Privacy Policy

1. Scope

This statement applies to:

• this website, carelanehk.com, and its Chinese version;
• service enquiries, care needs assessment, service matching and follow-up;
• job applications, care staff recruitment and onboarding;
• communication between you and us by email, telephone, WhatsApp or web forms.

2. Personal data we collect

(a) Enquirers and service users

Name, contact telephone number, email address, correspondence address and service location; health and care information relevant to the elderly person's care needs (for example physical condition, mobility, care requirements and points requiring attention); family contact details; information relating to the Community Care Service Voucher or other subsidy schemes; and records of service arrangements, visits and charges.

(b) Job applicants and care staff

Chinese and English name, gender, date of birth, Hong Kong Identity Card number and a copy of the card, contact telephone number, email address and residential address; language ability, position applied for, available hours and districts; work experience, professional qualifications and certificates; emergency contact name and telephone number; referee name and telephone number; receiving bank account or FPS registration details together with supporting documents; and documents relating to the Sexual Conviction Record Check (SCRC).

(c) Website visitors

Browser type, device and operating system information, IP address, pages visited and times of access, referring website, and technical records of form submissions. This information is used mainly to keep the website running, to maintain security, to prevent abuse and to improve content.

3. Purposes of collection and use

• responding to enquiries and arranging care needs assessment and service matching;
• providing, managing, following up and reviewing nursing and care services;
• handling quotations, charges, payments, invoices and voucher claims;
• processing job applications, verifying qualifications and background, arranging training and supervision, paying salaries and meeting employer obligations;
• maintaining website and system security and preventing fraud, abuse and duplicate or malicious form submissions;
• complying with applicable law and with requirements of regulators or government departments (for example the Social Welfare Department);
• handling complaints, incident investigation, service quality review and insurance claims.

We will use your personal data only for the purposes above or for purposes directly related to them.

4. Direct marketing

We will not use your personal data for direct marketing without your consent, and we will not sell, transfer or provide your personal data to any third party for that party's marketing purposes in return for a gain.

If you have consented to receive service information or updates, you may ask us to stop at any time, free of charge. We will cease using your data for that purpose once we receive your notice.

5. Disclosure and transfer

We may disclose personal data, to the extent necessary, to:

• our care staff, supervisors and administrative staff (only as needed to provide and manage services);
• healthcare or therapy professionals engaged for the service;
• our information technology, cloud hosting, communication and payment service providers (bound by confidentiality and data security terms);
• the Social Welfare Department or related subsidy scheme bodies (to the extent required for vouchers or subsidised services);
• professional advisers, auditors and insurers;
• any party where disclosure is required by law or legal process, or is necessary to protect the life, health or personal safety of any person.

Servers used by some information technology and cloud services may be located outside Hong Kong. Where this is the case, we require the service provider to apply security and confidentiality measures no lower than Hong Kong standards.

6. Cookies, analytics and advertising

This website may use cookies and similar technologies to keep basic site functions working, to remember your language choice and to analyse how the site is used. We may also use third-party analytics and advertising measurement services (for example services provided by Google) to understand website and advertising performance.

You can refuse or delete cookies through your browser settings, although some parts of the website may then not work properly.

For how Google uses data on its partner sites and apps, see policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites. You can also adjust personalised advertising settings at myadcenter.google.com.

7. Data security

• access is limited to staff who need it for their duties, and is separated by role;
• electronic records are held in permission-controlled systems that keep access and change logs;
• sensitive documents such as identity cards, bank details and background checks are stored privately and are never exposed through public links;
• data is transmitted over encrypted connections;
• all employees and care staff are bound by confidentiality obligations.

8. Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purpose of collection, or for the period required by law (for example employment, tax, subsidy scheme reporting and insurance). Where a job application is unsuccessful, we delete or anonymise the related data after a reasonable period. You may also ask us to delete data that is no longer needed.

9. Access and correction

Under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance you have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you, and to request correction of inaccurate data. Please make your request in writing or by email to the contact point in section 13.

We will respond within 40 days of receiving sufficient information to verify your identity. We may charge a reasonable and not excessive administrative fee for a data access request.

10. Data provided on behalf of others

If you provide personal data about an elderly person, a family member or any other individual, you should already have that person's consent, or be legally entitled to act on their behalf. We will handle such data in accordance with this statement.

11. External links

This website may contain links to third-party websites or services. We do not control and are not responsible for their privacy practices, and we suggest you review their privacy policies separately.

12. Changes to this policy

We may revise this statement from time to time and will publish the current version on this page. Revisions take effect from the date of publication. We suggest you review this page periodically.

13. Contact us

To access or correct your personal data, to stop receiving service information, or if you have any question about this statement, please contact:

You may also reach us through the Contact Us page. If you have concerns about how we handle personal data, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong.