Privacy Policy
Effective Date: August 2026
Last Reviewed: August 2026
Introduction
Darling’s Pharmacy is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled securely, fairly and transparently.
This Privacy Policy explains how J M & W Darling Ltd (trading as Darling’s Pharmacy) collects, uses, stores, shares and protects your personal information when you:
- Visit our website.
- Use our NHS or private pharmacy services.
- Book appointments with us.
- Complete online forms or clinical questionnaires.
- Contact us by telephone, email or in person.
We process your personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and all other applicable healthcare legislation.
Who We Are
Darling’s Pharmacy is the trading name of J M & W Darling Ltd, an independent community pharmacy company providing NHS and private healthcare services across South Tyneside.
Throughout this Privacy Policy, references to “Darling’s Pharmacy”, “we”, “our” and “us” refer to J M & W Darling Ltd.
J M & W Darling Ltd is the Data Controller for the personal information we collect and process in connection with the healthcare services we provide. This means we are responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is used and for ensuring it is handled in accordance with UK data protection legislation.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, how we process your personal information, or wish to exercise your rights under UK data protection legislation, please contact us.
J M & W Darling Ltd (trading as Darling’s Pharmacy)
Registered Office:
Third Floor, City Gate, St James Boulevard, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4JE
Company Registration Number:
00246764
Telephone:
0191 455 4551
Email:
feedback@darlingspharmacy.co.uk
Website:
www.darlingspharmacy.co.uk
What Information We Collect
The information we collect depends on the services you use.
Personal Information
We may collect:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Postal address
- Email address
- Telephone number
- NHS number (where applicable)
- GP practice details
- Emergency contact details (where appropriate)
Health Information
As a healthcare provider, we also collect information necessary to provide safe and effective clinical care, including:
- Medical history
- Current medication
- Allergies
- Symptoms
- Vaccination history
- Clinical consultation notes
- Examination findings
- Test results
- Lifestyle information relevant to your care
- Treatment decisions
- Prescribing records
- Consent records
Appointment Information
When you book an appointment we may collect:
- The service requested
- Appointment date and time
- Booking history
- Pre-assessment questionnaire responses
- Communication preferences
Website Information
When you visit our website we may collect technical information such as:
- IP address
- Browser type
- Device information
- Website usage information
- Cookies and similar technologies
How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information to:
- Provide NHS pharmacy services.
- Provide private healthcare services.
- Assess your suitability for treatment.
- Carry out clinical consultations.
- Supply medicines safely and appropriately.
- Manage appointments and bookings.
- Send appointment confirmations and reminders.
- Respond to enquiries.
- Maintain accurate healthcare records.
- Meet our legal, professional and regulatory obligations.
- Improve the quality and safety of our services.
- Prevent fraud and protect patient safety.
NHS Services
If you receive NHS services from us, we process your information to provide healthcare commissioned by the NHS.
Examples include:
- Dispensing NHS prescriptions.
- Pharmacy First.
- NHS vaccinations.
- Blood pressure checks.
- Contraception services.
- Smoking cessation services.
- Other NHS commissioned pharmacy services.
Where appropriate, information may be shared securely with NHS organisations and healthcare professionals involved in your care.
Private Healthcare Services
We also provide a range of private healthcare services.
These may include travel health, vaccinations, weight management, men’s and women’s health services, dermatology services and other clinical services offered by the pharmacy.
All treatments and the supply of medicines are subject to an individual clinical assessment, professional judgement and, where applicable, Patient Group Directions (PGDs) or prescribing arrangements.
Booking an appointment does not guarantee that treatment or medication will be supplied.
Healthcare Systems and Trusted Service Providers
To provide safe, effective and efficient healthcare services, Darling’s Pharmacy uses a range of secure NHS and healthcare technology providers to support our day-to-day operations.
These systems help us to:
- maintain patient medication and healthcare records;
- dispense NHS prescriptions;
- provide NHS and private clinical services;
- manage appointments and bookings;
- communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals;
- send appointment confirmations and reminders;
- complete clinical consultations and assessments;
- support prescription ordering and delivery services;
- provide NHS and locally commissioned services;
- maintain legally required records; and
- meet our professional, regulatory and contractual obligations.
Some of these systems are provided by trusted third-party organisations acting on our behalf. They are only permitted to process your personal information where necessary to support the services we provide and must comply with UK data protection legislation, appropriate contractual requirements and recognised information security standards.
Where appropriate, these providers may contact you directly in relation to appointments, consultations or services you have requested from Darling’s Pharmacy.
Who We Share Your Information With
We only share your personal information where it is lawful, necessary and appropriate.
Depending on the service provided, information may be shared with:
- Your GP practice.
- NHS England.
- NHS Business Services Authority.
- Integrated Care Boards (ICBs).
- Hospitals or other healthcare providers involved in your care.
- Other healthcare professionals directly involved in your treatment.
- Regulatory or law enforcement bodies where required by law.
- Trusted technology providers that support the delivery of our pharmacy services.
- Payment providers where private services are purchased.
We will never sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
Our Legal Basis for Processing
We process personal information under one or more lawful bases provided by the UK GDPR, including:
- Compliance with a legal obligation.
- Provision of healthcare.
- Performance of a contract.
- Legitimate interests.
- Public interest in the provision of healthcare.
- Consent, where required.
As a healthcare provider, we are also permitted to process special category health information for the purposes of preventative medicine, medical diagnosis, treatment and the management of healthcare services.
How We Protect Your Information
We take the security of your personal information seriously.
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of your information, including:
- Secure pharmacy systems.
- Password-protected access.
- Role-based access controls.
- Staff confidentiality training.
- Secure electronic healthcare records.
- Regular software updates and security monitoring.
- Secure disposal of confidential information.
Only authorised members of staff have access to the information necessary to perform their duties.
How Long We Keep Your Information
Healthcare records are retained in accordance with NHS Records Management guidance and other applicable legal, professional and regulatory requirements.
Retention periods vary depending on the type of service provided.
When records are no longer required, they are securely destroyed or permanently deleted.
Your Rights
Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:
- Request access to your personal information.
- Request correction of inaccurate information.
- Request restriction of processing.
- Object to certain types of processing.
- Request deletion where legally appropriate.
- Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.
- Request information about how your personal information is used.
Some of these rights may be restricted where healthcare legislation requires us to retain records.
Cookies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience and help us understand how our website is used.
You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Further information is available in our Cookie Policy.
Links to Other Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites and encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, regulatory guidance or the services we provide.
The latest version will always be available on our website.
Complaints
If you have concerns about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first so we have the opportunity to resolve the matter.
If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Our Commitment
Protecting your privacy is an important part of providing safe, professional healthcare. We are committed to handling your personal information responsibly, maintaining the confidentiality of your healthcare records and ensuring that your information is processed securely and in accordance with applicable law.