Site reviewed:

Sep 2008

The PKD Charity (“PKD”) Website Privacy Policy            

 

The PKD Charity respects the privacy of everyone who visits this site. The purpose of this privacy policy is to describe the types of information that we collect from you when you visit our site and explain how we use this information.

 

Any information that you choose to provide us with about yourself will be held on a secure computer in strict accordance with the Principles of the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 (UK) and relevant European Union Data Protection Directives.

 

HON Code of Conduct (HONcode) for medical and health websites

We try wherever possible to comply with HONcode Principles in particular with regard to:

1 Presentation of medical information

2 Purpose of the website

3 Confidentiality

4 Referenced and dated information

5 Disclosure of the governance of the charity and sources of funding

 

Your personal information

We collect your personal information when you complete an enquiry form or send an email. This information will include your name and email address plus other relevant information you choose to provide. The more information you can give us about yourself, the better we can provide you with the services that you need and want. However, we only collect this information from you if you choose to provide it to us and we do not hold your information for longer than is necessary.

 

We use this information:

1 To help us respond to enquiries

2 To help us make the website more relevant to visitors’ needs

3 To conduct research (anonymous)

4 To email visitors from time to time with information or services which we think may be of interest

 

By submitting your personal information you are consenting to the use of your personal information in the manner stated. You can, however, at any time remove your consent to this use. You can also contact us at any time to review or change the information you have supplied to us.

 

We will not disclose any personally identifiable information without your permission unless we are legally entitled or required to do so (for example, if required to do so by legal process or for the purposes of prevention of fraud or other crime). You will be treated as having given your permission for disclosures referred to in this policy.

If you have allowed us to use your personal information for the purposes above, we may have to disclose this information to any company or organisation to which we pass the responsibility to handle email or other direct marketing communications. Should this happen, we ensure that any third party companies who handle your information are registered with and comply with the Data Protection Act.

 

Due to the global structure of the internet, there is a possibility that information provided by you may be transmitted or processed internationally. As specified by the DPA, we undertake to stop the transfer of personal data to any country or territory outside the European Economic Area (EEA) unless the third country in question ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of data subjects.

 

Non-personal information collected during your visit to our site

Whenever you browse our website, read pages, or download information, the web server automatically records certain information about your visit from the computer or device you use to access our site.

This information does not identify you personally. It just tells us how many visitors come to our site and the types of computers they use. With this information, we can improve our site for all our visitors and make it more useful to you.

 

The information includes the following:

1 The date and time you access our site.

2 How many and which pages you visit during a 'session' on our site and how long you were on the site.

3 Your internet domain name (this might be your internet service provider such as Tesco.net or your school, place of work etc) and the ‘IP’ address (this is a number assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the web) which allows you to access our website.

4 The internet browser you use (eg Microsoft Explorer or Firefox) and your computer’s operating system (eg Windows XP).

5 The site you were on before you linked to ours (eg Google if you found us from a search engine).

 

Cookies

A cookie is just a line of text and numbers that is created by our website and stored on your computer when you visit our site. The cookie does not collect or contain personal information about you and poses no security or virus risk to your computer. When you return to our site, the cookie associates your computer with the information that you gave us when you first visited or registered. It helps us evaluate how often visitors return to the site. Of course, you can still make full use of the site if you specifically choose to delete or not to accept the cookie on your browser.

 

Email addresses

We personally read all emails sent to us and we undertake to respond with 48 hours of receipt.

Your email address is kept securely and is only used to answer your request.

 

Security

We have implemented technology and policies with the objective of protecting your privacy from unauthorised access and improper use and will update these measures as new technology becomes available.

 

Third Parties

We cannot be responsible for the privacy policies and practices of other websites, even if you access them using links from our web site, and recommend that you check the policy of each site you visit. In addition, if you linked to our web site from a third party web site, we cannot be responsible for the privacy policies and practices of the owners or operators of that third party web site and recommend that you check the policy of that third party web site and contact its owner or operator if you have any concerns or questions.

 

Message Board and Forums

Where we operate a message board or forum, you will be invited to submit a new message or to reply to an existing message. Such messages, contacts and any other information you provide to us are together referred to in these terms and conditions as "Information". By submitting Information you are granting permission for us to use, edit, modify, copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, publish or transfer any such Information and to allow others to do the same.

 

We reserve the right to:

* remove or to edit any Information or materials or block your access at our sole discretion and without notice; and/or

* disclose any information as required by law; and/or

* take such other action as may be reasonably necessary to prevent any breach of these terms and conditions or any

breach of applicable law or regulation.

 

More questions about privacy?

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about how we protect your personal information and ensure your privacy.

Email: info@pkdcharity.org.uk

Write to: The PKD Charity, PO Box 141, Bishop Auckland

County Durham, DL14 6ZD

Phone: +44 (0) 1388 665004