Last updated: 24 October 2023

Next review: 24 October 2024

Who we are and what we do

We are the Check in and Chat service. We are a team of volunteers and staff, who provide telephone calls to vulnerable residents in the borough. We want to ensure that our residents live healthy, independent, and fulfilling lives as part of our communities. We provide support and signposting to assist help you achieve your goals. We also support you to get involved in the community, and to make informed choices about your health and wellbeing. We are a friendly voice at the end of the phone if you just want to chat.

We are part of the council’s Covid Delivery team in the Families Directorate.

We can be contacted at: checkin@walthamforest.gov.uk

Information we hold about you

  • Name
  • Age
  • Postcode
  • Contact telephone number
  • Contact email address

Purpose of processing personal data and how we use it

We collect and process your data for us to be able to contact you by telephone or email. This is to provide support, referrals, or signposting to services or activities that may be of interest to you.

Services or activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Promotion of availability of seasonal flu vaccines
  • Falls prevention
  • Befriending
  • Tai Chi and seated yoga
  • Coffee morning
  • Debt and finance advice

The lawful basis for the processing

We manage, maintain, and protect all information according to legislation, our policies and best practice. All information is stored, processed, and communicated in a secure manner. Information will be provided to us by various service areas. This will be where there is a legislative requirement for that service area to share your information. When this occurs, we will rely on Article 6(1)(e) Public task. The processing is necessary for you to perform a task in the public interest or for your official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law.

When you ask us to pass your details on to another department or a third-party provider to provide you with a service or for you to join a group or activity, we will rely on Article 6(1)(a) Consent. The individual has given clear consent for you to process their personal data for a specific purpose.

Who your information will be shared with (if applicable)

Following the check-in, chat telephone, or email contact with you, the team will share your information with other services or third-party organisations. This is only where you have given us your consent to pass your details to them. This may include any of the following:

  • Parking services for blue badge applications
  • Age UK
  • Waltham Forest Community hub
  • Mind
  • Crest
  • NELFT
  • Telecare
  • Citizens Advice Bureau

How long we will keep your information

Your information will be held for three months after the check-in and chat service is disbanded. It will also be held for three months after you ask to be removed from our call list, depending on which is soonest.

Our Data Protection Officer

Our Data Protection Officer is Mark Hynes, you contact him by email at data.protectionofficer@walthamforest.gov.uk

Protecting your information

Please see the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice.

Your information choice and rights

Please see the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice.

Complaints and contact details

These are included in the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice.

Information Commissioner’s Office

If we’re unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)