In using this website (including purchasing products), or in booking or attending an appointment directly with The M-ethod™, you are deemed to have read and agreed to the following terms and conditions.

The following terminology applies throughout:

“Client”, “Customer”, “Patient”, “You”, “Your” refers to you, the person accessing this website or the person making the booking and accepting these Terms and Conditions.

“The Company”, “We”, “Us”, “Ourselves” refers to The M-ethod™. Staff means directors or employees of The M-ethod™.

Product Description

We take every care to ensure that product and treatment descriptions, imagery, pricing and other information is correct at the time of publication on the site, on our social media or during your treatment. Prices can change at any time. Product prices shown in currencies apart from British Pound Sterling (GBP) are automatically converted by a third-party provider. We do not accept any liability for any errors or inaccuracies. While we endeavour to inform you in advance, this cannot be guaranteed.

All treatments, products and offers are subject to availability.

The information on this website is for general information only. It is not meant to be medical advice and does not replace one-on-one consultations or treatments.

Questions regarding medical issues during our consultations would be handled where appropriate. If deemed inappropriate or outside of the remit of The M-ethod™, these would be directed to appropriate medical professionals (for example, your GP).

Results from Images/ Disclaimer

Any images shown on our website, social media platforms or in any promotional material are for illustration purposes only, and are by no means indication of guaranteed results.

Use of Website & Third-Party Links

Under no circumstances will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by a reader’s reliance on information or products obtained on this site, or any third-party linked to us. The use of this website is at the user’s sole risk. We shall not be responsible for any injury, loss, damage, cost or expense suffered by you if and to the extent that it is caused by your negligence or wilful misconduct or by breach of your obligations under these Terms and Conditions.

Changes

The Company may make changes to these conditions from time to time, as it sees fit, and your continued use of the site will signify your acceptance of any adjustment to these terms.

You are advised to re-read these terms and conditions regularly.

Redistribution or replication of any part of this site is expressly prohibited. The M-ethod and the “M” logo are trademarks. Copyright and other relevant intellectual property rights exist on all texts relating to the Company’s services and in the full content of our website.

Payment can be made by any of the following methods:

Visa, MasterCard, Delta, Electron, Solo, Switch, Maestro, PayPal and American Express or by instalments via After Pay.

Payment will be debited and cleared from your account at the point at which your order is acknowledged or when treatment takes place.

Please note that all credit/debit cardholders are subject to validation checks and authorisation by the issuer of the card. The cardholder's address must match the information held by the issuing authority. If the issuer of your payment card refuses to pay or does not for any reason authorise payment to The M-ethod™, we will not be liable for any delay or non-delivery of merchandise. Please note that we retain the legal ownership of all merchandise until full payment has been made by you and received by us. Legal ownership of the merchandise will immediately transfer back to us if we refund any payment for the merchandise to you.

Full contact information can be found in the Contact section of our website.

Complaints should be made in writing using the email address hello@them-ethod.com. We aim to reply to your complaints within 48 hours. Full details of our Complaints policy can be found here.

Services & Products offered by the M-ethod™

In the event of any inconsistencies between these Terms and Conditions and the contents of any other literature provided by the M-ethod™, to the client (“you”), these Terms and Conditions will prevail.

• Valid for new and existing clients.

• Redemption of booking deposit only applicable if cancellation policy adhered to (72 hours notice for clinic bookings, 12 hours for virtual bookings).

• The consultation fee is non-refundable.

• Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount unless specifically stated otherwise.

• The M-ethod™ reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time.

Bookings

To arrange an appointment please contact us on our published number or use our “book now” link on our website. The availability of appointments cannot be guaranteed.

We charge a £120 consultation fee which also secures your appointment. This can be redeemed against any treatment you have on the day of your consultation and is paid via a secure payment link sent to your email address. Please note, your consultation fee cannot be redeemed against; skincare, prescription products, bespoke skincare, gift vouchers or transferred to a friend/family member's appointment, unless otherwise specified.

If you are interested in having HIFU, as this requires patch test at least 24 hours prior to treatment and cannot be performed on the day of your consultation, your consultation fee can be redeemed at a later date. Please note, you will not be able to redeem your £120 consultation fee any later than 3 months from your initial consultation/patch test.

A £70 booking fee, which goes towards your treatment and is required for our OBAGI facials.

Please note, prices for Specialist Consultations vary from the aforementioned prices and can be found on our treatment price list.

We operate a 72 hour cancellation period (12 hour for virtual appointments) and request that you contact the clinic prior to this period. This can be an email, call or voicemail - as long as it is received prior to this period. Unfortunately, if you cancel or reschedule within the 72 hour period, £120 will be charged before you can rebook.

If you cancel or reschedule on more than 3 consecutive occasions within the 72 hour cancellation period a non-refundable £120 will be charged. This can be redeemed when you come into clinic and have a treatment but is non refundable, regardless of if you cancel or reschedule within the 72 hour period.

Prepayments or deposits not used expire after 6 months. Prepayments or deposits can be redeemed against any services &/or products (subject to availability).

We do not offer refunds on packages unless there is a valid medical reason (medical letter will be required).

If you wish to change a package of treatments purchases and redeem against products, this will be calculated based on the individual price and not the discounted price as part of the package.

Packages are valid for 12 months from date of purchase.

We will notify you by email within one working day to confirm your appointment booking and provide you with a booking confirmation.

If we need to change your appointment following this acknowledgement, we will contact you by email advising you of this. If you require any information concerning your booking, please email us at hello@them-ethod.com quoting your booking reference.

It is important that you provide accurate medical information when asked. The M-ethod™ is not responsible or liable for any damage caused due to withheld information, or the failure to follow the instructions provided by our staff.

Promotional offers are not to be used in conjunction with any other offers unless the offer specifically states otherwise.

Legally Binding Contract

A legally binding contract between us will be formed when we send you the Booking Confirmation for the booking &/or treatment ("Contract").

Treatments Provision

It is the client’s responsibility to ensure all relevant medical history is provided to us prior to treatment. If incomplete or incorrect information is supplied, we may either choose to end the contract, or make additional charges to compensate us for the additional work that is required as a result. We will not be responsible for providing the services late or not providing any part of them as a result of inaccurate information being supplied to us.

If we deem that you are unsuitable for your chosen treatment, or that your chosen treatment would unlikely be successful, we will inform you of the facts and reasons why we have reached this conclusion. In such a case, you will only be charged for the cost of the M-ethod™ Consultation fee, which is redeemable against online purchases or other in-clinic treatment that may be otherwise suitable for you, should you wish to proceed.

While the services and home-care products we provide are clinically proven, no treatment is entirely risk-free, and the results of any particular treatment cannot be guaranteed. Individual results and benefits vary from person to person, and are dependent on factors such as lifestyle, age, and medical history. The individualised intended benefits, risks and alternative options will be discussed with you during the M-ethod™ Consultation.

In the event that pre-treatment preparation is required, you will be provided with the necessary information. Failure to comply with the preparation may result in your treatment being delayed, or incurring additional costs. Where persistent non-compliance occurs, we reserve the right to end our contract without prior notice.

Covid-19 Vaccination Policy

Please be aware that we are unable to administer dermal fillers 2 weeks prior and 3 weeks post-vaccination.

ID Checking Policy

Please be advised we require a valid form of ID prior to treatments (in-clinic or home-care medical-grade skincare products). Acceptable personal identification documents include:

• Current UK/ EU/ other nationalities passport

• Current UK/ European photo-card driving licence.

Treatment After Care

For your aftercare specific instructions will be sent to you depending on your treatment.

Follow-Up Appointment and Top-Up

Complimentary top-up of injectables may be administered at the discretion of the treating physician. In the event that the required additional materials exceed the agreed initial amount (e.g. dermal fillers/ toxins), you will be advised of the additional cost prior to the administration of top-up.

Health & Safety

Full details of our Health & Safety policy can be found here.

Infection Control

Full details of our Infection Control policy can be found here.

Legally Binding Contract

A legally binding contract between us will be formed when we send you the Shipping Confirmation ("Contract").

Online Purchases & Orders

All newly clients subscribed to our newsletter are entitled to a welcome 10% discount apart from Calecim Professional and Obagi Medical products.

After placing an order you will receive an automatic e-mail from The M-ethod™ confirming that we have received your order. This is not an acceptance of your order as our medical team will need to review the items ordered before we can dispatch them. If any of the items ordered are prescription-only items, then you will need to complete a consultation with a member of the medical team before those items are dispatched.

Our medical team reserve the right to decline to fulfil your order if it is deemed that the products ordered are unsuitable. Where possible, the medical team will suggest alternative products that may be more appropriate for you to use and for you to achieve your desired outcome. If this is the case, and you wish to change your order, we will alter your order accordingly and either credit or debit you for the difference. You will be sent an email confirming the change to your revised order details and you will be dispatched the products.

Order Containing Prescription-Only Items

Prescription-Only Items include but are not limited to the following:

• CLENZIderm M.D.® Acne Therapeutic System, Pore Therapy, Therapeutic Lotion - Obagi

• Nu-Derm® Blend, Clear, Skin Transformation System (Normal to Dry/ Normal to Oily), Sunfader®, Travel Kit (Normal to Dry/ Normal to Oily) - Obagi

• Obagi-C® Rx C-Clarifying Serum (Normal to Dry/ Normal to Oily), C-Therapy Night Cream, Rx System (Normal to Dry/ Normal to Oily) - Obagi

• Tretinoin 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1% Cream - Obagi

• Tretinoin 0.05% Gel - Obagi

Prescription-only items will only be dispatched once the customer has completed a consultation. If not already taken place prior to placing an order, the M-ethod™ will attempt to contact the patient on the telephone number/ email provided at the time of placing the order to schedule a consultation. The M-ethod™ will attempt to contact the customer at least once per day and in the event that The M-ethod™ cannot reach the customer, the customer must make all reasonable effort to contact The M-ethod™ during the normal business hours.

You agree to us acting as your agent in the delivery of the goods. You agree that the subsequent importation of all medicines is by yourself and for your own personal use.

The M-ethod™ reserves the right to cancel any orders received at any time prior to dispatch of the goods. If The M-ethod™ does cancel an order the customer’s card will automatically be refunded.

The fee for prescription products includes the Pharmacist, the cost of the product, the Pharmacy dispensation, Doctors prescribing fee and administration fee.

Any order that contains a prescription request will only be dispatched once a consultation has taken place.

Online Order Confirmation

All products are subject to availability. We may not accept your order for products if an item you have ordered is out of stock, if we have identified a product with pricing error, or if we are unable to obtain authorisation for your payment. Please note that we reserve the right to reject any offer to purchase by you at any time. All prices are displayed including VAT and exclusive of delivery charges for the UK. Further terms may apply for International shipments, see delivery details below. Payment is taken upon checkout.

Prescriptions for Registered Patients Only

Prescription request are only available to patients registered with The M-ethod™. By acknowledging that you are a patient of the practice you confirm that you are willing to submit to providing information for examination by the medical team to make the necessary assessment to allow a pharmacist to prescribe.

Following your consultation, one of our prescribers will issue you with a prescription for your prescription-only products, which we will keep on file. You will also be issued with a series of repeat prescriptions which are required for you to complete your Obagi program or other treatment course. Whilst we hold repeat prescriptions for you on file, you will not need a further consultation, unless you order a different product or your medical history changes. Each time a product is dispensed and dispatched to you, a prescription is used up. You can continue to re-order your products until you have used up all of your repeat prescriptions for that particular product. Should you wish to continue with your treatment program after you have used up your repeat prescriptions, then you will have to have a new consultation with a member of our medical team before any further products can be dispatched to you.

Request for Correspondence

You will receive a receipt of your products &/or service within 2 business days. If there is any technical issue leading to a delay in you receiving your receipt, please get in touch with us within 48 hours at: hello@them-ethod.com.

Further correspondence such as a request for a Doctor's note (a.k.a memo) or printed prescription will incur an administrative fee of £30.

Subscription Service

Subscription to our product consists of a recurring charge on a regular basis, depending on your selected plan, as agreed by you upon signing up to our services. By subscribing to our subscription products, you acknowledge and agree to pay the recurring payment to us indefinitely until cancelled by you or by us. The advertised subscription 5% discount cannot be combined with other promotions and excludes skinbetter science products.

You can cancel without a minimum commitment period, no less than 3 business days prior to your next billing cycle. We will only take payment for products that we have posted to you. If you cancel before any products have been sent, we reserve the right to cancel your order and provide a refund of the payment. You can re-subscribe at any time following cancellation. To cancel your subscription please email order@them-ethod.com to request cancellation.

We reserve the right not to renew your subscription at any time without giving any reasons for our decision and we reserve the right not to authorise a re-subscription. We also reserve the right to cancel our subscription services with you if: (a) we have withdrawn a particular product or have insufficient stock to deliver the product you have ordered; (b) we do not deliver to your area; (c) one or more of the products you ordered was listed at an incorrect price due to a typographical error or an error in the pricing information received by us from our suppliers; or we consider you in breach of our terms and conditions. If we do cancel your subscription, we will notify you by e-mail and will refund any sums you have paid in advance for products which we will not provide.

Online Order Cancellation

If you change your mind after placing an order, please email us at order@them-ethod.com quoting your order number as soon as possible. While we endeavour to assist you in your order, after an item has been dispatched, it would be impossible to cancel your order.

All dispatched prescription items are strictly non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

For non-prescription items, you may choose to refuse the package when delivered to you and upon return of the package to us (in its intact, undamaged and new condition), we will issue a refund to your original payment method, less a restocking fee of £10. Refunds can take up to 10 working days to show on your account due to varying processing times between payment providers.

Delivery

The M-ethod™ has partnered with the respective medical-grade skincare brands’ official distributors and medical pharmacies to dispatch products with their drop-shipping services.

Once your order has been processed, we will confirm your order is dispatched by sending you a shipping confirmation email. Should you require assistance please contact us during business hours at order@them-ethod.com or call/ WhatsApp +44 (0)75610 31894, quoting your order number.

The goods cannot be redelivered to a different delivery address. In the event of a failed delivery attempt, please contact us within 5 business days to arrange for re-delivery. Otherwise, you shall be refunded in the purchased goods value and when the items are sent back to the M-ethod™ or its respective partners. We reserve the right to deduct a nominal fee for redeliveries (of up to £10 or 15€).

Any inaccuracy in the contact details or postal details provided may delay or prevent delivery and we are not liable for such delay or non-delivery.

Any items returned to sender will be considered unwanted.

*Please note that distributors aim to dispatch all orders within 3 working days. Delivery times are to be used as a guide only and unfortunately, from time to time there may be delays to delivery.

Back orders: Occasionally some items will be available to back order when they are out of stock and we are expecting new stock to arrive. We will advise you when your products are back in stock and aim to dispatch back ordered items as soon as they are available for shipping.

Payment is taken upon checkout. We may not accept your order for products if an item you have ordered is out of stock, if we have identified a product with pricing error, or if we are unable to obtain authorisation for your payment.

Please note that we reserve the right to reject any offer to purchase by you at any time.

All prices are displayed including VAT and exclusive of delivery charges for the UK. Further terms may apply for International shipments.

We will endeavour to contact you and to assist you to minimise delays, however, we cannot be liable for delays outside of our control, for example, we are not responsible for delays caused by destination customs clearance processes for International deliveries or our supply of the products is delayed by an event related to the suppliers.

Provided we do this we will not be liable for delayed caused by the event, but if there is a risk of substantial delay you may contact us to end the contract and receive a refund for any products you have paid for but not received.

In any event, we will dispatch the goods to you within 30 days of the day on which we accept the order.

Worldwide Tracked Delivery

Please contact us on order@them-ethod.com for details of our worldwide tracked delivery coverage.

Inspection of Goods

You should inspect the merchandise upon receipt and check that everything specified on the delivery note is included. You will be deemed to have accepted the order unless you notify us upon receipt that there is a problem, and/or you return the goods in accordance with our Returns section (see below). If you fail to take such action, we are not obligated to accept any rejection by you of the merchandise at a later date. Your statutory rights are not affected.

Products & Packaging

All products and packaging, where applicable, will be compliant with EU regulations. This will mean that in some instances the packaging and product will vary slightly from the products supplied in the US. The main difference with be a 'Parabens free' policy as a result of a change in the EU legislations in respect of certain chemicals. The products have been demonstrated to produce the same the therapeutic effects and we guarantee that all Obagi products will be sourced from the Obagi manufacturer with a traceable audit trail to ensure you receive genuine fully clinically tested products.

We regret that we cannot take back or refund products once opened. Whilst we try to ensure all non prescription products have a minimum expiry date 6 months beyond the order date, we are unable to replace or refund 'out of date' products. In the case of faulty products, please return the products so we may contact the manufacturer and assist you with a replacement and refund as appropriate. Prescription products are dispensed by an independent pharmacy and are subject to pharmacy law.

The returns policy is for goods purchased on the website, by mail, over the telephone or directly from our clinic.

Please note that we cannot allow prescription items and Direct to Patient Orders (ordered through Clever Patients) to be returned for a refund once they have been dispatched by the Pharmacy. If you have unwanted prescription items, please take them to your local Pharmacy for safe disposal.

For non-prescription items, if after receiving your goods, you decide that you no longer wish to use them, you have the right to return them within 14 days of receipt, provided that they are returned to us undamaged and unopened.

The M-ethod™ will only send out new products to you that are in prime condition. If you receive your package to sign for from the post office and it appears to be damaged, please inspect the contents before signing for it. If the contents appear to be damaged, decline to sign for the package and it will be returned to us. We will issue you with an immediate replacement.

After signing for the package, should you subsequently find that any of your products are damaged or faulty, you must notify us within 48 hours of receipt and return the goods to us in their original packaging. We will issue you with a replacement product upon receipt of the returned goods.

When contacting us, please provide full details of the customer order number and the goods in question and email us at: order@them-ethod.com.

In the case of a return, on receipt of the returned goods, we will issue a refund of the amount paid for the goods, less a restocking fee of £‎10. We do not refund the original delivery charge unless the goods are faulty or have been incorrectly supplied. Refunds will be made against the original form of tender. Please note that refunds can take up to 10 working days to show on your account due to varying processing times between payment providers.

Postage or other return costs will be the customer's responsibility unless specifically stated otherwise, and will be reimbursed by us only in the case of damaged, faulty or incorrectly supplied goods.

You are advised to return the parcel by RECORDED DELIVERY to the address as advised. We cannot be held responsible for returned goods that do not reach our partners’ Returns Department.

The M-ethod™ reserves the right to refuse service to any client for improper conduct. Inappropriate conduct or language during a service will result in the termination of service. We reserve the right to define inappropriate conduct or language.

As a Customer, we are happy for you to take photographs and share your experience on social media but would ask that you respect the privacy of our Staff and other Customers and take all reasonable care to ensure that sensitive or confidential information is not included in any published material.  Visitors to our premises who are not Customers may not take photographs or videos for commercial use without the express permission in writing from a Director of the business. 

These Terms and Conditions and the validity, construction, performance of all contractual and non-contractual matters arising therefrom, shall be governed by English Law and shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.

Privacy Policy

Without limiting the generality of the Terms and Conditions, your use of our Website and our Clinic services are also subject to the terms of our Privacy Policy which can be found below and which is hereby incorporated into and made part of these Terms and Conditions.

Viruses Hacking and Other Offences

You must not misuse our site by knowingly introducing virus, Trojans, worms, logic bombs or other material which is malicious or technologically harmful. You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to our site, the server on this our site is stored or any server, computer or database connected to or site.

We will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by any denial of service attack, viruses or other technologically harmful material that may infect your computer equipment, computer programs, data due to your use of our site or to your downloading of any material posted on it or any website linked to it.

The M-ethod™ is committed to protecting and respecting our client's privacy. This privacy policy explains what we do with your personal data - how we collect it, use and process your personal data and how we comply with our legal requirements.

This notice applies to client’s/patient’s and website users.

A) DATA PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

Under GDPR, all personal data obtained and held by us must be processed according to a set of core principles. In accordance with these principles, we will ensure that:

a. processing is fair, lawful and transparent

b. data is collected for specific, explicit, and legitimate purposes

c. data collected is adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purposes of processing

d. data is kept accurate and up to date. Data which is found to be inaccurate will be rectified or erased without delay

e. data is not kept for longer than is necessary for its given purpose

f. data is processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of personal data including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage by using appropriate technical or organisation measures

g. we comply with the relevant GDPR procedures for international transferring of personal data

B) TYPES OF DATA HELD

We keep several categories of personal data on our clients and website users in order to carry out effective and efficient processes. We keep this data within our computer systems.

Specifically, we hold the following types of data, as appropriate to your status:

a. personal details such as name, age/date of birth.

b. contact details such as address, email and phone numbers

c. name and contact details of your next of kin

d. photographs

e. your gender, marital status, information of any disability you have or other medical information

f. diversity information including racial or ethnic origin

g. information gathered from forms you have filled in for your consultation consent

h. IP address

*Please note that the above list of categories of personal data we may collect is not exhaustive.

C) COLLECTING YOUR DATA

You provide several pieces of data to us directly such as:

Information that you provide by filling in forms on our site them-ethod.com (“our site”) either directly by phone, WhatsApp or email.

Personal data is kept in files.

IP addresses and cookies

Squarespace may collect information about your computer, including where available your IP address, operating system and browser type, for system administration and to report aggregate information to our advertisers. This is statistical data about our users’ browsing actions and patterns and does not identify any individual.

For the same reason, we may obtain information about your general internet usage by using a cookie file which is stored on the hard drive of your computer.

Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer’s hard drive. They help us to improve our site and to deliver a better and more personalised service. They enable us:

To estimate our audience size and usage pattern

To store information about your preferences, and so allow us to customise our site according to your individual interests

To speed up your searches

To recognise you when you return to our site

You may refuse to accept cookies by activating the setting on your browser which allows you to refuse the setting of cookies. However, if you select this setting you may be unable to access certain parts of our site. Unless you have adjusted your browser setting so that it will refuse cookies, our system will issue cookies when you log on to our site.

D) HOW YOUR DATA IS USED

We use information held about you in the following ways:

To ensure that content from our site is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer.

To provide you with information, products or services that you request from us or which we feel may interest you, where you have consented to be contacted for such purposes.

To carry out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into between you and us.

To allow you to participate in interactive features of our service, when you choose to do so.

To notify you about changes to our service.

If you are an existing customer, we will only contact you by electronic means (e-mail or SMS) with information about goods and services similar to those which were the subject of a previous sale to you.

If you are a new customer, we will contact you by electronic means only if you have consented to this.

If you do not want us to use your data in this way please tick the relevant box situated on the form on which we collect your data.

*Please note that this list is not exhaustive.

E) WHERE WE STORE YOUR DATA

Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to our site; any transmission is at your own risk.

Once we have received your information, we use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.

F) LAWFUL BASIS FOR PROCESSING

The law on data protection allows us to process your data for certain reasons only. In the main, we process your data in order to comply with a legal requirement or in order to effectively manage the service we have with you.

G) SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF DATA

Special categories of data are data relating to your:

a. health b. sex life c. sexual orientation d. race e. ethnic origin f. religion g. genetic and biometric data.

We carry out processing activities using special category data:

a. for the purposes of bespoke treatment servicesb. in our treatment protocols and/or proceduresc. to determine reasonable adjustments

Most commonly, we will process special categories of data when the following applies:

a. you have given explicit consent to the processing b. we must process the data in order to carry out our legal obligations c. we must process data for reasons of substantial public interestd. you have already made the data public. 

H) FAILURE TO PROVIDE DATA

Your failure to provide us with data may mean that we are unable to fulfil our requirements for entering into a service or contract with you. This could include being unable to offer you the service or administer treatments and advice.

I) WHO WE SHARE YOUR DATA WITH

Employees within The M-ethod™ who have responsibility for delivering treatments, administration of payment and bookings and/or the carrying out performance related procedures will have access to your data which is relevant to their function. All employees with such responsibility have been trained in ensuring data is processing in line with GDPR.

Data is shared with third parties for the following reasons: for the administration of payments, bookings, the fulfilment of orders or services and marketing.

We may also share your data with third parties as part of a company sale or restructure, or for other reasons to comply with a legal obligation upon us. We have a data processing agreement in place with such third parties to ensure data is not compromised. Third parties must implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure the security of your data.

J) PROTECTING YOUR DATA

We are aware of the requirement to ensure your data is protected against accidental loss or disclosure, destruction and abuse. We have implemented processes to guard against such.

If you suspect any misuse or loss of or unauthorised access to your personal information, please let us know immediately.

K) RETENTION PERIODS

We only keep your data for as long as we need it for. Some data retention periods are set by the law. Retention periods can vary depending on why we need your data, as set out below:

Enquiries - expressed interest only

For clients who have enquired with us and expressed an interest in our services, we will delete your personal data from our systems if we have had no contact with you for a period of a year. 

Consultations attended only

For clients who have had a consultation only, we will delete your personal data from our systems if the last consultation date is over 2 years and we have had no contact with you for a period of a year. 

Treatments or services undertaken/goods purchased

For clients who have had a procedure with us we will delete your personal data from our systems if the last date of the appointment or payment is over 8 years and we have had no contact with you for a period of a year.

L) AUTOMATED DECISION MAKING

Automated decision-making means making decisions about you using no human involvement e.g. using computerised filtering equipment. No decision will be made about you solely on the basis of automated decision making (where a decision is taken about you using an electronic system without human involvement) which has a significant impact on you.

M) CONSENT

Where you have provided consent to our use of your data, you also have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This means that we will stop processing your data.

N) THE RIGHT OF ACCESS

You have the right to access your personal data which is held by us. You can find out more about how to request access to your data by reading our Subject Access Request below.

O) THE RIGHT TO ‘CORRECTION’

If you discover that the data, we hold about you is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to have the data corrected. If you wish to have your data corrected, you should contact us.

Usually, we will comply with a request to rectify data within one month unless the request is particularly complex in which case we may write to you to inform you we require an extension to the normal timescale. The maximum extension period is three months.

You will be informed if we decide not to take any action as a result of the request. In these circumstances, you are able to complain to the Information Commissioner and have access to a judicial remedy.

Third parties to whom the data was disclosed will be informed of the rectification.

P) THE RIGHT OF ‘ERASURE’

In certain circumstances, we are required to delete the data we hold on you. Those circumstances are:

a. where it is no longer necessary for us to keep the data;b. where we relied on your consent to process the data and you subsequently withdraw that consent. Where this happens, we will consider whether another legal basis applies to our continued use of your data; c. where you object to the processing (see below) and The M-ethod™ has no overriding legitimate interest to continue the processing;d. where we have unlawfully processed your data;e. where we are required by law to erase the data.

If you wish to make a request for data deletion, you should contact us.

We will consider each request individually, however, you must be aware that processing may continue under one of the permissible reasons. Where this happens, you will be informed of the continued use of your data and the reason for this.

Third parties to whom the data was disclosed will be informed of the erasure where possible unless to do so will cause a disproportionate effect on us.

Q) THE RIGHT OF ‘RESTRICTION’

You have the right to restrict the processing of your data in certain circumstances.

We will be required to restrict the processing of your personal data in the following circumstances:

a. where you tell us that the data we hold on you is not accurate. Where this is the case, we will stop processing the data until we have taken steps to ensure that the data is accurate; b. where the data is processed for the performance of a public interest task or because of our legitimate interests and you have objected to the processing of data. In these circumstances, the processing may be restricted whilst we consider whether our legitimate interests mean it is appropriate to continue to process it; c. when the data has been processed unlawfully; d. where we no longer need to process the data but you need the data in relation to a legal claim.

If you wish to make a request for data restriction, you should contact us.

Where data processing is restricted, we will continue to hold the data but will not process it unless you consent to the processing or processing is required in relation to a legal claim.

Where the data to be restricted has been shared with third parties, we will inform those third parties of the restriction where possible unless to do so will cause a disproportionate effect on us.

You will be informed before any restriction is lifted.

R) THE RIGHT TO DATA ‘PORTABILITY’

You have the right to obtain the data that we process on you and transfer it to another party. Where our technology permits, we will transfer the data directly to the other party.

Data which may be transferred is data which:

a. you have provided to us; andb. is processed because you have provided your consent or because it is needed to perform the contract between us; and c. is processed by automated means.

If you wish to exercise this right, you should contact us.

We will respond to a portability request without undue delay, and within one month at the latest unless the request is complex or we receive a number of requests in which case we may write to you to inform you that we require an extension and reasons for this. The maximum extension period is three months.

We will not charge you for access to your data for this purpose.

You will be informed if we decide not to take any action as a result of the request, for example, because the data you wish to transfer does not meet the above criteria. In these circumstances, you are able to complain to the Information Commissioner and have access to a judicial remedy.

The right to data portability relates only to data defined as above. You should be aware that this differs from the data which is accessible via a Subject Access Request.

S) THE RIGHT TO ‘OBJECT’ You have a right to require us to stop processing your data; this is known as data objection.

You may object to processing where it is carried out:

a. in relation to the Company’s legitimate interests; b. for the performance of a task in the public interest; c. in the exercise of official authority; or d. for profiling purposes.

If you wish to object, you should do so by contacting us.

In some circumstances, we will continue to process the data you have objected to. This may occur when:

a. we can demonstrate compelling legitimate reasons for the processing which are believed to be more important than your rights; or b. the processing is required in relation to legal claims made by, or against, us.

If the response to your request is that we will take no action, you will be informed of the reasons.

T) MAKING A SUBJECT ACCESS REQUEST

Although subject access requests may be made verbally, we would advise that a request may be dealt with more efficiently and effectively if it is made in writing.

Requests that are made directly by you should be accompanied by evidence of your identity. If this is not provided, we may contact you to ask that such evidence be forwarded before we comply with the request.

Requests made in relation to your data from a third party should be accompanied by evidence that the third party is able to act on your behalf. If this is not provided, we may contact the third party to ask that such evidence be forwarded before we comply with the request.

TIMESCALES

Usually, we will comply with your request without delay and at the latest within one month. Where requests are complex or numerous, we may contact you to inform you that an extension of time is required. The maximum extension period is three months. 

FEE

We will normally comply with your request at no cost. However, if the request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or if it is repetitive, we may contact you requesting a fee. This fee must be paid in order for us to comply with the request. The fee will be determined at the relevant time and will be set at a level which is reasonable in the circumstances.

In addition, we may also charge a reasonable fee if you request further copies of the same information.

INFORMATION YOU WILL RECEIVE

When you make a subject access request, you will be informed of:

a. whether or not your data is processed and the reasons for the processing of your data; b. the categories of personal data concerning you; c. where your data has been collected from if it was not collected from you; d. anyone who your personal data has been disclosed to or will be disclosed to, including anyone outside of the EEA and the safeguards utilised to ensure data security; e. how long your data is kept for (or how that period is decided); f. your rights in relation to data rectification, erasure, restriction of and objection to processing; g. your right to complain to the Information Commissioner if you are of the opinion that your rights have been infringed; h. the reasoning behind any automated decisions taken about you.

CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH YOUR REQUEST MAY BE REFUSED

We may refuse to deal with your subject access request if it is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or if it is repetitive. Where it is our decision to refuse your request, we will contact you without undue delay, and at the latest within one month of receipt, to inform you of this and to provide an explanation. You will be informed of your right to complain to the Information Commissioner and to a judicial remedy. 

We may also refuse to deal with your request, or part of it, because of the types of information requested. For example, information which is subject to legal privilege or relates to management planning is not required to be disclosed. Where this is the case, we will inform you that your request cannot be complied with and an explanation of the reason will be provided.

U) PERSONAL DATA BREACH

A personal data breach is a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data transmitted, stored or processed.

In accordance with the GDPR, we will undertake to notify the individual whose data is the subject of a breach if there is a high risk to people’s rights and freedoms. A high risk may be, for example, where there is an immediate threat of identity theft, or if special categories of data are disclosed online.

This notification will be made without undue delay and may, dependent on the circumstances, be made before the supervisory authority is notified.

The following information will be provided when a breach is notified to the affected individuals:

a. a description of the nature of the breach b. the name and contact details of the (delete as appropriate - data protection officer/ appointed compliance officer) where more information can be obtained c. a description of the likely consequences of the personal data breach and d. a description of the measures taken or proposed to be taken, to deal with the personal data breach, including, where appropriate, the measures taken to mitigate any possible adverse effects.

V) MAKING A COMPLAINT

If you think your data rights have been breached, you are able to raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner (ICO). You can contact the ICO at Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF or by telephone on 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745.