Data Protection Registration

What ICO Registration Means

Under the Data Protection Act 2018, organisations that process personal data as a data controller in the UK must register with the ICO and pay an annual data protection fee – unless a specific exemption applies. There is no exemption available to healthcare providers processing health data.

ICO registration is publicly searchable. It confirms that Fairfield Hearing has notified the ICO of its data processing activities and is paying the appropriate data protection fee. It does not by itself certify full data protection compliance – but it is the baseline legal requirement for any UK organisation processing personal data.

Why Health Data Creates a Registration Obligation

All UK organisations processing personal data must register with the ICO unless an exemption applies. For organisations processing Special Category data – which includes health and audiological information – no exemptions are available. ICO registration is therefore mandatory for Fairfield Hearing.

Our Data Protection Obligations

As an ICO-registered data controller, Fairfield Hearing is required to:

• Process personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently
• Collect data for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes only
• Ensure data is adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary
• Keep data accurate and up to date
• Retain data no longer than necessary (see our Patient Data and Records Policy)
• Process data securely
• Report personal data breaches to the ICO within 72 hours where required (UK GDPR Article 33)
• Respect the rights of data subjects under UK GDPR

Reporting a Data Protection Concern

If you have a concern about how Fairfield Hearing handles your personal data, please contact us first at [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to complain to the ICO:

Further Information

For full details of how we collect, use, and protect your personal data, please read our Privacy Policy. For information specific to your clinical records, please read our Patient Data and Records Policy.