications, training, competencies, DBS status, references, relevant work experience, health capability information (where necessary and lawful), reasonable adjustments, compliance records and other information necessary to demonstrate your suitability for an assignment.
Careline will only disclose information that is necessary, relevant and proportionate.
Our Lawful Basis for Processing
Depending upon the circumstances, Careline processes personal information because it is necessary:
- to take steps before entering into a contract;
- for the performance of a contract;
- to comply with legal obligations;
- for our legitimate interests in operating a safe and effective recruitment business;
- to protect vital interests where appropriate.
Where special category personal information is processed, Careline relies upon the relevant conditions under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 relating to employment, safeguarding, health and safety, equality of opportunity and the provision of health or social care services.
Automated Decision Making
Careline does not make recruitment or employment decisions based solely on automated processing.
Data Security
Careline maintains appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss or destruction.
Access to personal information is limited to those who require it for legitimate business purposes.
How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil legal, regulatory and business requirements.
Retention periods vary depending upon the type of information and are set out in our Data Retention Schedule.
Where applications are unsuccessful, recruitment records will be retained only for the period necessary to comply with legal obligations and defend potential legal claims.
Your Rights
Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:
- be informed about how your information is used;
- request access to your personal information;
- request correction of inaccurate information;
- request erasure where applicable;
- request restriction of processing;
- object to certain processing;
- request transfer of your personal information where applicable;
- withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
- complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Changes to This Privacy Notice
Careline may amend this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, regulatory requirements or our business practices.
The most recent version will always be available from Careline upon request.
Contacting the Information Commissioner's Office
If you have concerns about how Careline has handled your personal information, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can attempt to resolve your concerns.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113