Privacy notice for the shielding text message and email notification service.
The support scheme for Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (shielded) individuals came to an end on 31st March 2022. The Welsh Government ceased the SMS and email notification service at the same time.
In order to provide ongoing support to extremely vulnerable people who have received a letter from the Chief Medical Officer for Wales with shielding advice during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the Welsh Government would like to send you email or text message updates in relation to shielding. The Welsh Government would be data controller for the contact information you provide (via the online SmartSurvey form) and we will process on the basis of (your) consent in providing it to us to receive messages. In order to send you the messages, the contact details you provide will be processed by the Government Digital Service (GDS), who operate the GOV.UK Notify messaging system. Your contact details will not otherwise be shared outside of Welsh Government.
You may opt out of receiving SMS or Email communications at any time by emailing UNSUBSCRIBE or STOP to shielding@gov.wales. If you do not opt out, your personal data will be retained for up to 6 months after the full lifting of restrictions on movement and the coronavirus epidemic. After this time it will be securely destroyed. We will continue to retain anonymous, statistical data for research and evaluation purposes, but it will not be possible to identify an individual from this information.
Under GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to the personal information you provide us to enable to support you, specifically you have the right:
- to access a copy of your own data
- for us to rectify inaccuracies in that data
- to object to or restrict processing (in certain circumstances)
- for your data to be ‘erased’ (in certain circumstances)
- to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection
The contact details for the Information Commissioner’s Office are:
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 01625 545 745 or 0303 123 1113.
Website: Information Commissioner’s Office
Further information
If you have any further questions about how the data provided will be used by the Welsh Government or wish to exercise your rights using the General Data Protection Regulation, please contact the Welsh Government’s Data Protection Officer at:
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ