Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 2025

O’Neill Medico-Legal is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal data is handled securely and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), EU GDPR, and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information.

1. Who We Are

O’Neill Medico-Legal is the trading name of J. O’Neill Psychiatry Ltd, providing psychiatric assessments and expert medico-legal reports.
Registered Address: 14 Wellington Park, Belfast, BT9 6DJ.

We act as Data Controller for the personal data we collect.

2. What Personal Data We Collect

  • Full name and contact details
  • Date of birth
  • Medical records and history (where relevant to assessment)
  • Legal documentation and case details
  • Referrer information (solicitor, occupational health, etc.)
  • Communication history with us (emails, phone calls, messages)

3. How We Use Your Data

  • To provide medico-legal assessments and expert psychiatric reports
  • To communicate with referring professionals
  • To maintain accurate clinical and legal documentation
  • To comply with legal obligations and expert witness duties
  • To process payments and manage appointments

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We rely on the following lawful bases:

  • Consent (where appropriate)
  • Performance of a contract
  • Legal obligation
  • Legitimate interests

For special category data (e.g., medical records), we rely on:

  • Explicit consent
  • Necessary for legal claims or court proceedings
  • Medical diagnosis and the provision of health-related services

5. Data Sharing

We only share your data when necessary, and only with:

  • Referring solicitors or organisations (with your knowledge)
  • Courts and legal authorities
  • IT service providers (secure hosting and email)
  • Regulatory bodies (where legally required)

We never sell or lease your personal data to third parties.

6. Data Storage and Security

We implement robust safeguards, including:

  • Encrypted storage and transmission
  • Secure clinic systems and cloud platforms
  • Restricted access to authorised personnel only

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the right to:

  • Access – Request a copy of your personal data
  • Rectification – Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Erasure – Request deletion where appropriate
  • Restriction – Limit how we use your data
  • Data Portability – Receive your data in a portable format
  • Objection – Object to certain processing
  • Withdraw consent – If processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, please email droneill@oml.com.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary for legal, clinical, or regulatory purposes. Typically, medico-legal records are kept for a minimum of 7 years.

9. Cookies & Website Use

Our website may use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze usage. You will be notified and able to manage preferences upon visiting the site.

10. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your data, please contact us directly. You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.