Privacy Statement

September 2025

1. Your personal data – what is it?

Personal data relates to a living individual who can be identified from that data. Identification can be by the information alone or in conjunction with any other information in the data controller’s possession or likely to come into such possession. The processing of personal data is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”).

2. Who are we?

We are Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service, founded in 2007. We provide a dedicated children’s hospice service for children with life limiting and life-threatening conditions in Berkshire, South Bucks and into surrounding counties.

3. How do we process your personal data?

Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service complies with its obligations under the “GDPR” by keeping personal data up to date; by storing and destroying it securely; by not collecting or retaining excessive amounts of data; by protecting personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access and disclosure and by ensuring that appropriate technical measures are in place to protect personal data.
We will never sell your personal information or share it with other organisations for their own marketing purposes.

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To enable us to provide a service for the benefit of children and their families in Berkshire, South Bucks and into surrounding counties.
To administer supporter data and process donations, payments or refunds.
To fundraise and promote the interests of the charity.
To manage our philanthropy programme. We research into population demographics, geographic data or other areas which may impact on our service areas or identify potential areas of focus to raise funds. We may collect information from public sources such as Companies House, social media profiles, newspapers and other published material.
To manage our employees and volunteers.
To maintain our own accounts and records (including the processing of gift aid applications).
To inform you of news, events, activities and services at Alexander Devine.
To provide a service to you or your family.

4. What is the legal basis for processing your personal data?

Legitimate interests so that we can keep you informed about news, events, activities and services and process your gift aid donations and keep you informed about charity events.
Processing is necessary for carrying out obligations under employment, social security or social protection law.

5. Sharing your personal data

Your personal data will be treated as strictly confidential and will only be shared within the charity in order to carry out a service to the benefit of the charity’s running or development. Data will only be shared outside the charity on restricted grounds, such as inputting into donation platforms (e.g Square) and payment processors (e.g. Paypal).

6. How long do we keep your personal data?

We keep data in accordance with the guidance set out in statute or best practice.

Retention Schedule

Category of Data	Retention Period	Notes
Child and Family Care Records	Until the child reaches 25th birthday OR 8 years after the child dies if death occurs before their 18th birthday. See below for key areas *	In line with NHS Records Management Code of Practice.
Safeguarding	At least 25 years from the date of closure of the case (this may be longer at discretion in the event of serious harm).	Working together to safeguard children 2024.
Bereavement Support Records	These should be retained in line with the child and family records until the 25th birthday years.	Unless a longer period is necessary for safeguarding concerns.
Employee Records	6 years after employment ends.	Certain pension and accident records retained longer.
Volunteer Records	3 years after volunteering ends.	Unless safeguarding requires longer retention.
Payroll, Tax and NI Records	6 years.	In line with HMRC requirements.
Health & Safety Records	40 years for records relating to exposure to hazardous substances; otherwise 6 years.	COSHH regulations apply.
Donor and Supporter Records	6 years after last donation or contact.	Gift Aid Declarations and Records
Gift Aid Declarations and Records	6 years after the last donation covered by the declaration.	HMRC requirement.
Legacy Donor Records	12 years after final distribution of estate.	To support potential disputes.
Financial Accounts	7 years.	Required under Companies Act and Charities Commission.
Governance Documents (Trustee minutes, policies, etc.)	Permanently.	For historical and compliance purposes.

Key Retention Periods Relevant to Children / Hospices

Type of Record / Situation	Minimum Retention Period After Death or Discharge*
Child patient’s health record (non-specialist care)	Until their 25th birthday, or 26th if they were 17 at the time treatment ended. NHS Transformation Directorate+2Restore+2.
If the child dies before reaching adulthood	Generally, 8 years after death (for many health records), but this may vary according to the nature of the treatment or condition. Restore+1.
Mental health records	20 years after last contact, or 10 years after death, whichever is longer. BMA+1.
Oncology / cancer related records	Up to 30 years or longer in some cases. NHS Transformation Directorate+1.
Maternity / neo-natal records (which may include children born who die or stillborn)	25 years after birth of the child. BMA+1.

7. Your rights and your personal data

Unless subject to an exemption under the GDPR, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:

The right to request a copy of your personal data which Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service holds about you.
The right to request that we correct any personal data if it is found to be inaccurate or out of date.
The right to request your personal data is erased where it is no longer necessary for us to retain such data.
The right to withdraw your consent to the processing at any time.
The right to request that the data controller provide the data subject with his/her personal data and where possible, to transmit that data directly to another data controller, (known as the right to data portability), (where applicable).
The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of your personal data, to request a restriction is placed on further processing.
The right to object to the processing of personal data, (where applicable).
The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office.

8. Further processing

If we wish to use your personal data for a new purpose, not covered by this Privacy Policy, then we will provide you with a new notice explaining this new use prior to commencing the processing and setting out the relevant purposes and processing conditions. Where and whenever necessary, we will seek your prior consent to the new processing.

9. Contact Details

To exercise all relevant rights, queries or complaints please in the first instance contact the ADCHS Data Protection Officer by emailing admin@alexanderdevine.org.uk or in writing to Data Protection Officer, Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice, Snowball Hill, Woodlands Park Avenue, Maidenhead, SL6 3LU.

You can contact the Information Commissioners Office on 0303 123 1113 or at the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 5AF.

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Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service is the operating name of Alexander Devine Children’s Cancer Trust. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 5757493