Privacy Notice

PRIVACY NOTICE VERSION 1.0 ALIGNA CARE STAFFING SOLUTIONS Privacy Notice This Privacy Notice explains how ALIGNA Care Staffing Solutions (“ALIGNA”, “we”, “us”) collects, uses, stores and shares personal information. It applies to: * care professionals and applicants * care organisation users and representatives * referees * individuals contacting ALIGNA * website and platform users * other individuals whose personal information we process in connection with our staffing activities 1. Who is responsible for your information? ALIGNA Care Staffing Solutions is responsible for personal information processed for its own purposes. Contact details: ALIGNA Care Staffing Solutions 8 Merlin Court 9 Osprey Close Poole BH16 5FF United Kingdom Email: Contact@aligna.co.uk 2. Information we collect about care professionals Depending on your role and circumstances, we may collect: Identity and contact information * name * address * postcode * email address * telephone number * date of birth where required * photographs * identity-document information Work and professional information * care roles * employment history * CV * experience * qualifications * training and certificates * professional registrations * references and referee information * availability * preferred travel range Right to Work information We may process documents and information required to establish your right to work in the UK. DBS and safeguarding information Where appropriate to the role, we may process DBS-related information and evidence necessary to assess suitability and meet safeguarding or legal requirements. We will limit criminal-offence information to what is necessary and permitted by law. Health and fitness information Where necessary for employment, safeguarding, safety or role suitability, we may process relevant health or fitness information. Assignment information This may include: * shift offers * accepted and declined assignments * confirmed bookings * cancellations * attendance * hours worked * assignment history * performance or conduct information * incidents and safeguarding concerns Payroll information This may include: * bank details * tax information * National Insurance information * payroll records * pension information * payslip information * statutory deductions * holiday-pay information 3. Information we collect about care organisations We may collect: * organisation name * addresses and staffing locations * contact information * authorised users * CQC or other regulatory information * insurance information * staffing requirements * assignment details * health and safety information * bookings * cancellations * invoices and payment information * complaints, incidents and correspondence 4. Referee information Workers may provide details of referees. We may process: * referee name * job title * employer or organisation * contact information * relationship to the Worker * reference responses We use referee information to obtain and assess employment or professional references. Workers should provide referee details only where they have a legitimate reason to do so. 5. How we obtain personal information We may obtain information: * directly from you * through your ALIGNA account * from care organisations * from referees * from professional or regulatory registers * through appropriate DBS processes * through government or identity/Right to Work checking services * from payroll and pension providers * through assignments and use of ALIGNA * from authorised representatives * from regulatory, safeguarding or law-enforcement bodies where appropriate Where information is obtained from another source, appropriate privacy information will be provided where required. 6. Why we use personal information We may use personal information to: * create and manage accounts * process Worker applications * assess suitability for care roles * verify identity and Right to Work * undertake appropriate DBS and safeguarding checks * verify training, qualifications and professional registrations * obtain references * assess and maintain Worker compliance * manage availability * match Workers with staffing requirements * provide assignment offers * create and manage bookings * manage cancellations * administer assignments * manage payroll, holiday pay and pensions * invoice care organisations * manage complaints and incidents * investigate safeguarding or conduct concerns * prevent fraud and misuse * maintain platform and information security * comply with legal, regulatory and employment obligations * establish, exercise or defend legal claims * maintain audit records * operate and improve ALIGNA 7. Our lawful bases Depending on the processing activity, ALIGNA may rely on one or more lawful bases. Contract or steps before entering into a contract Where processing is necessary to manage applications, assignments, staffing services or our relationship with you. Legal obligation Where processing is necessary to comply with employment, payroll, tax, pension, Right to Work, safeguarding or other legal requirements. Legitimate interests Where necessary for legitimate purposes such as: * operating a safe and effective staffing service * maintaining platform and information security * preventing fraud * managing business relationships * investigating complaints * maintaining appropriate business records * establishing or defending legal claims We will consider your rights and interests when relying on legitimate interests. Consent Where consent is the appropriate lawful basis, ALIGNA will request it clearly. Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw it. This Privacy Notice itself is informational. Viewing, receiving or being provided with this Privacy Notice is not treated as blanket consent to ALIGNA’s processing of personal information. 8. Special category information Some information may receive additional legal protection, including relevant health information. Where ALIGNA processes special category information, it will identify an appropriate Article 6 lawful basis and Article 9 condition. Processing will be limited to what is necessary and appropriate safeguards will be applied. 9. Criminal offence and DBS information DBS and criminal-offence information receives additional protection. ALIGNA will process this information only where permitted by law and where an appropriate legal condition applies. Access will be restricted to authorised people who require it for legitimate duties. Detailed DBS evidence will not be made generally available to care organisations through Worker matching. Where appropriate, a care organisation may instead see an ALIGNA compliance or verification status. 10. Worker matching ALIGNA uses Worker information to identify potentially suitable Workers for staffing requests. Matching may consider: * approved role * current compliance * availability * training and qualifications * professional registration * relevant experience * existing bookings * rest requirements * Worker travel range * approximate distance to the staffing location * assignment-specific mandatory requirements Automated processing may assist with identifying or ordering potentially suitable Workers. ALIGNA does not intend this matching process to make solely automated decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects without appropriate safeguards. Workers remain free to accept or decline assignment offers. 11. Location information ALIGNA may use a Worker’s home postcode to determine whether a staffing location falls within their selected travel range. Postcodes may be converted into geographic coordinates for distance calculations. Care organisations are not provided with a Worker’s home address, home postcode or geographic coordinates through matching. They may receive appropriate travel or distance information instead. 12. Who we may share information with Where necessary and lawful, information may be shared with: * care organisations using ALIGNA * payroll providers * pension providers * HM Revenue & Customs * banks and payment providers * DBS or background-checking providers * identity and Right to Work verification providers * professional or regulatory bodies * referees * insurers * accountants and professional advisers * technology, hosting and cloud providers * communications providers * safeguarding authorities * CQC or other regulators * law enforcement * courts or legal representatives * other organisations where disclosure is legally required Only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose should be shared. 13. What care organisations can see about Workers Depending on the staffing process, care organisations may see appropriate information such as: * Worker name * approved role * relevant experience * appropriate training or qualification summaries * ALIGNA approval/compliance status * availability for the assignment * appropriate travel/distance information Care organisations do not receive unrestricted access to: * Worker home address * home postcode * geographic coordinates * identity documents * Right to Work evidence * DBS certificates * private certificate files * CV documents * referee contact details * payroll information * bank details * internal ALIGNA compliance notes 14. International transfers Some service providers used by ALIGNA may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where personal information is transferred internationally, ALIGNA will use an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism and safeguards required by UK data-protection law. Further information about applicable safeguards may be requested from ALIGNA where relevant. 15. How long we keep information ALIGNA does not retain personal information indefinitely merely because storage is available. Retention periods depend on the information and the purpose for which it is processed. ALIGNA maintains a Data Retention Schedule covering its principal record categories. Information may need to be retained longer where necessary because of: * safeguarding * legal proceedings * regulatory requirements * payroll or tax obligations * fraud investigation * complaints * establishing, exercising or defending legal claims When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised as appropriate. 16. Keeping information accurate You should keep information in your ALIGNA account accurate and current. Where previously verified information is changed, ALIGNA may require replacement information or evidence to be verified before it is treated as current. 17. Security ALIGNA uses proportionate organisational and technical measures designed to protect personal information. These may include: * authentication * role-based access controls * restricted access to evidence * database security * audit records * secure hosting * encryption where appropriate * monitoring * backup and recovery * incident-management procedures No online system can guarantee absolute security, but ALIGNA will maintain measures proportionate to the information and risks involved. 18. Personal-data breaches ALIGNA maintains processes for identifying, investigating and managing personal-data breaches. Where required by law, ALIGNA will notify the Information Commissioner’s Office and affected individuals in accordance with applicable requirements. 19. Your data-protection rights Depending on the circumstances and applicable lawful basis, you may have rights including: * right to be informed * right of access * right to rectification * right to erasure * right to restrict processing * right to data portability * right to object * rights relating to automated decision-making * right to withdraw consent where processing relies on consent These rights are not absolute and legal exemptions may apply. 20. Accessing your information You may request a copy of personal information ALIGNA holds about you. You will not normally be charged for exercising data-protection rights. ALIGNA may request information reasonably necessary to verify your identity before responding. 21. Deleting your account Closing an ALIGNA account does not necessarily mean every record can immediately be deleted. ALIGNA may need to retain information for: * payroll and tax * bookings and assignment history * safeguarding * regulatory requirements * complaints * fraud prevention * legal claims * other legal obligations Information no longer required will be deleted or anonymised in accordance with ALIGNA’s retention arrangements. 22. Cookies and similar technologies ALIGNA may use cookies and similar technologies necessary to operate its website and platform. Where non-essential cookies or similar technologies are used, appropriate information and consent controls will be provided where required. Further information may be provided through ALIGNA’s cookie controls or Cookie Notice. 23. Children ALIGNA’s Worker and care-organisation staffing services are not intended for children. ALIGNA may nevertheless process information relating to children where lawfully necessary in connection with safeguarding or an incident. Such information will receive appropriate protection and restricted access. 24. Changes to this Privacy Notice ALIGNA may update this Privacy Notice where its services, processing activities or legal obligations change. Where changes materially affect individuals, ALIGNA will bring them to affected individuals’ attention where required. Previous versions may be retained for audit purposes. 25. Complaints If you have concerns about ALIGNA’s use of your personal information, contact ALIGNA so the concern can be investigated. You also have the right to complain to the UK’s data-protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office. You may complain to the ICO whether or not you first complain to ALIGNA. 26. Contact ALIGNA Care Staffing Solutions 8 Merlin Court 9 Osprey Close Poole BH16 5FF United Kingdom Email: Contact@aligna.co.uk