Last updated: August 2026
1. WHO I AM
Sweet Bodywork Therapy is run by Laura Sweet, a qualified Bowen Technique practitioner trained through the College of Bowen Studies. The business is a trading name of Sweet Soul Company Ltd, which is the "data controller" for your information. This means I decide how your information is used and I am responsible for keeping it safe.
Contact for all privacy matters:
Laura Sweet
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07534 661020
Address: 1 Chapel Terrace, Crofthandy. Redruth. TR15 5JQ
ICO registration number: ZC217595
2. WHAT INFORMATION I COLLECT
When you book or receive treatment, I may collect:
- Contact details: your name, address, phone number and email address
- Personal details: your date of birth and occupation
- Emergency contact: the name and phone number of someone I can contact if needed
- GP details (optional): your GP's name and surgery
- Health information: your medical history, current conditions, medication, lifestyle information (such as exercise, sleep, alcohol and water intake), and the reasons you are seeking treatment
- Treatment records: notes I make at each session, including the procedures used, your response to treatment and any progress you report
- Booking and payment records: appointment dates, invoices and payment confirmations (I do not store your card details)
- Communications: emails, messages and texts you send me
If you use my website, I may also collect:
- Information you enter into contact or booking forms
- Technical information collected through cookies, such as your browser type and the pages you visit (see Section 10)
Health information is classed as "special category data" under UK data protection law and is given extra protection. I only collect health information that is relevant to your treatment.
3. WHY I USE YOUR INFORMATION AND THE LEGAL BASIS FOR DOING SO
UK data protection law requires me to have a lawful reason for using your information. My reasons are:
- To provide your treatment safely and appropriately, including checking for any reason why Bowen, or a particular Bowen procedure, may not be suitable for you.
Legal basis: to perform my agreement with you (contract), and, for health information, your explicit consent.
- To keep accurate treatment records, as required by my professional insurance and professional standards.
Legal basis: my legitimate interests in keeping proper records and being able to respond to any complaint or claim, and, for health information, the establishment or defence of legal claims.
- To manage appointments, reminders, invoices and payments.
Legal basis: contract.
- To keep business and tax records.
Legal basis: legal obligation.
- To contact your emergency contact, or share information with medical services, if you become unwell during treatment.
Legal basis: to protect your vital interests.
- To send you occasional news, offers or information about my services.
Legal basis: your consent. I will only do this if you tick the marketing box on the consent form, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
4. HOW I KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE
- Paper records are kept in a locked filing cabinet and are never left out where others can see them.
- Electronic records are stored on password-protected devices and secure, password-protected accounts.
- Your information is only accessed by me.
- I take care when discussing treatment by phone, email or message, and will not leave detailed health information in voicemails.
5. WHO I SHARE YOUR INFORMATION WITH
I will never sell your information. I only share it where necessary, and only with:
- Service providers who help me run the business, such as my email and office software provider (Microsoft), website host (Launch You), online booking system (Clinikco), payment provider (Stripe) and accountant. These organisations only process information on my instructions and must keep it secure.
- Your GP or another healthcare professional, but only with your permission, unless there is an emergency.
- My professional insurer or legal advisers, if needed to deal with a complaint or claim.
- Authorities such as HMRC, the police or a court, if I am legally required to.
Some of my service providers may store data outside the UK. Where this happens, I make sure appropriate safeguards are in place as required by UK law.
6. HOW LONG I KEEP YOUR INFORMATION
- Client registration forms and treatment records: 8 years after your last appointment.
- Clients under 18 at the time of their last appointment: until their 25th birthday, or 8 years after their last appointment, whichever is later.
- Financial records (invoices and payments): 6 years from the end of the relevant tax year.
- Marketing contact details: until you unsubscribe or ask me to remove them.
- Enquiries from people who do not go on to book: up to 12 months.
When information is no longer needed, paper records are shredded and electronic records are permanently deleted.
7. YOUR RIGHTS
Under UK data protection law you have the right to:
- Be informed about how your information is used (this notice)
- Access the information I hold about you, free of charge in most cases
- Ask me to correct information that is wrong or incomplete
- Ask me to delete your information
- Ask me to restrict how I use your information
- Object to me using your information in certain ways
- Receive a copy of information you have given me electronically, in a format you can reuse elsewhere (data portability)
- Withdraw your consent at any time. This will not affect anything I did with your information before you withdrew it.
- Not be subject to decisions made purely by automated means. I do not use automated decision-making or profiling.
Please note:
- Because my insurance and professional standards require me to keep treatment records for the period shown in Section 6, I may not be able to delete your treatment records immediately if you ask me to. I will explain if this applies.
- If you do not wish me to record or use your health information, I will not be able to treat you safely, and so will be unable to offer treatment.
To use any of these rights, please contact me using the details in Section 1. I will respond within one month.
8. COMPLAINTS
If you are unhappy with how I have handled your information, please contact me first and I will do my best to put it right.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator:
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Phone: 0303 123 1113
9. CHILDREN
I treat clients under 16 only with the written consent of a parent or guardian, who must complete the registration and consent forms on the child's behalf and be present during treatment.
10. MY WEBSITE AND COOKIES
sweetbodytherapy.co.uk uses cookies, which are small files placed on your device. Essential cookies make the website work. Other cookies, such as analytics cookies that show me how the site is used, are only set if you agree to them through the cookie banner. You can change your cookie choices at any time through [the cookie settings link / your browser settings].
My website may contain links to other websites, such as social media. I am not responsible for their privacy practices.
11. CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
I may update this notice from time to time. The latest version will always be available on my website, with the date it was last updated.