NEQOS Privacy & Cookies Policy

We are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our website visitors.  This policy sets out how we will treat the personal information collected via this website.

NEQOS personal information will also be managed in line with the Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust privacy policy, as data controllers.  This can be found from the link below:

https://www.ntw.nhs.uk/foi/data-protection/

(1) Data controller

NEQOS is hosted by Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, who are the data controller for information manged by NEQOS. The Head of Information Governance and Medico Legal Department for the Trust is Angela Faill.

You can contact the Head of Information Governance and Medico Legal Department using the details below:

Angela Faill,

Head of Information Governance and Medico Legal Department
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
St Nicholas Hospital
Jubilee Road
Gosforth
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE3 3XT

Phone:  0191 246 6890
Email:   foi@cntw.nhs.uk

(2) What information do we collect?

We may collect, store and use the following kinds of personal information:

  • information about your computer and about your visits to and use of our website (including your IP address, browser type and version, referral source, length of visit, page views, and other actions);
  • information that you submit to us via the contact form.

 (3) Cookies

A cookie consists of information sent by a web server to a web browser and stored by the browser. The information is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. This enables the web server to identify and track the web browser.

We may use both “session” cookies and “persistent” cookies on our website. We will use these cookies to store details verifying your login to the subscriber service, and to store preferences that you may set for how you view the website or some part of it.

Session cookies will be deleted from your computer when you close your browser. Persistent cookies will remain stored on your computer until deleted, or until they reach a specified expiry date.

We use Google Analytics to analyse the use of our website. Google Analytics generates statistical and other information about website use by means of cookies, which are stored on users’ computers. The information generated relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of the website. Google will store this information. Google’s privacy policy is available at: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en-US.

We use website analytics to understand which country users are located in and which sites are visited.  However, we do not use your information to actively profile you or to make decisions based on your characteristics.

Most browsers allow you to reject all cookies, whilst some browsers allow you to reject just third-party cookies. For example, in Microsoft Edge under “Advanced Settings”  you can choose to allow cookies, block all cookies or just third-party cookies.  In Google Chrome in the Content Settings under Advanced Settings, users can block third party and persistent cookies and tailor what cookies can be used.  However, blocking all cookies will have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites, including this one.

(4) Using your personal information

Personal information submitted to us via our website will be used for the purposes specified in this privacy policy.  By submitting information via our contact forms, you are consenting for us to process your information in line with this privacy policy.  If you no longer wish us to process your information, please see further information in “Your rights” section below.

We may use your personal information to:

  • administer the website;
  • improve your browsing experience by personalising the website;
  • enable your use of the services available on the website e.g. access to subscriber reports;
  • send you general communications in response to queries submitted via the website;
  • deal with enquiries and complaints made by or about you relating to the website.

(5) How long we keep your data for

Personal data that we process for any purpose shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose.   Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, we will retain your personal data:

  • to the extent that we are required to do so by law
  • if we believe that the information may be relevant to any ongoing or prospective legal proceedings
  • in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights (including providing information to others for the purposes of fraud prevention and reducing credit risk)
  • to support the ongoing business purposes of NEOQS as specified above (with due consideration for the rights and freedoms of individuals privacy)
  • with your consent

Apart from some of the areas detailed above, personal data held by us in relation to information provided via the website will be deleted after 6 months (unless there is an ongoing enquiry or individuals become a subscriber to the website).

If you would like further details of how personal data is retained by our organisation, please contact us directly (see Contact Us section below).

(6) Security of your personal information

We will take all reasonable technical and organisational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information.

Information provided will be stored on the servers of our web provider (on secure password and firewall protected servers) and on the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust secure network.

Although the website provides SSL level encryption, data transmission over the internet is inherently insecure, and we cannot guarantee the security of data sent over the internet.

In relation to the subscriber service, you are responsible for keeping your password and user details confidential. We will not ask you for your password (except when you log in to the website).

(7) Sharing Information

We may disclose information about you to any of our employees, officers, agents, suppliers or subcontractors insofar as reasonably necessary for the purposes as set out in this privacy policy (section 5)

In addition, we may disclose your personal information:

  • to the extent that we are required to do so by law;
  • in connection with any legal proceedings or prospective legal proceedings;
  • in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights (including providing information to others for the purposes of fraud prevention and reducing credit risk);
  • with your consent

Except as provided in this privacy policy, we will not provide your information to third parties.

(8) Marketing

We will not without your express consent provide your personal information to any third parties for the purpose of direct marketing.

 (9) International data transfers

NEQOS (and third parties acting on its behalf) do not currently store or process information that we collect about you in countries outside the European Union and all NEQOS information is held on UK based servers.  However, if this changes, NEQOS will take the required steps to ensure that your personal information is protected.

 (10) Policy amendments

We may update this privacy policy from time-to-time, however any changes will be updated on the website.

(11) Your rights

Under data protection law you have certain rights in relation to the personal information that we hold about you. These include rights to know what information we hold about you and how it is used.  Other rights include the right to have your data erased (in certain cases), rectified or restricted.  You also have the right to object to certain types of processing such as profiling or marketing, to withdraw your consent to information use and the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you have a concern about how we handle your personal data.

NEQOS is hosted by Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and further information can be found from the link below:

https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/about/policies/data-protection-policy/

Where you wish to exercise your rights, you may wish to contact the Head of Information Governance and Medico Legal Department for NEQOS on foi@cntw.nhs.uk or by contacting the Information Governance Department on 0191 246 6890.

(12) Third party websites

The website contains links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of third party websites.

(13) Contact

If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy or how we process your personal information, please contact the Head of Information Governance and Medico Legal Department for NEQOS (details provided above).

Where you have a concern about how your data is handled,  you may wish to contact the Head of Information Governance and Medico Legal Department for NEQOS on foi@cntw.nhs.uk or by contacting the Information Governance Department on 0191 246 6890.

If you are dissatisfied with the way that we have dealt with a request from you to exercise any of these rights, or if you think we have not complied with our legal obligations you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO can be contacted via their helpline on 0303 123 1113. More information can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office website: https://ico.org.uk