Ultrasound Direct: Important Information

General scan information

We provide private diagnostic ultrasound services, but there are some important limits on what we can offer. We only scan people over 16 years of age. We cannot scan you for a specific condition if you are already under a care plan and receiving treatment for it. If you are aware of a medical condition and wish to monitor it, and you are not receiving treatment for it, you are welcome to discuss a private scan with us.

Reports and follow-up

After your appointment, we explain the next steps clearly and provide a sonographer report. When you book a scan, we will ask for your preferred healthcare professional details. If medical follow-up is recommended, we can send our report to your chosen healthcare professional with your consent.

Blood test results

Our blood testing service includes laboratory analysis and clinical reporting support. Blood test results can take up to 14 working days. Your blood sample is analysed in the UK by TDL. To provide the blood testing service, we may share relevant personal data and health information with TDL for laboratory analysis and with Duality Healthcare so that it can review, interpret and report on your results as part of the service.

Changes and cancellations

If you cancel more than 48 hours before your appointment, we will refund your deposit. If you cancel within 48 hours of your appointment, we cannot refund your deposit. Where possible, we will transfer your deposit if you change the date or time of your appointment more than 24 hours before the original appointment. If you change the date or time on the day of your original appointment, we cannot transfer or refund your deposit.

Ultrasound scan protocol

We use ultrasound responsibly and in line with recognised professional guidance. Our method of ultrasound scanning has never been shown to cause harm when used properly. Because our sonographers are fully trained and regulated, we mitigate risk by using equipment properly and safely. We use the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) principle and follow the British Medical Ultrasound Society’s guidance for the safe use of diagnostic ultrasound equipment.

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This privacy policy explains how Ultrasound Direct Limited uses personal data when you visit our websites, contact us, book services with us, or receive ultrasound or blood testing services from us. For the purposes of UK data protection law, Ultrasound Direct Limited is the controller of the personal data described in this policy unless we tell you otherwise in a specific situation.

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect identity details such as your name, title and date of birth; contact details such as your address, email address, telephone number and preferred contact method; booking and account information such as appointment history, clinic location, services booked, payment status and related administration records; payment and transaction information needed to take payment, prevent fraud and manage refunds; health and clinical information needed to provide our services, including medical history you provide to us, scan findings, reports, images, blood test requests, samples, results and related clinical notes; details of your preferred healthcare professional where you ask us to share reports or results; communications records such as calls, emails, web enquiries and complaints; and website and device information such as IP address, browser type, cookie preferences and website usage information

How we collect personal data

We collect personal data directly from you when you book online, call us, complete forms, contact us, attend an appointment or otherwise interact with us. We also collect information generated through the services you receive, including scans and blood tests, and we may receive relevant information from authorised franchisees, clinicians, laboratories or reporting partners involved in providing your care or service. We also collect website usage information through cookies, analytics tools and similar technologies, subject to your choices and applicable law.

We use personal data to confirm your identity, manage your booking or enquiry, provide ultrasound and blood testing services, produce and deliver reports and results, send reports to your preferred healthcare professional where you ask us to do so or where this is otherwise appropriate, handle payments and refunds, monitor service quality, manage complaints, carry out audits, perform internal reporting and trend analysis, improve our services, send review invitations after a service has been provided, send marketing communications where permitted by law and in line with your preferences, protect our systems and comply with legal, regulatory, insurance and clinical governance requirements.

Blood testing services

Where you use our blood testing service, we process the personal data and health information needed to arrange the test, identify your sample, obtain laboratory analysis and provide your results. Your blood sample is analysed in the UK by TDL. We may share relevant personal data and health information with TDL for laboratory analysis and with Duality Healthcare so that it can review, interpret and report on blood test results as part of the service. We only share information that is relevant and proportionate for these purposes.

Lawful bases for processing

Data protection law requires us to explain the legal bases we rely on for processing personal data. Depending on the circumstances, we may process personal data where this is necessary to take steps at your request before a contract is entered into, or to perform our contract with you when you book and receive services from us. We also process personal data where necessary to comply with legal and regulatory obligations, for example in relation to healthcare, financial records, complaint handling, fraud prevention and safety requirements. In some cases, we process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, such as administering and improving our services, protecting our business and systems, and understanding how our websites and services are used. Where we process health information and other special category data, we do so under an additional condition permitted by UK data protection law, including where this is necessary for healthcare, treatment or the management of healthcare services, and in some cases where explicit consent is appropriate.

Who we share personal data with

We only share personal data where there is a legitimate reason to do so and where the recipient needs the information for the relevant purpose. This may include authorised franchisees involved in providing the service you have booked; laboratories and clinical service partners involved in blood testing or reporting, including TDL and Duality Healthcare; your preferred healthcare professional where you ask us to send reports or results or where this is otherwise appropriate; payment processors, fraud prevention providers and other financial service providers; IT, hosting, booking, CRM, messaging, telephony and support providers who help us operate our business and services; and professional advisers, insurers, regulators, law enforcement bodies, courts or other third parties where required by law or where necessary to protect our legal rights.

We may contact patients after a service to ask for feedback or a review. We may also send marketing communications where we have consent, where the law otherwise allows us to do so, or where you have asked to hear from us. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by contacting us.

International transfers

Some of our service providers may process personal data outside the UK. Where this happens, we will take steps designed to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as approved contractual protections or another lawful transfer mechanism.

How long we keep personal data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to provide services, meet legal and regulatory obligations, resolve complaints, support insurance requirements and protect our legal rights. Different retention periods may apply depending on the type of data and the service provided. Where data is no longer required, we will securely delete it, anonymise it or otherwise dispose of it in line with our retention practices.

Keeping your data secure

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, disclosure, alteration or destruction. These measures may include secure servers, access controls, encryption, staff training, supplier due diligence and internal policies and procedures. Although we take reasonable steps to protect personal data, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage can ever be completely secure.

Monitoring communications

We may monitor and record communications, including telephone calls and emails, for quality assurance, training, complaint handling, fraud prevention, safeguarding and regulatory purposes.

Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights to request access to the personal data we hold about you, to ask us to correct inaccurate personal data, to request restriction or objection in some circumstances, and to ask for deletion where applicable. These rights are not absolute and may be limited where exemptions apply, including in relation to health records, legal obligations and the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office if you are unhappy with how we use your personal data.

You can call us via your local clinic – check out the location page for contact details.

You can also write to us at:

Ultrasound Direct Limited

43 George Road,

Edgbaston, 

Birmingham, 

West Midlands, 

B15 1PL .

When making a data access request, we may ask for information to verify your identity and help us locate the information you are requesting.

We may change this privacy policy occasionally to make sure it’s the best it can be. You should check this policy every now and again to ensure you are aware of the most recent version which will apply each time you access this website.

Our websites use cookies and similar technologies to help the site work properly and, depending on your choices, to support analytics, functionality and marketing.

When you visit our website, we may collect certain technical information automatically, such as your IP address, browser type, device information and details about how you use the site. We may also collect information about your online movements on our website, including the pages you visit and how you interact with them. This information is generally used for website administration, security, performance monitoring, statistical analysis and to help us improve our websites and services. It will not usually identify you personally on its own, although in some cases it may still constitute personal data.

Some cookies are essential for the operation of the website and do not require consent. Other cookies, such as those used for analytics, enhanced functionality or marketing, will only be used where required after you have made your choice through our cookie banner or settings tool. You can also manage cookies through your browser settings. However, if you choose to block or disable some cookies, certain features or functions of the website may not operate properly.

Because the specific cookies used on our websites may change from time to time as our website tools and services develop, this section should be read alongside any live cookie banner, preference centre or cookie settings tool made available on the website.

Historically, our website has used cookies associated with services such as ASP.NET session handling and Google Analytics. Analytics cookies help us compile reports about website traffic and usage, such as the number of visitors to the site, how visitors arrived at the site, and which pages they visited. This information helps us improve the website and the services we provide.

Where analytics or similar services are provided by third parties, the information collected by those cookies may be processed by those providers in accordance with their own privacy information and applicable data protection safeguards.

You can find more information about the cookies currently in use, and update your preferences, through the cookie tools available on our website. You can also control cookies through your browser settings.