AcuSpace Privacy Policy

Updated 16 July 2026

At AcuSpace, I am committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data with strict clinical and legal integrity. This policy explains when, why, and how I collect personal and health information from you — both when you visit my website and when we work together in person or virtually. It details how I keep your records secure and the strict conditions under which they are stored. It also explains how I am working in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR); terms from the regulation are indicated in bold. I may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in my clinical operations or UK law; any updates will be posted directly on this page.

1. Who Is Collecting Your Data?

The data controller is me, Emily Lowe, founder of AcuSpace. You can contact me directly at emily@acuspace.co.uk if you have any questions regarding this policy or my data privacy practices.

2. The Lawful Basis For Processing Your Data

I process your data in strict compliance with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. My legal grounds for processing your data are:

  • For Acupuncture, Qi Gong & Clinical Services: I process your special category data (sensitive health data) in accordance with UK GDPR Chapter II, Article 9(2)(h) (the provision of health or social care or treatment), alongside the Data Protection Act 2018, Schedule 1, Part 1 (health, social care and research purposes). This allows me to safely and legally take clinical notes to provide you with appropriate and safe treatment.

  • For Coaching, General Enquiries, & Workshops: Processing is based on UK GDPR Chapter II, Article 6(1)(b), which permits data processing when it is necessary for the performance of a contract, or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract.

3. How I Collect Your Data and Information

I obtain data and information about you by both digital and physical means (see Section 5 below for details on secure storage):

  • Digitally: When you use my website, complete my online contact form, send an email, or message me via text/WhatsApp. This may include:

    • Your name, email address, phone number, and IP address.

    • Information regarding what pages are accessed on my website and when (via cookies if you opt in to them).

    • Any health or wellness notes you consent to share in your initial enquiry or ongoing appointments with me. (If you decide not to book an appointment with me, I delete these initial inquiry notes after 1 month of our conversation).

  • Physically: When we conduct your initial consultation, when you complete a PAR-Q (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire) or health history form, and during our ongoing appointments with me as I take notes on your progress, symptoms, and lifestyle.

4. How Your Information Is Used

I use the information collected to safely administer your care and manage our professional relationship. Specifically, this includes:

  • Responding to your enquiries and scheduling appointments.

  • Creating bespoke treatment plans based on your unique medical history, physical symptoms, and goals.

  • Maintaining accurate, legally compliant clinical records as required by my professional body, the British Acupuncture Council.

  • Answering any processing or billing queries.

  • Sending you communications which you have requested or that may be of interest to you (such as practice updates or insights, provided you have explicitly opted in).

I will never sell, rent, or distribute your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes. I only share your data with trusted service providers to the minimum extent necessary to run my practice, as detailed in Section 5.

5. Data Storage and Security

To protect your personal and clinical data, I use highly trusted third-party cloud systems to process parts of your data along with physical secure storage. These include:

  • Squarespace: Hosts this website and securely processes form submissions.

  • Google Workspace / Mailchimp: Manages encrypted email communication, administrative scheduling, and opt-in newsletters.

  • Clinical Notes Storage (Digital & Physical): Your clinical notes and health data are treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Any physical paper records (client contract and PAR-Q+ only) are stored in a locked filing cabinet accessible only by me. Any digital clinical records are held on an encrypted, 2FA (two-factor authentication) and password-protected cloud platform that complies with UK data protection legislation and the data security principles outlined in the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) Code of Professional Conduct (which can be found here).

6. Data Retention: How Long Is Your Data Kept?

  • Clinical Acupuncture and Qigong Records: In strict accordance with the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) Code of Professional Conduct, adult clinical and medical notes are legally retained for a mandatory period of 7 years from the date of your last treatment. If the patient is a child under the age of 18 at the time of treatment, their records are securely retained until their 26th birthday.

  • Coaching, Contracts & Administrative Records: General enquiries, signed coaching agreements, session notes, and email correspondence that do not form part of a clinical acupuncture pathway are retained for a period of 6 years following our last active contract or interaction. This aligns with the statutory limitation periods for contract claims under Section 5 of the Limitation Act 1980, after which they are securely deleted/destroyed.

7. Your Rights Under UK Law

Under UK data protection law, you have specific rights regarding your personal data. In accordance with the UK GDPR Chapter III (Rights of the Data Subject), you have the following rights:

  • Right of Access (Article 15): You have the right to ask for a copy of the information AcuSpace holds about you. I will provide this free of charge within one calendar month of receiving your request. In line with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, my searches will be reasonable and proportionate, and I reserve the right to pause this response timeframe if I require further clarification from you regarding your request.

  • Vexatious or Excessive Requests (Article 12): Under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, if a data request is deemed clearly vexatious or excessive, I reserve the right to charge a reasonable administrative fee or refuse to act on the request.

  • Right to Rectification & Erasure (Articles 16 & 17): You can ask me to correct inaccurate data or erase data that I am not legally required to keep. (Please note that under the Data Protection Act 2018, Schedule 1, Part 1 and the British Acupuncture Council Code of Professional Conduct, I am legally unable to erase active clinical acupuncture records before the statutory 7-year retention period has elapsed).

8. How to Raise a Data Protection Complaint

If you have any concerns about how I process, handle, or store your personal data, you have a statutory right to lodge a formal complaint directly with me.

  • How to submit a complaint: Please email your complaint directly to me at emily@acuspace.co.uk.

  • My legal obligations: In strict compliance with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, I will acknowledge receipt of your internal complaint within 30 days. I will investigate the matter thoroughly and provide a full response regarding the outcome without undue delay.

  • Escalating a complaint: If you remain unsatisfied with my internal response or the steps taken to resolve your concern, you retain the continuing right to escalate your complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under Section 165 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (via https://ico.org.uk/concerns/).

9. Use of 'Cookies'

Like many other websites, the AcuSpace website uses cookies to collect statistical data about your browsing actions and patterns (such as which pages you visit). This helps me improve my website and deliver a more personalised service. Cookies do not identify you as an individual. You can switch off cookies by setting your browser preferences or managing your choices via the cookie banner on this site.

Official Legislative References & Links: