Privacy notice

This explains what happens to what you share on CLEAR Voice. We have tried to keep it short and clear.

Who we are

CLEAR Voice is run by [legal name of organisation] for Healthwatch Essex. We decide how your information is used, so we are the “controller”. Contact: [contact email].

What we collect

• Your answers, typed or spoken. They may include health information if you choose to share it.
• Which topic and format you chose (text or voice), and when.
• A rating, if you give one.
• Photos, if you add them, and the description you write for each.
• About you (area, age group, whether you have a disability). This is optional. It helps us see who has been heard.

We do not ask for your name, email or phone number. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

How we protect you

• Before your answer is saved, an automatic filter removes email addresses, phone numbers, postcodes, NHS numbers, street addresses, links, dates, and staff names such as “Dr Smith”. It is a basic filter and it can miss things, so please don’t include names or private details.
• Your answers are stored with Cloudflare. [CLEAR to confirm: answers are encrypted at rest once the encryption key is set.]
• Only authorised staff can see responses. [CLEAR to confirm who, and how access is controlled.]

Speaking your answers

If you use the microphone, your browser’s speech service turns your voice into text. Depending on your browser this may send your voice to a company such as Google or Apple. We do not receive or keep audio. If you would rather not use it, type your answers.

How we use it

We group what people say into themes and write reports for NHS and social care decision-makers. Themes are found using simple keyword rules that a person then checks. We do not use AI yet. If we start to, we will update this notice first.

Our legal reason is [lawful basis to be confirmed by CLEAR, for example consent or public task]. Health information needs an extra condition: [to be confirmed].

How long we keep it

[retention period to be confirmed]. This is a test version, so we may delete all responses when testing ends.

Your rights

You can ask to see, correct or delete what you shared. Because we don’t know who you are, we need the private link shown at the end of your conversation to find your answers. At the end you can delete your answers yourself with one button. If you have lost the link, email us. Without it we may not be able to find your answers.

If you are unhappy with how we use your information, tell us first. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.