Privacy notice

 

Privacy notice

How we use your information

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will handle your personal information in accordance with this privacy statement.

This privacy notice tells you what to expect when ODM collects personal information. It applies to information we collect about:

  1. People who use ODM services
  2. Job applicants, current and former ODM employees
  3. People who email us
  4. Complainants and other individuals in relation to data protection or freedom of information enquiries
  5. People who use ODM services

ODM offers a wide variety of different services, we have to hold the details of the people who have requested the service in order to provide it. However, we only use these details to provide the service the person has requested and for other closely related purposes.  Personable information we may ask you to provide includes contact information such as your name, address, telephone number and email address.

We hold your personal information in paper based or electronic files.  All information held by ODM in this regard is subject to strict data protection principles to ensure the security, consistent management and compliance to ICO standards are maintained at all times due to the confidential nature of the data filed.

If you believe the information we hold about you is inaccurate or out of date you can contact us to correct this.

  1. Job applicants, current and former ODM employees

When individuals apply to work at ODM we will only use the information they supply to us to process their application and to monitor recruitment statistics. Where we want to disclose information to a third party, for example where we want to take up a reference or obtain a ‘disclosure’ from the Disclosure and Barring Service we will not do so without informing them beforehand unless the disclosure is required by law.
Personal information about unsuccessful candidates will be held for 12 months after the recruitment exercise has been completed, it will then be destroyed or deleted. Once a person has taken up employment with ODM we will compile a file relating to their employment. The information contained in this will be kept secure and will only be used for purposes directly relevant to that person’s employment. Once their employment with ODM has ended, we will retain the file in accordance with the requirements of our retention schedule and then delete it.

  1. People who email us

Any email sent to us, including any attachments, may be monitored and used by us for reasons of security and for monitoring compliance with office policy. Email monitoring or blocking software may also be used. Please be aware that you have a responsibility to ensure that any email you send to us is within the bounds of the law.

  1. Complaints and other individuals in relation to a data protection or freedom of information complaint or enquiry

People who make a complaint to us

When we receive a complaint from a person we make up a file containing the details of the complaint. This normally contains the identity of the complainant and any other individuals involved in the complaint.
We will only use the personal information we collect to process the complaint and to check on the level of service we provide. We usually have to disclose the complainant’s identity to whoever the complaint is about. This is inevitable where, for example, the accuracy of a person’s record is in dispute. If a complainant doesn’t want information identifying him or her to be disclosed, we will try to respect that. However, it may not be possible to handle a complaint on an anonymous basis.
Information relating to a complaint will be retained for two years from closure. It will be retained in a secure environment and access to it will be restricted according to the ‘need to know’ principle. Similarly, where enquiries are submitted to us we will only use the information supplied to us to deal with the enquiry and any subsequent issues and to check on the level of service we provide.

Access to personal information

ODM tries to be as open as it can be in terms of giving people access to their personal information. Individuals can find out if we hold any personal information by making a ‘subject access request’ under the Data Protection Act 1998. If we do hold information about you we will:

  • give you a description of it;
  • tell you why we are holding it;
  • tell you who it could be disclosed to; and why.

To make a request to ODM for any personal information we may hold you need to put the request in writing addressing it to the Data Officer writing to the address provided below.

You can also get further information on:

  • agreements we have with other organisations for sharing information;
  • our instructions to staff on how to collect, use and delete personal data; and
  • how we check that the information we hold is accurate and up to date.

Changes to this privacy notice

ODM keep this and all current privacy notice or confidential agreements with clients under annual review or as and when required by legislation.