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Direct Payments Privacy Notice

How we use your personal information for Direct Payment purposes 

The Council provides services for local communities and the people who live in them.  Undertaking this work means that we must collect and use information about the people we provide services to and keep a record of those services. Because we collect and use personal information about individuals, we must make sure that they know what we intend to do with their information and who it may be shared with. 

We have summarised in this privacy notice some of the keyways in which we use your personal information for Direct Payment purposes. This information should be read in conjunction with the Council’s corporate privacy notice.

1. Who we are, what we do. 

A direct payment can be made to an individual (adult or child) if RCT Social Services have undertaken an assessment of needs.

Direct payments are monetary amounts made available by RCT Social Services to individuals, or their representative, to enable them to meet their care and support needs. Individuals can use the payment to purchase a range of services by either employing a personal assistant for care needs or paying a care agency to provide the required support. Direct payments also allow individuals to purchase a variety of services, equipment and activities

2. What and whose personal information we hold? 

If your Social Care Practitioner has identified you as suitable to receive direct payments to meet your needs, we will process information relating to you as the direct payment recipient, your 3rd party representative and anyone who you may employ as a personal assistant or carer. 

Direct Payment Recipient 

  • Contact details such as name, address, post code and email address.
  • Your date of birth
  • Financial Information to administer your payment
  • Information about your health to assess your care and support needs

3rd Party Representative 

  • Contact details such as name, address, post code and email address
  • Your relationship status to the direct payment recipient

Personal Assistant or Carer 

  • Contact details such as name, address, post code and email address.
  • Your date of birth
  • Criminal Convictions identified as part of your DBS Check.

3. Where does the service get my information from? 

We will get this information from:

  • You, when you apply to receive a direct payment.
  • A 3rd party representative who may assist individuals with applying to receive a direct payment, i.e Social Worker, family member or friend.
  • RCT Human Resources when a DBS check has identified criminal convictions

4. What will we do with your personal information?

Direct Payment Recipient 

We will use your information to administer and process your direct payment. 

3rd Party Representative 

We will use your information to administer and process the direct payment to the person you are acting on behalf of.

Personal Assistant or Carer 

We will use your information to decide on your appointment if any criminal convictions have shown up as part of your mandatory DBS check. We need to make this decision to safeguard the direct payment recipient.

5. What is the legal basis for the use of this information? 

Data Protection law says that we can use and share personal information only where we have a proper and lawful reasons to do so. 

Our lawful basis for processing personal information is to comply with our legal and public task obligations under the following pieces of legislation: 

  • Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
  • The Care and Support (Direct Payments) (Wales) Regulations 2015

6. Does the service share my personal information with any other organisation? 

Yes, we will share your personal information with other Council departments or external organisations to administer your direct payments as follows; 

Internal

  • Finance department to provide you with the payment
  • HR to process the DBS checks 

External 

  • DEWIS Centre for Independent Living to provide you with the necessary guidance and support to manage your direct payment and employ a personal assistant or carer.

7. How long will my information be kept? 

Information in relation to the direct payment application will be kept for 7 years.

8. Your information, your rights 

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you important rights, including the right to access the personal information the services hold about you. 

Click here for further information on your information rights and how to exercise them. 

9. Contact us 

If you have any concerns or would like to know more about how the service using your personal information, please contact us in one of the following ways: 

Telephone: 01443 425003

Email: socialservices@rctcbc.gov.uk 

Write to: Social Services,Ty Elai, Unit B1 Dinas Isaf Industrial Estate, Tonypandy, CF40 1NY