Will I get the same carer?

We do our best to send the same small team of carers, because a familiar face beats a stranger every time. We will tell you straight if we ever cannot, rather than quietly sending someone you do not know. Holidays and illness happen, but we keep your regular team small and tell you when a change is coming.

How quickly can home care start?

In many cases we can begin care within 48 hours of your initial enquiry. For urgent situations, such as a hospital discharge, we will always do our best to start sooner. The first step is a conversation and a care assessment, which we can arrange at a time that suits you, including evenings and weekends.

What is the minimum visit length?

Our visits start from 15 minutes. We plan visits around the outcomes that matter to your loved one rather than a rigid clock. Some families need a short welfare check; others need longer visits for personal care and companionship. We will recommend a pattern that fits, not a one-size-fits-all minimum.

Is your team employed directly by Apex?

Yes. Our team are employed and trained by Apex through our own training academy. They are not agency contractors. That means a consistent team, enhanced annual training, and people who know your loved one and your family.

Is Apex registered with the CQC?

Yes, Apex Healthcare Services is registered with the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Our registration means we are inspected and held to national standards of safety, effectiveness, compassion and responsiveness.

Which areas do you cover?

We provide home care across Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell, Newbury, Ascot and Maidenhead, plus the surrounding villages. If you are unsure whether we cover your area, please call us on 0118 391 3542 and we will let you know straight away.

Do you provide care out of hours and at weekends?

Yes. There is someone on call outside office hours, so if something happens in the evening or at the weekend you are not left waiting until Monday. Our care visits are scheduled seven days a week, including evenings, weekends and overnight.

Privacy Notice | Apex Healthcare Services

Privacy Notice

This notice explains how Apex Healthcare Services Ltd collects, uses, stores and protects your personal data. It applies to clients, prospective clients, job applicants, staff and visitors to our website. We take our responsibilities under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 seriously. Our services are for adults. This website is not aimed at anyone under 18.

Last reviewed: 30 October 2026

About Apex Healthcare Services as Data Controller

Apex Healthcare Services Ltd is the data controller for the personal data we hold. Our office is Suite 4, 62 Portman Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 1EA. Company number 10355834. Our registered office address is on the Companies House register. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Our ICO registration number is available on request.

Our data protection contact

Robert Bezuidenhout is our Data Protection Officer (DPO). Our Registered Manager handles day-to-day privacy enquiries and requests, with support from the DPO. Email care@apexcaring.co.uk, call 0118 391 3542, or write to Suite 4, 62 Portman Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 1EA. Please ask for your enquiry to be referred to the DPO where appropriate.

What data we collect

We collect the following types of personal data:

Contact details: name, address, telephone number, email address.
Care information: care needs, medical history relevant to care, medication, risk assessments and care plans.
Next of kin and emergency contact details.
Staff data: employment records, training records, DBS checks and right to work information.
Job applicant data: name, contact details, work history and the details given on our recruitment form.
Website data: pages visited, approximate location and cookie preferences, collected only when you consent.

Why we collect it (lawful basis)

We process personal data under the following lawful bases:

Contract: to provide care services under an agreement with you or your representative.
Legal obligation: to meet our duties under CQC regulations, employment law and health and safety law.
Vital interests: to protect someone's life in an emergency.
Legitimate interests: for recruitment shortlisting, keeping business records, preventing fraud, and contacting health and social care professionals who refer to us.
Consent: for website analytics and marketing communications, which you can withdraw at any time.

Special category data

Care information is health data, which is classed as special category data under the UK GDPR. Because of this we also rely on Article 9(2)(h) of the UK GDPR and Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018, which covers processing necessary for the provision of health or social care. Staff who handle this data are bound by confidentiality.

How we store and protect data

We use electronic care and business systems. Some suppliers process or back up information outside the UK; see International transfers below. Access is restricted to authorised staff who need it to deliver care or run the business. We use encrypted systems, password protection and role-based access controls. Paper records are kept in locked premises. The landlords of our building at Portman Road have CCTV covering the site.

How long we keep it

We keep personal data only for as long as we need it. The periods we use are:

Adult social care records, including care plans: eight years from the last entry under our Record Keeping Policy. Relevant records may be retained longer for a complaint, claim, safeguarding matter or investigation.
Staff records: retention varies by record type and purpose. We consider whether the employment relationship is ongoing, applicable employment, tax, pension, immigration and health-and-safety requirements, and relevant complaints, claims or investigations. Contact our DPO for information about a particular record's retention period.
Unsuccessful applicant data: 6 months.
Analytics data: retained for up to 14 months.

Deleting data we no longer need

Information should be securely deleted or anonymised when it is no longer needed.

Who we share it with

We only share personal data when necessary, for example with:

Your GP, district nurses and other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
Local authority and NHS discharge teams when they commission or fund your care.
The CQC during inspections.
Emergency services in an emergency.

Who processes data on our behalf

We use trusted suppliers to help us run the business. They process data on our behalf as data processors. The categories of supplier we use are:

Our care management system.
Our customer relationship and website forms system.
Our analytics provider, which is Google.
Our payroll and pension providers.
Our DBS check provider.

International transfers

Some service providers process or back up information outside the UK. Where a restricted international transfer occurs, applicable UK data protection safeguards are required. Contact our DPO for details of the arrangements relevant to your information and how to obtain information about the safeguards.

AI-assisted administrative drafting

We use AI tools in business workspaces to assist with administrative drafting. We do not share identifiable client information with these tools. This use does not replace professional judgement about your care. Please contact our Registered Manager or Data Protection Officer if you have questions about how we use these tools.

Job applicants

If you apply for a job with us, our recruitment form collects your name, contact details and the information you give us about your work history. We use this to shortlist and assess your application. If your application is not successful, we keep your data for six months so we can respond to any follow up and meet our record keeping duties, then we delete it.

Your rights

You have the right to:

Be informed about how your data is used.
Access a copy of your personal data.
Have inaccurate data corrected.
Have your data erased in certain circumstances.
Restrict or object to how we use your data.
Receive your data in a portable format so you can give it to someone else (data portability).
Not be subject to decisions made solely by automated means. We do not make automated decisions about people.
Withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent.
Complain to the ICO at ico.org.uk.

Limits and complaints

Where we rely on consent, withdrawing it does not affect earlier lawful processing or processing necessary under another applicable lawful basis. Rights are subject to legal conditions and exemptions; we will explain any limits that apply. You can complain directly to the ICO at https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/.

How to contact us

Email care@apexcaring.co.uk, call 0118 391 3542, or write to us at Suite 4, 62 Portman Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 1EA. You can also complain to the ICO at ico.org.uk.

Other formats

If you need this notice in large print, easy read, audio or another language, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

Our full policy is available on request. Call 0118 391 3542 or email care@apexcaring.co.uk.

Need this in another format?

If you need this policy in large print, easy read, audio or another language, please contact us.

Call 0118 391 3542 care@apexcaring.co.uk

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