Pharmacy Compare (pharmacycompare.uk) is a free directory of NHS community pharmacies. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, and the rights you have over it. We’ve kept it in plain English — if anything is unclear, email us.
Who we are
Pharmacy Compare is operated by James Whitfield. For the purposes of the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, James Whitfield is the data controller. Contact: info@pharmacycompare.uk.
What we collect
Information you give us
If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you choose to tell us.
If you use our correction form, we receive what you type into it: your name, your email address, your role (for example pharmacist, pharmacy staff or member of the public), the pharmacy it is about, and your message. We use this only to check and reply to your correction, and we never publish it.
The site has no accounts and no sign-ups, and nothing on it asks about your health.
Searches by postcode and “near me”
When you search by postcode, the postcode is sent to postcodes.io, a free UK postcode lookup service, to find where it is. If you choose to search near your current location, your browser asks your permission first; if you allow it, your approximate coordinates are sent to postcodes.io to find the nearest postcode area. We don’t store either. Your last “near me” result is kept in your own browser for that session only, so the page remembers it if you go back.
Information collected automatically
We do not run analytics or tracking software on this site. Our hosting provider keeps standard server logs (such as IP address, the page requested, browser type and time) to run the site and protect it from abuse.
What we don’t collect
- No accounts, usernames or passwords
- No health data — we never ask, and we never want it
- No advertising cookies, advertising identifiers or cross-site tracking set by us
Why we use your data, and our legal basis
| Purpose | Legal basis (UK GDPR) |
|---|---|
| Replying to emails and correction requests you send us | Legitimate interests |
| Looking up a postcode or location you search for | Legitimate interests |
| Keeping the site running and secure, and preventing abuse | Legitimate interests |
Cookies
We don’t set any cookies of our own. Pharmacy pages show an embedded Google Map; when it loads, Google may set its own cookies and receives your IP address. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings at any time; the site will keep working.
Third-party services
We keep third parties to a minimum:
- Netlify — hosts the site and receives correction-form submissions, processing them on our behalf
- Google Maps — the map on each pharmacy page, and the “Get directions” link if you use it
- postcodes.io — postcode and location lookups when you search
We never sell, rent or share personal data with advertisers, data brokers or anyone else. There are no exceptions, because there are no advertisers.
How long we keep data
- Emails and correction-form messages: kept only as long as needed to deal with your request, then deleted
- Server logs: kept by our hosting provider for a limited period under its own retention policy
Your rights
Under the UK GDPR you have the right to:
- Ask what personal data we hold about you and get a copy
- Have inaccurate data corrected
- Have your data erased
- Object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk) if you think we’ve mishandled your data
Since we deliberately collect almost nothing, there is usually nothing to access or delete — but if you’ve emailed us or used the correction form and want that removed, say the word and it’s gone. To exercise any right, email info@pharmacycompare.uk.
Children
The site is not directed at children, and we don’t knowingly collect data from children.
Changes to this policy
If our practices change, this page changes with them and the date at the top is updated. Material changes will be flagged clearly on the site.
Last updated: 16 October 2026