Privacy Policy

Dr Steven Andrew Birrell — Consultant Psychiatrist
SB Squared Solutions Limited

v2.0
Effective date: 12 October 2026

1. Who We Are

Dr Steven Andrew Birrell provides independent medico-legal psychiatric assessments and expert opinions through SB Squared Solutions Limited.

For the purposes of UK data protection legislation, SB Squared Solutions Limited is the data controller for personal information processed in connection with its independent medico-legal practice, where it determines the purposes and means of processing.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on the nature of an enquiry or instruction, we may collect and process:

Names, addresses, contact details and other identifying information.
Correspondence and information relating to professional enquiries and instructions.
Medical records, psychiatric histories, assessment notes and other relevant clinical information.
Legal documentation, court papers, witness statements and expert reports.
Information concerning employment, education, family circumstances and other matters relevant to a medico-legal assessment.
Financial and administrative information relating to instructions and invoicing.
Technical information associated with use of our website, including information collected through necessary cookies and website analytics.

Information may be provided directly by individuals, solicitors, courts, tribunals, healthcare organisations or other authorised sources.

Some of this information is classified as special-category personal data under UK data protection law, particularly information concerning physical and mental health.

3. How We Use Personal Information

Personal information is processed for the following purposes:

Responding to enquiries and providing quotations.
Considering and accepting medico-legal instructions.
Arranging and undertaking psychiatric assessments.
Reviewing medical records and other relevant evidence.
Preparing independent psychiatric reports and opinions.
Communicating with instructing solicitors and other authorised parties.
Providing evidence to courts and tribunals where required.
Maintaining appropriate professional, administrative and financial records.
Meeting legal, regulatory and professional obligations.
Maintaining the security and functionality of our website.

Where appropriate, assessment recordings, transcription services or AI-assisted tools may be used to support documentation and report preparation. Any such use remains subject to professional oversight, confidentiality and applicable data protection requirements. Clinical conclusions and expert opinions remain the responsibility of Dr Birrell.

4. Lawful Bases for Processing

We process personal information where necessary for the performance of contractual obligations, compliance with legal obligations, or the legitimate interests of providing independent medico-legal services and managing our professional practice, as appropriate to the particular purpose.

Where special-category personal information, including health information, is processed for medico-legal purposes, we generally rely upon Article 9(2)(f) of the UK GDPR, where processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or whenever courts are acting in their judicial capacity.

Consent may be relied upon for particular activities where appropriate, but is not ordinarily the principal lawful basis for processing information necessary to fulfil a medico-legal instruction.

Where processing is based on consent, that consent may be withdrawn at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing already lawfully undertaken.

5. Sharing Personal Information

Information may be shared, where necessary and appropriate, with:

Instructing solicitors, legal representatives and other authorised parties.
Courts, tribunals and relevant judicial bodies.
Other professionals involved in an instruction, where appropriate.
Professional advisers, insurers, regulators or statutory authorities where required or justified.
Secure IT, document storage, transcription and other service providers acting under appropriate confidentiality and data protection arrangements.

Information will not be sold or disclosed for unrelated marketing purposes.

Where service providers process information outside the United Kingdom, appropriate safeguards will be required in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.

6. Storage, Security and Retention

Personal information is stored using a combination of appropriately secured local systems and cloud-based services. Access is restricted to those with a legitimate professional or operational need.

Reasonable technical and organisational measures are used to protect information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration or disclosure.

Information is retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including the completion of medico-legal instructions, compliance with professional and legal obligations, and the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Retention periods vary according to the type of information and the circumstances of the case. Medico-legal records are subject to a documented retention schedule, with longer retention where justified by ongoing proceedings, professional obligations or other relevant circumstances.

Information that is no longer required will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised, as appropriate.

7. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK data protection legislation, individuals have rights which may include:

The right to be informed about how their personal information is used.
The right to request access to their personal information.
The right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
The right to request erasure of personal information in certain circumstances.
The right to request restriction of processing.
The right to object to processing in certain circumstances.
The right to data portability, where applicable.
Rights relating to certain automated decision-making activities, where applicable.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exemptions, including those relating to legal proceedings, confidentiality and the rights of others.

Requests can be made by contacting info@drstevenandrewbirrell.scot.

Requests will ordinarily be responded to within one month, subject to applicable legal provisions.

There is normally no charge for exercising these rights.

8. Contact and Complaints

If you have any questions or concerns about the processing of your personal information, please contact:

Dr Steven Andrew Birrell
SB Squared Solutions Limited
CBC House, 24 Canning Street
Edinburgh, EH3 8EG

Email: info@drstevenandrewbirrell.scot

You may also raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://ico.org.uk

This Privacy Policy will be reviewed periodically and updated where necessary to reflect changes in our practices or applicable legal requirements.