Privacy Policy
Privacy Notice
Last updated: August 2026
1. Who we are
Cranbrook Vets is an independent veterinary practice providing veterinary care to pets and their owners in Cranbrook and the surrounding area.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, the data controller is:
Cranbrook Vets Limited
Brooksden
High Street
Cranbrook
Kent
TN17 3DT
Telephone: 01580 713381
Email: info@cranbrookvets.co.uk
Website: www.cranbrookvets.co.uk
In this privacy notice, references to “Cranbrook Vets”, “we”, “us” or “our” mean Cranbrook Vets Limited.
This notice explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, who we may share it with, and your rights.
If you have any questions about this privacy notice or how we handle your personal information, please contact us using the details above.
2. What personal information we collect
When you use our veterinary services or contact us, we may collect information including:
- your name;
- home address;
- telephone number;
- email address;
- details of other people authorised to discuss or make decisions about your pet;
- account, billing and transaction information;
- appointment history;
- communications between you and the practice;
- telephone call recordings;
- information you provide when registering yourself or your pet with us;
- pet insurance policy and claim information;
- Pet Health Plan information;
- complaints, queries and feedback;
- information necessary to comply with our legal, regulatory and professional obligations;
- information supplied by another veterinary practice, referral centre, laboratory, insurer or other organisation involved in your pet's care; and
- information collected when you use our website, such as technical information and information collected through cookies where applicable.
We may also hold information about your pet, including:
- name;
- species;
- breed;
- sex;
- date of birth or approximate age;
- microchip number;
- weight;
- medical and surgical history;
- vaccination history;
- examination findings;
- diagnoses;
- treatment plans;
- prescriptions and medication;
- laboratory results;
- diagnostic imaging;
- referral information; and
- other information relevant to your pet's health and veterinary care.
Information that relates solely to an animal is not normally personal information for the purposes of UK data protection law. However, veterinary records frequently also contain information that identifies owners or other individuals.
We treat our clinical and client records confidentially and in accordance with our legal and professional obligations.
3. How we obtain information
We may obtain personal information:
- directly from you when you register with the practice;
- when you make or attend an appointment;
- when you telephone, email or otherwise contact us;
- through our website;
- during consultations and treatment;
- when you make a payment;
- when you join or enquire about a Pet Health Plan;
- when you ask us to assist with an insurance claim;
- from another veterinary practice;
- from a referral centre or emergency veterinary provider;
- from diagnostic laboratories;
- from pet insurers;
- from microchip databases;
- from pharmacies or medicines suppliers;
- from another person responsible for or associated with your pet; and
- from other organisations where it is appropriate and lawful for information to be provided to us.
4. How we use your information
We may use your personal information to:
- register you and your pet with Cranbrook Vets;
- arrange and manage appointments;
- provide veterinary treatment and care;
- maintain accurate clinical and client records;
- communicate with you about your pet's health and treatment;
- provide estimates and invoices;
- process payments;
- issue prescriptions and supply veterinary medicines;
- arrange laboratory testing or diagnostic services;
- arrange referrals and emergency veterinary care;
- communicate with other veterinary professionals involved in your pet's care;
- administer Pet Health Plans;
- process and support pet insurance claims;
- send appointment reminders;
- send vaccination, medication, preventative healthcare and treatment reminders;
- respond to questions, complaints and feedback;
- record and review telephone calls;
- manage and improve the quality of our services;
- train and support members of our team;
- protect our staff, clients, business and systems;
- prevent and investigate fraud or misuse;
- recover unpaid accounts where necessary;
- comply with legal, regulatory and professional requirements;
- protect animal welfare;
- establish, exercise or defend legal claims;
- maintain and secure our IT systems and website; and
- send marketing communications where permitted by law.
5. Our lawful bases for using your information
Data protection law requires us to have a lawful basis for using personal information.
The lawful basis we use depends on why we are processing the information.
Contract
We may process information where this is necessary to provide veterinary services you have requested or to take steps before providing those services.
For example, this may include:
- registering you as a client;
- arranging an appointment;
- treating your pet;
- maintaining your account;
- issuing invoices; and
- processing payments.
Legal obligation
We may process or retain information where necessary to comply with legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, veterinary medicines or other requirements that apply to us.
Legitimate interests
We may process personal information where this is necessary for our legitimate interests or those of another organisation, provided your rights and interests do not override those interests.
Our legitimate interests may include:
- operating and managing our veterinary practice;
- maintaining appropriate veterinary and client records;
- providing continuity of veterinary care;
- improving our services;
- training our staff;
- recording telephone calls;
- protecting staff and clients;
- preventing fraud;
- managing complaints and disputes;
- recovering money owed to us;
- maintaining IT and information security; and
- communicating appropriately with our clients.
Consent
Where consent is the appropriate lawful basis, we will ask for it.
If we rely upon your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of any processing that took place before you withdrew it.
6. Veterinary clinical records and confidentiality
We maintain clinical records to provide an appropriate record of your pet's health and veterinary treatment and to support continuity of care.
These may include consultation notes, laboratory reports, diagnostic images, medication records, correspondence, estimates, referrals and other information relevant to your pet.
We have professional obligations relating to the confidentiality of information we receive about our clients and their animals.
Access to our clinical and client records is limited to members of our team and other authorised people who need access for an appropriate purpose.
Where another veterinary professional becomes involved in your pet's care, relevant clinical information may be shared with them where appropriate.
There may also be circumstances where we are permitted or required to disclose information without your consent, including where disclosure is required by law or where there are sufficiently serious animal-welfare, safeguarding or public-interest concerns.
7. VetIT practice management system
We use VetIT as our veterinary practice management system.
VetIT is used to help us manage information including:
- client details;
- pet details;
- clinical records;
- appointments;
- treatment information;
- prescriptions;
- invoices;
- financial information; and
- communications and other information relating to the services we provide.
VetIT is a service provided by National Veterinary Services Limited and forms part of the NVS Group.
Information held within VetIT may be hosted and processed on our behalf in order to provide and support the practice-management system.
We remain responsible for ensuring that our use of personal information through VetIT complies with applicable data protection law.
8. Payments and Clover
We use Clover to process card payments.
When you pay us by card, information relating to your payment is processed by Clover and organisations involved in the payment-processing chain.
Depending on the payment method, this may include information such as:
- payment-card information;
- the name associated with the card;
- transaction date and time;
- transaction amount;
- merchant information; and
- information necessary to authorise and process the transaction.
Clover may also process information for purposes such as fraud prevention, payment security, dispute management and compliance with financial-services requirements.
Clover's UK services are provided by the relevant Clover/Fiserv group company.
We generally do not need to retain your complete payment-card details ourselves simply because a payment has been made through Clover. We retain appropriate transaction and accounting records.
Clover has its own privacy notice explaining how it handles information when providing payment services.
9. Pet Health Plans and Vetsure
Our Pet Health Plans are administered with the assistance of Vetsure.
Where you choose to join a Pet Health Plan, relevant information may be provided to or processed by Vetsure in order to administer the plan.
This may include information necessary to:
- set up and administer your membership;
- manage your monthly payments or Direct Debits;
- identify you and your pet;
- administer benefits available under the plan; and
- deal with queries relating to your membership.
Vetsure may process your information in accordance with its own privacy information and its arrangements with Cranbrook Vets.
10. Pet insurance claims
If you ask us to assist with a pet insurance claim, we may provide your insurer or its claims administrator with information relevant to that claim.
This may include:
- clinical histories;
- consultation notes;
- diagnoses;
- treatment details;
- medication;
- laboratory results;
- diagnostic reports;
- invoices; and
- other information reasonably requested to assess or verify the claim.
Your pet insurer is responsible for explaining how it processes information it receives.
11. Referrals and other veterinary practices
Where your pet requires treatment from another veterinary practice, specialist, referral centre or emergency provider, we may share information necessary to support your pet's care.
This may include relevant clinical records and your contact information.
If you move to another veterinary practice, we may provide appropriate clinical records to the new practice in accordance with our professional and data protection obligations.
12. Out-of-hours treatment
Our out-of-hours veterinary service is provided by Pennard Vets.
Where you require out-of-hours treatment, relevant information may be shared between Cranbrook Vets and Pennard Vets where necessary to provide veterinary care and ensure appropriate continuity of treatment.
Pennard Vets is responsible for its own use of information when providing its veterinary services and will have its own privacy arrangements.
13. Other organisations we may share information with
Where appropriate and lawful, personal information may also be shared with:
- veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses;
- veterinary referral centres and hospitals;
- emergency veterinary providers;
- diagnostic laboratories;
- veterinary pharmacies;
- medicines suppliers;
- pet insurance companies;
- claims administrators;
- microchip database operators;
- animal cremation and bereavement service providers;
- payment providers;
- VetIT and other IT service providers;
- website and email service providers;
- data-backup and cloud-service providers;
- accountants;
- auditors;
- banks;
- insurers;
- professional advisers;
- debt-recovery organisations;
- the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and other professional or regulatory bodies where appropriate;
- law-enforcement agencies;
- courts;
- government authorities; and
- other organisations where you ask or authorise us to disclose information.
We only share information where there is an appropriate reason and lawful basis for doing so.
Service providers processing personal information on our behalf are required to handle it appropriately and securely.
14. Telephone call recording
Telephone calls to and from Cranbrook Vets may be recorded.
Where appropriate, callers will be informed that calls may be recorded.
We may record calls for purposes including:
- maintaining an accurate record of communications;
- staff training;
- monitoring and improving the quality of our service;
- investigating complaints or disputes;
- protecting our staff and clients; and
- establishing, exercising or defending legal claims.
Call recordings may contain personal information about you and information concerning your pet.
Access to recordings is restricted to authorised members of staff and service providers where necessary.
Recordings are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which they were made, taking into account any complaint, dispute, legal or regulatory requirements, after which they are securely deleted in accordance with our retention procedures.
You may have a right to request personal information about you contained within a telephone recording.
15. Appointment and healthcare reminders
We may contact you with information connected with the veterinary services we provide.
This may include:
- appointment confirmations;
- appointment reminders;
- vaccination reminders;
- medication reminders;
- parasite-treatment reminders;
- preventative healthcare reminders;
- follow-up communications; and
- important information concerning your pet's treatment or care.
These service communications are not necessarily the same as marketing communications.
You can speak to us about your communication preferences at any time, although there may be occasions when we need to contact you about veterinary care, your account or another important service matter.
16. Marketing communications
We may occasionally contact clients with information about our veterinary services, products, offers, events or other information that we believe may be relevant.
We will only send electronic marketing where we have an appropriate lawful basis to do so and will obtain consent where required.
You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by:
- using an unsubscribe option included in the communication where available;
- emailing info@cranbrookvets.co.uk; or
- contacting the practice on 01580 713381.
Opting out of marketing will not prevent us from sending communications necessary for your pet's care, appointments, treatment or your account.
17. Our website and cookies
Our website is:
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies.
Some cookies are necessary for the website to function correctly. Other technologies may be used for functionality, security or to understand use of our website.
Where the law requires consent for a cookie or similar technology, it should not be placed on your device until you have been given an appropriate opportunity to make your choice.
You can also control cookies through your browser settings.
Where we use non-essential analytics, advertising or similar technologies, information about those technologies and your choices will be provided through our website's cookie information and consent controls.
18. Website enquiries
If you send us information through our website or by email, we will use the information to respond to your request and, where appropriate, provide veterinary services.
Please do not use a general website form or email where urgent veterinary attention is required.
For veterinary emergencies, please telephone the practice on 01580 713381 and follow the instructions provided.
19. International transfers
Some technology, payment, communications or other service providers may process information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, we will take steps required by applicable data protection law to ensure that an appropriate transfer mechanism or safeguard is in place.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include transferring information to a country covered by UK adequacy regulations or using approved contractual safeguards.
Further information about applicable safeguards can be requested by contacting us.
20. How long we keep information
We only keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary.
Different information is retained for different periods depending upon:
- why the information was collected;
- whether you remain a client;
- the need to maintain appropriate veterinary clinical records;
- veterinary medicines requirements;
- accounting and taxation requirements;
- legal and regulatory obligations;
- professional-indemnity and insurance requirements;
- the possibility of complaints or legal claims; and
- other legitimate operational requirements.
Clinical records are retained for an appropriate period taking account of our legal, regulatory and professional responsibilities.
Financial and accounting information is retained for periods required by applicable tax and accounting legislation.
Telephone recordings are retained only for as long as reasonably required for their purpose and any relevant complaint, dispute, legal or regulatory requirements.
When information is no longer required, we securely delete, destroy or anonymise it as appropriate.
21. How we protect your information
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:
- unauthorised access;
- accidental loss;
- destruction;
- alteration;
- inappropriate disclosure; and
- misuse.
Measures may include:
- access controls;
- individual user accounts;
- password protection;
- secure practice-management systems;
- appropriate data backups;
- staff training;
- confidentiality procedures;
- appropriate contractual arrangements with service providers; and
- technical security measures.
Access to client information is limited to people who have a legitimate reason to use it.
22. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis we rely upon, you may have the right to:
- request access to the personal information we hold about you;
- request correction of inaccurate personal information;
- request completion of incomplete personal information;
- request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances;
- request restriction of processing in certain circumstances;
- object to certain processing;
- receive certain information in a portable format where the right to data portability applies; and
- withdraw consent where processing is based on your consent.
These rights do not apply in every circumstance and may be subject to legal exemptions.
Data protection rights concern personal information relating to identifiable people. They do not necessarily provide an unrestricted right to demand deletion or alteration of an animal's clinical record.
If you wish to exercise a data protection right, please contact:
Cranbrook Vets Limited
Brooksden
High Street
Cranbrook
Kent
TN17 3DT
Email: info@cranbrookvets.co.uk
Telephone: 01580 713381
We may need to confirm your identity before responding to a request.
Your right to object
Where we process your personal information on the basis of our legitimate interests, you may have the right to object to that processing.
If you object, please contact us and explain what processing you object to and why. We will consider your request in accordance with applicable data protection law.
23. Automated decision-making
We do not ordinarily make decisions about clients that have legal or similarly significant effects solely by automated means.
If this changes, we will provide appropriate information about the automated processing and your relevant rights.
24. Children's information
Our services may occasionally involve communications or information concerning people under the age of 18.
We will handle children's personal information fairly and appropriately.
Where appropriate, we may require a parent, guardian or other responsible adult to be involved in decisions, contractual arrangements or communications.
25. Changes to this privacy notice
We may update this privacy notice from time to time, including where:
- our services change;
- our suppliers or systems change;
- our use of personal information changes; or
- legal or regulatory requirements change.
The most recent version will be published on our website.
The date at the top of this notice indicates when it was last updated.
26. Questions and complaints
If you have any questions or concerns about how Cranbrook Vets uses your personal information, please contact us:
Cranbrook Vets Limited
Brooksden
High Street
Cranbrook
Kent
TN17 3DT
Telephone: 01580 713381
Email: info@cranbrookvets.co.uk
We would appreciate the opportunity to resolve any concern directly.
You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK regulator responsible for data protection.
Further information about your rights and how to complain is available at www.ico.org.uk.