LEGAL STATEMENT
Third Party Links, External Partners and Professional Relationships
This statement applies to all external links, partner references and third-party content appearing on the LCRH Limited website and in LCRH’s materials. It should be read alongside LCRH’s Privacy Policy and Website Terms of Use.
1. Introduction
LCRH Limited (‘LCRH’, ‘we’, ‘us’, ‘our’) is a private fertility clinic incorporated and registered in England and Wales (company number 12371326), whose registered office is at Wendover House, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2JH.
Our website at www.lcrh.co.uk (‘the Website’) and our other communications may from time to time contain references to, hyperlinks to, or details of third-party organisations, websites, services and individuals. These include, but are not limited to:
Partner fertility clinics with whom LCRH collaborates for the delivery of certain clinical services
Regulatory and professional bodies whose oversight is relevant to LCRH’s activities
Independent consultants, advisers and service providers engaged by or working alongside LCRH
Patient support organisations, charities and information resources
Suppliers and other commercial partners
This Legal Statement sets out the legal basis and scope of LCRH’s relationships with those third parties and the extent of LCRH’s responsibility and liability in respect of those relationships and any external content linked from the Website.
2. Nature of Third-Party Relationships
2.1 Partner Fertility Clinics
LCRH Limited works in clinical collaboration with certain HFEA-licensed fertility clinics, currently including Aria Fertility and The Lister Fertility Clinic (‘Partner Clinics’). These relationships exist for specific and defined clinical purposes and are governed by written service agreements between LCRH and each Partner Clinic.
These Partner Clinics are entirely separate legal entities from LCRH Limited. They are independently owned, independently managed, independently regulated, and independently responsible for their own clinical services, staff, governance and patient care. The existence of a clinical collaboration between LCRH and a Partner Clinic does not create any partnership, agency, joint venture or employment relationship between LCRH and that clinic, or between LCRH and any individual employed or engaged by that clinic.
Links to or references to Partner Clinics on the LCRH Website are provided for the practical convenience of patients and do not constitute a general endorsement of the Partner Clinic, its services, its staff, its policies or its content beyond the specific and defined scope of LCRH’s clinical collaboration with that clinic.
2.2 Regulatory and Professional Bodies
LCRH’s website and materials contain references and links to the websites of regulatory and professional bodies, including the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the General Medical Council (GMC), the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), NHS England, and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
These bodies are entirely independent of LCRH Limited. LCRH provides links to their websites to assist patients and staff in accessing accurate regulatory information. References to these bodies and links to their websites do not imply any special relationship between LCRH and those bodies beyond LCRH’s standard regulatory obligations as a healthcare provider.
2.3 Independent Consultants and Advisers
LCRH may refer patients and staff to details of, or links to, independent consultants, advisers and service providers who are engaged by LCRH or who work alongside LCRH. These individuals and organisations are independent contractors and are not employees, agents or partners of LCRH Limited.
The provision of contact details for, or links to, an independent consultant or adviser does not mean that LCRH warrants the quality, suitability or fitness for purpose of any advice, service or product provided by that individual or organisation beyond the specific scope of their engagement with LCRH. Patients and staff should exercise their own judgement when engaging with any third party.
2.4 Patient Support Organisations and Information Resources
LCRH may link to or refer patients to external patient support organisations, charities, helplines and information resources. These organisations are entirely independent of LCRH Limited. LCRH provides such links in good faith for the benefit of patients but does not warrant the accuracy, currency or completeness of the information provided by those organisations, and is not responsible for any advice, guidance or support that patients receive from them.
2.5 Suppliers and Other Third Parties
LCRH may from time to time refer to or link to other third-party websites and resources for informational purposes. Such references and links do not constitute endorsement of, or a commercial recommendation of, those third parties, their products or their services.
3. No Endorsement
LCRH does not specifically endorse:
The quality, safety, suitability or fitness for purpose of any service, product, treatment or advice provided by any third party whose details appear on the LCRH website
The accuracy, currency or completeness of any information, content or material published on any third-party website to which the LCRH website links
The professional standards, qualifications, competence or conduct of any individual employed or engaged by any third-party organisation referenced on the LCRH website
The policies, procedures, governance arrangements or regulatory compliance of any third-party organisation referenced on the LCRH website
The views, opinions or statements expressed on any third-party website or by any third-party individual
The inclusion of any link, reference, contact detail or name on the LCRH website or in LCRH’s materials does not amount to a representation by LCRH that it endorses, approves of, or recommends the relevant third party in any general or unqualified sense.
Where LCRH has engaged a third party for a specific defined purpose (for example, the delivery of a specific clinical service under a written service agreement), LCRH’s reference to that third party is limited to that specific engagement and does not constitute a general endorsement of the third party.
4. No Liability for Third Party Content or Actions
4.1 Third Party Websites
LCRH Limited has no control over the content, availability, accuracy or security of any third-party website to which the LCRH website links. External links are provided for convenience only. LCRH accepts no responsibility or liability for:
The content of any third-party website, including any advice, information or material published on it
The accuracy or currency of any information on a third-party website
Any loss or damage (including personal injury or financial loss) suffered by any person as a result of accessing or relying upon any third-party website or its content
The availability or security of any third-party website or service
Any breach of data protection, confidentiality or privacy obligations by any third-party website or service
When you leave the LCRH website by following an external link, you do so at your own risk. LCRH recommends that you read the privacy policy and terms of use of any external website you visit before providing any personal information to that website.
4.2 Third Party Services and Advice
LCRH Limited is not responsible for the actions, omissions, advice, services or products of any third party, whether or not that third party is referenced on the LCRH website or in LCRH’s materials. In particular:
LCRH is not responsible for the clinical decisions, medical advice or treatment provided by any Partner Clinic or clinician employed or engaged by a Partner Clinic
LCRH is not responsible for any advice, guidance or support provided to patients or staff by any independent consultant, adviser or support organisation referenced on the LCRH website
LCRH is not responsible for any failure by a third party to comply with its own legal, regulatory or professional obligations
LCRH is not responsible for any breach of confidentiality, data protection or security by any third party
Nothing in this statement limits or excludes any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under English law, including any liability for death or personal injury caused by LCRH’s own negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation by LCRH.
5. Independent Legal Identity
For the avoidance of doubt, LCRH Limited is a distinct and separate legal entity from all third parties referenced on the LCRH website or in LCRH’s materials. No reference to a third party on the LCRH website or in LCRH’s materials creates or implies:
Any partnership, joint venture or agency between LCRH and that third party
Any employment relationship between LCRH and any individual employed or engaged by a third party
Any joint or shared legal liability between LCRH and a third party in respect of the third party’s services, advice or actions
Any transfer of LCRH’s regulatory obligations, including its obligations to the HFEA, CQC, GMC, NMC or any other regulatory body, to any third party
Any guarantee, warranty or assurance by LCRH in respect of any third party’s services, financial position or continued operation
6. Specific Regulatory Clarifications
6.1 HFEA-Licensed Treatment Activities
Where the LCRH website refers to HFEA-licensed fertility treatment services, patients should be aware that LCRH Limited is not directly licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). LCRH carries out licensed fertility services as an authorised satellite of its Partner Clinics, which hold the relevant HFEA licences. The regulatory accountability for HFEA-licensed activities rests with the Person Responsible of the licensed Partner Clinic. Full details of the regulatory arrangements are available from LCRH on request.
6.2 CQC Registration
LCRH Limited is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as a provider of regulated activities. References on the LCRH website to the CQC or to CQC-registered Partner Clinics are provided for information only. Each CQC-registered provider is individually responsible for its own compliance with CQC Fundamental Standards. LCRH’s CQC registration relates to LCRH’s own regulated activities only.
6.3 Professional Regulatory Bodies (GMC and NMC)
References on the LCRH website to the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) are provided to assist patients in understanding the regulatory framework within which LCRH’s clinical staff operate. These regulatory bodies are independent of LCRH Limited. Each registered professional is individually responsible for compliance with their professional regulator’s standards. LCRH supports but cannot guarantee the regulatory compliance of any clinician employed or engaged by a Partner Clinic.
6.4 NHS England and Designated Body Status
References to NHS England on the LCRH website relate solely to LCRH’s status as a Designated Body under the Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regulations 2010 and the associated medical revalidation arrangements. These references do not imply any NHS funding relationship or any NHS commissioning of LCRH’s services. LCRH is a private fertility clinic and is not an NHS provider.
7. Patients’ Own Responsibility
Patients are encouraged to carry out their own independent research before engaging with any third-party organisation or individual referenced on the LCRH website. LCRH recommends that patients:
Check the registration and regulatory status of any healthcare provider they engage with directly, using the relevant regulator’s public register
Read and understand the terms and conditions, privacy policies and complaints procedures of any third-party organisation before providing personal information or entering into any agreement with that organisation
Seek independent legal or financial advice where appropriate before entering into any financial arrangements with any third party
Contact LCRH directly at admin@lcrh.co.uk if they have any question about the nature of LCRH’s relationship with any specific third party referenced on the LCRH website
8. Accuracy and Currency of Third-Party Information
LCRH Limited takes reasonable care to ensure that the contact details, links and references to third parties on the LCRH website are accurate and current at the time of publication. However, LCRH does not guarantee the accuracy or currency of such information and accepts no liability for any loss arising from the use of inaccurate or outdated third party contact details or links.
Third party organisations and individuals change their contact details, websites, services and operational status from time to time. If you encounter an inaccurate or broken link on the LCRH website, please notify us at admin@lcrh.co.uk so that we can take appropriate steps to update our records.
9. Complaints About Third Parties
If you have a complaint about a third-party organisation or individual referenced on the LCRH website, you should direct that complaint to the relevant third party directly. If your complaint relates to services provided under a clinical collaboration arrangement with LCRH, you may also raise it with LCRH by contacting admin@lcrh.co.uk and LCRH will consider whether and how it is appropriate to assist.
Complaints about HFEA-licensed treatment activities may be referred to the HFEA at www.hfea.gov.uk. Complaints about CQC-registered services may be referred to the CQC at www.cqc.org.uk. Concerns about a registered doctor may be raised with the GMC at www.gmc-uk.org. Concerns about a registered nurse or midwife may be raised with the NMC at www.nmc.org.uk.
10. Data Protection
LCRH Limited processes personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Where a patient follows a link from the LCRH website to a third-party website, any personal data provided to or collected by that third party website is subject to that third party’s own privacy policy, for which LCRH accepts no responsibility. LCRH recommends that patients read the privacy policy of any third-party website before providing personal data to it.
LCRH may share limited personal data with Partner Clinics or other third parties for the specific purposes set out in LCRH’s Privacy Policy and Patient Privacy Notice. Such sharing will be carried out in accordance with UK GDPR and the additional confidentiality requirements of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 where applicable.
11. Amendments to This Statement
LCRH Limited reserves the right to amend this Legal Statement at any time to reflect changes in its third-party relationships, changes in applicable law, or changes in LCRH’s website content. The current version of this Statement will always be available on the LCRH website at www.lcrh.co.uk. The effective date of the current version is shown above. Continued use of the LCRH website following any amendment constitutes acceptance of the amended Statement.
12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
This Legal Statement is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising from or in connection with this Statement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
13. Contact
If you have any question about this Legal Statement or about LCRH’s relationship with any specific third party referenced on the LCRH website, please contact us:
LCRH Limited
Wendover House, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2JH
Email: admin@lcrh.co.uk
Website: www.lcrh.co.uk
Medical Director: Dr Lynne Chapman