Who we are

Vital Signs were established in 2008, we continue to offer high-quality training and consultancy services to organisations and individuals working in the substance misuse, mental health and social care sectors.

What does this policy cover?

We take personal data seriously. This policy:

• Sets out the types of personal data that we collect.
• Explains how and why we collect and use personal data.
• Explains when, why and with whom we will share personal data.
• Sets out the legal basis we have for using personal data.
• Explains the effect of refusing to provide the personal data requested.
• Explains the different rights and choices when it comes to personal data.
• Explains how we may contact you and how you can contact us.

What are our privacy principles?

• We do not collect more information than is necessary.
• We do not use your information for purposes other than those specified.
• We do not keep your information if it is no longer needed.
• We only provide your information to a client when you give us your permission to do so.

Why do we hold and process data?

The purposes for which we hold and process data include:

• Marketing.
• Providing further information for our services.

What personal data do we collect about you?

We collect the information necessary to be able to contact you and answer any questions you may have about our training, coaching and consultancy services. This data is the information provided in the contact for on this website.

How do we collect your data?

i) When you visit our website

a) When you submit your personal information via our website

We collect and store information that you submit voluntarily through our website forms for example when you apply for a job position or use our website contact form. We provide a ‘consent’ option before you send information to us via our website forms, so that you give us consent for your data to be collected and stored. It is then stored according to this privacy policy and is not shared without your express permission.

Our website uses a secure SSL certificate, so all traffic (transferral of files) between this website and your browser is encrypted and delivered over HTTPS.

b) Cookies

You can visit our website without giving away your personal information.

We use cookies on our website; a cookie is a small text file placed on your device when you browse a website. Cookies help us to provide you with a good user experience and allow us to improve the site.

When you first visit our website, we have a visible banner that makes it clear that cookies are used and gives you the opportunity to read more about the cookies we use and why we use them.

Attached to this banner is a button that allows you to consent to these cookies being stored on the device used to access our website. If you click the ‘I Consent’ button or by continuing to use our site, we take it that you consent to this.

You can choose to disallow cookies by changing your browser settings. However, by doing so, you may hinder your user experience on this and other websites. You can read more about cookies and how to opt-out/disallow them here: http://www.allaboutcookies.org/

c) Analytics cookies

We use Google Analytics to help us understand how you interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. Aside from the approximate location (IP address), the information collected by Google Analytics is anonymous traffic data including browser information, device information, language. You can read more about Google Analytics Data privacy and security here: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245

d) Social sharing cookies

We use AddThis sharing buttons and tools so you can easily like or share our content on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. Some of these social networks set their own cookies for statistical and/or marketing purposes. The privacy implications on this will vary from social network to social network and will be dependent on the privacy settings you have chosen on these networks.

AddThis uses DoubleClick cookies which will track your browsing on any website where those cookies are in place. Those cookies can then be used to serve you interest-based advertising on websites that use DoubleClick advertising systems. We do not serve any advertising of any kind to you on our site, but you do need to be aware that your browsing on our site may contribute to any interest-based advertising that could be served to you on other sites, whilst this cookie is in place in your browser.

You can opt out from using the AddThis/DoubleClick cookie on this page here: http://www.addthis.com/privacy/opt-out

If you would like more information about what other sites might be tracking your browsing to serve interest-based advertising, you can find out more here: http://www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/your-ad-choices

When you contact us

While you can use our website without giving out your personal information, once you contact us via our website or other means, then we collect, process and store the information you have sent us..

Additionally, we may keep your information for a period of time for the purpose of considering you for different opportunities.

The information you give us (i.e. your name, email address, telephone number) will be processed and stored so that it is possible for us to contact and respond to your request.

Who do we share your personal data with?

Your personal data is shared with our clients only when you give us your permission to do so.

Do we make automated decisions concerning you?

No. And we do not carry out any automated profiling.

How will we contact you?

We may contact you by phone or email. If you prefer a particular contact means over another please let us know.

How do we keep your information secure?

We seek to ensure the security of personal information. When we collect information about you, we also make sure that your information is protected from unauthorized access, loss, manipulation, falsification, destruction or unauthorized disclosure. This is done through appropriate technical and organisational measures.

What rights do you have in relation to the data we hold on you?

By law, you have a number of rights when it comes to your personal data:

Rights	What does this mean?
The right to be informed	You have the right to be provided with clear, transparent and easily understandable information about how we use your information and your rights. This is why we’re providing you with the information in this policy.
The right of access	You have the right to obtain access to your information if we’re processing it. This is so you’re aware and can check that we’re using your information in accordance with data protection law.
The right to rectification	You are entitled to have your information corrected if it’s inaccurate or incomplete.
The right to erasure	This is also known as ‘the right to be forgotten’ and, in simple terms, enables you to request the deletion or removal of your information where there’s no compelling reason for us to keep using it. This is not a general right to erasure; there are exceptions.
The right to restrict processing	You have rights to ‘block’ or suppress further use of your information. When processing is restricted, we can still store your information, but may not use it further. We keep lists of people who have asked for further use of their information to be ‘blocked’ to make sure the restriction is respected in future.
The right to data portability	You have rights to obtain and reuse your personal data for your own purposes across different services.  This enables you to move, copy or transfer your information easily.
The right to object to processing	You have the right to object to certain types of processing, including processing for direct marketing (i.e. if you no longer want to be contacted with potential opportunities).
The right to lodge a complaint	You have the right to lodge a complaint about the way we handle or process your personal data with your national data protection regulator.
The right to withdraw consent	If you have given your consent to anything we do with your personal data, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time (although if you do so, it does not mean that anything we have done with your personal data with your consent up to that point is unlawful). This includes your right to withdraw consent to us using your personal data for marketing purposes.

How do you access your information?

You have the right to request access to the information we are storing about you. Please email us to request this information.

We will provide the information you request within 30 days, following receipt of the request and proof of identity.

We will provide full access to all information concerning you.

We act on requests and provide information free of charge.

How can you correct or delete your information?

If you believe that the information we have about you is incorrect, you are welcome to contact us so we can update it and ensure it is accurate.

If at any point you wish us to delete information we hold about you, please contact us.

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