Privacy Policy ; Website Terms & Conditions

Updated May 2018

 You can contact us with any data protection or privacy queries via : [email protected]

The General Data Protection Regulation comes  force on May 25th  2018.

Legal Requirements

Data are protected by the General Data Protection Regulation  (25 May 2018),and   Data Protection Act 1998. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new, Europe-wide law that replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK. It is part of the wider package of reform to the data protection landscape that includes the Data Protection Bill. The GDPR sets out requirements for how organisations will need to handle personal data from 25 May 2018.

BSG , as an organisation holding people’s personal data , needs to ensure it is compliant with the legislation, based on six data protection principles :

Lawfulness, fairness and transparency
Purpose limitations
Data minimisation
Accuracy
Storage limitations
Integrity and confidentiality

BSG must ensure you are  updated   about the continued use of the personal  data you supply us, and,  where necessary, re-confirm  that you would like to continue hearing from us.

As a small charitable organisation, we are not obliged to have a Data Protection Officer,but the BSG Committee has nominated members to oversee data protection.

Privacy Statement 

British Society Gerodontology (BSG) is committed to a policy of protecting the rights and privacy of individuals, voluntary and community group members, volunteers staff and others in accordance with The Data Protection Act 1998,and the General Data Protection Regulation  (GDPR) 2018. The policy applies to all committee members.

As a matter of good practice, other organisations and individuals working with BSG, and who have access to personal information, will be expected to have read and comply with this policy. It is expected that any members who deal with external organisations will take responsibility for ensuring that they are fully compliant with GDPR requirements.

BSG will ensure that our  organisation details are registered with the Information Commissioner UK.

Data Protection Principle

In terms of the Data Protection legislation ,  we are the ‘data controller’, and as such determine the purpose for which, and the manner in which, any personal data are, or are to be, processed.

Members of the BSG Committee holding personal data at home or  on any  system other than the BSG website are classed as ‘data controllers’ under GDPR legislation and must be compliant with the legislation.

Purpose of data held 

We may hold data for the following purposes:
1. Fundraising
2. Realising the Objectives of a Charitable Organisation or Voluntary Body
3 Accounts & Records
4. Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations
5. Information and Databank Administration
6. Journalism and Media
7. Processing For Not For Profit Organisations
8. Research

BSG  must ensure that :

1. We hold fairly and lawfully processed personal data :

BSG will always state their intentions on processing the data and state if, and to whom, we intend to give the personal data.We will not use data for a purpose other than those agreed by data subjects i.e. members. If the data held by us are requested by external organisations for any reason, this will only be passed if you agree. Also external organisations  would have to be fully compliant in this undertaking with the GDPR and BSG Data Protection Policies.

2.Data held are adequate, relevant and not excessive

The BSG will monitor the data held for our purposes, ensuring we hold neither too much nor too little data in respect of the individuals about whom the data are held. If data given or obtained are excessive for such purpose, they will be immediately deleted or destroyed.

3. Data are accurate and up-to-date
We can  provide our members with a copy of their data  for information and updating where relevant. All amendments will be made immediately and data no longer required will be deleted or destroyed. It is the responsibility of individuals and organisations to ensure the data held by us are accurate and up-to-date. Completion of an appropriate form will be taken as an indication that the data contained are accurate. Individuals should notify us of any changes, to enable personal records to be updated accordingly. It is the responsibility of the BSG to act upon notification of changes to data, amending them where relevant.

4.Data are not kept longer than necessary
We discourage the retention of data for longer than it is required. All personal data will be deleted or destroyed by us after two year of non-membership has elapsed. Data relating to events that require certification for continuing professional education will be kept for ten years and then destroyed, as required by the GDC

5. We process data  in accordance with the individual’s rights

All individuals that the BSG hold data on have the right to:

–  Be informed upon the request of all the information held about them within 40 days.
–  Prevent the processing of their data for the purpose of direct marketing.
–  Be compensated  if they can show that they have been caused damage by any contravention of the Act.
–  The removal and correction of any inaccurate data about them.

Your right to opt out

Unless you  request otherwise,  you will continue to receive information about BSG including our programmes, events and services via email.You will be able to log into our website while your registration  remains valid.

If you  ‘opt out’ ,  we won’t sent you further emails or correspondence,  even if you remain a member of the Society.This  excludes, where relevant, essential e-mail or written correspondence necessary for  administration related to your membership, eg subscription changes, or  termination membership .

We do not share your information with any other organisations or third parties, and should this change we will seek your permission before including you.

For detailed information on the GDPR , please visit : https://www.eugdpr.org/

Secure  Data

Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of data. Our membership Database will be held by the membership secretary on encrypted memory stick, which allow only authorised staff to access personal data. All personal and financial data is kept secure. When committee members are using the laptop computers in public places care should always be taken to ensure that personal data on screen is not visible to strangers.

Not transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area, unless the country has adequate protection for the individual.
Data must not be transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area without the explicit consent of the individual. The Association takes particular care to be aware of this when publishing information on the Internet, which can be accessed from anywhere in the globe. This is because transfer includes placing data on a web site that can be accessed from outside the European Economic Area.

 You can contact us with any date protection or privacy queries via : [email protected]

Terms & Conditions for the use of this website

1. Scope of the Site
The web site (the “Site”) is owned and operated by the British Society of Gerodontology (BSG)(“we”, “us” or “our”).

2. Excluded services
To use the Site you will require Internet connectivity and appropriate telecommunication links. We shall not be liable for any telephone or other costs that you may incur.

3. Use of the Site
The intellectual property rights in all materials that are available on the Site (the “Materials”) belong to us or the suppliers of the materials. You may retrieve and display Materials on a computer screen, print individual pages on paper (but not photocopy them) and store such pages in electronic form on disk (but not on any server or other storage device connected to a network) for personal, non-commercial use. Except as expressly set out above, the Materials may not be reproduced, modified or in any way commercially exploited.

Use of the Site for any of the following purposes is strictly forbidden:

• disseminating any unlawful, harassing, libellous, abusive, threatening, harmful, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable material
• transmitting material that encourages conduct that constitutes a criminal offence, results in civil liability or otherwise breaches any relevant laws, regulations or code of practice
• gaining unauthorized access to other computer systems
• interfering with any other person’s use or enjoyment of the Site
• breaching any laws concerning the use of public telecommunications networks
• interfering or disrupting networks or web sites connected to the Site
• making, transmitting or storing electronic copies of materials protected by copyright without the permission of the owner

You will indemnify us against all losses, liabilities, costs and expenses reasonably suffered or incurred by us, all damages awarded against us under any judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction and all settlements sums paid by us as a result of any settlement agreed by us arising out of or in connection with: (a) any claim by any third party that the use of the Site by you is defamatory, offensive or abusive, or of an obscene or pornographic nature, or is illegal or constitutes a breach of any applicable law, regulation or code of practice; (b) any claim by any third party that the use of the Site by you infringes that third party’s copyright or other intellectual property rights of whatever nature; and (c) any fines or penalties imposed by any regulatory, advertising or trading body or authority in connection with the use of the Site by you.

4. Disclaimer
Although we have taken all reasonable steps to provide you with access to adequate and reputable content, we cannot guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such content. You must bear the risks associated with the use of a global network like the Internet.

Due to the number of web sites accessible through the Service and the nature of the Internet, we cannot give any warranties in respect of the content, software or services available through the Site. In particular, we disclaim all liabilities in connection with the following:

• incompatibility of the Site with any of your equipment, software of telecommunications links
• errors or interruptions of the Site
• unsuitability, unreliability or inaccuracy of Materials
• inadequacy of the Site to meet your requirements

To the full extent allowed by applicable law, you agree that we will not be liable to you and/or any third party for any consequential or incidental damages (including but not limited to loss of profits, loss of privacy and loss of data) or for any other indirect, special or punitive damages whatsoever that arise out of or are related to the Site.

5. Changes to the User Terms
We reserve the right, at our discretion, to make changes to these User Terms. When the User Terms are changed, notice will be given by a suitable announcement available on the Site. If you use the Site after we have given notice of the changes, you are agreeing now to be bound by those changes. If you do not agree to be bound by those changes, you should not use the Site any further after you receive notice of them.

6. Advertising and Sponsorship
Part of the Site may contain advertising and sponsorship. Advertisers and sponsors are responsible for ensuring that material submitted for inclusion on the Site complies with relevant laws and codes. We will not
be responsible for any error or inaccuracy in advertising and sponsorship material.

7. Competitions and Prize Draws
From time to time we may run competitions, free prize draws and promotions on the Site. These will be subject to additional terms that will be made available at the time of such competitions.

8. Choice of Law and Jurisdiction
These User Terms shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
English law and the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute that may arise in connection with these User Terms.

9. General
You may not assign, sub-license or otherwise transfer any of your rights under these User Terms. If any provision of these User Terms is found to be invalid by any court having competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of that provision will not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of these User Terms, which shall remain in full force and effect.

Failure by either party to exercise any right or remedy under these User Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right or remedy.

Social Media Policy

Introduction

The British Society of Gerodontology (BSG) recognises that there has been a significant rise in the use of social networking sites in recent years. The BSG strives to exhibit acceptable behaviour at all times to maintain the reputation of the Society, its members and that of the relevant professions and collaborations with other organisations. The BSG is committed to always maintaining the confidentiality and safety of its members whilst also recognising that all members are entitled to privacy in their personal lives. The purpose of this policy is to set out the clear expectation that when using social media, BSG members, will behave appropriately and in a way which is consistent with the BSG’s values.

There are many benefits of using these sites, and the BSG currently uses X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram accounts to engage with the public, members, dental professionals and Partner Sponsors to communicate our news and promote events quickly and effectively. It is important, however, to realise that the use of social networking websites has the potential to blur the lines between public and private, personal and professional. Social networking sites make personal information publicly accessible, so it is vital that staff think about how the information they share might reflect on the BSG. Though the BSG recognises that staff will likely maintain personal accounts on various social networks, it is important to remember that as staff of the BSG, you have an obligation to always conduct yourself in a manner that does not reflect poorly on society. Guidelines for functioning in an electronic world are the same as the values, ethics and confidentiality policies staff are expected to live by daily. This policy sets out the principles staff are expected to follow when using social media, whether at work or in their personal life. All BSG committee members have a duty to ensure that they adhere to the terms of this Policy.

 2. Scope

The policy applies to all committee members of BSG, as well as anyone representing the BSG as a lecturer, ambassador, volunteer, contractor or processor (here on referred to as “staff”). The policy also applies to all members, sponsors and visitors to the BSG.

3. Definitions

Social Media can be defined as “websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking”. Social networking is the term commonly used on websites and online tools to allow users to interact with each other in some way – by sharing information, opinions, knowledge, and interests. 3 Social networking websites such as TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus+, Pinterest, and Tumblr are the most well-known examples of social media, but the term covers other web-based services. Examples include blogs (a contraction of the term web log), audio and video podcasts, ‘wikis’ (such as Wikipedia), message boards, social bookmarking websites (such as del.icio.us), photo, document and video content-sharing websites (such as Vine, Instagram and YouTube) and micro-blogging services (such as Twitter or FriendFeed). For this policy, social media and social networking are used interchangeably.

4. Duties

4.1 Chair

Ensure this Policy is communicated to all staff.

Ensure any reports of inappropriate use of social media are reported to the President and Honorary Secretary?

4.2 Committee members

• Ensure you have read and understood the content of this policy.
• Report any inappropriate use of social media to the Chair.
• Make sure you have appropriate privacy settings enabled.
• Consider how you use social media carefully and be mindful of what information you share.

5. Process

5.1 Acceptable Use of Social Media

This section details what staff should and should not do when using social media.

DO:

• Activate appropriate privacy settings.
• Act responsibly and ethically: When participating in online communities, be aware that when you make public posts online, you are obligated to behave in a manner that does not reflect poorly on the BSG.
• When disagreeing with the opinions of a member of the BSG, the dental profession or public, always ensure that your responses are professional, appropriate and respectful. If you find yourself in a situation online that looks as if it’s becoming antagonistic, do not get overly defensive and do not disengage from the conversation abruptly: feel free to ask the chair for advice and/or to disengage from the dialogue in a polite manner that reflects well on the BSG.
• Be mindful that what you ‘Like’ on Facebook can be seen as an endorsement of that organisation, group or statement and that you should not ‘Like’ pages that could bring you or the BSG into disrepute. This might include sharing libellous statements, or messages about illegal practices.
• Be mindful that who you follow or ‘Retweet’ on X or instagram can be seen as an endorsement of that individual or organisation and that you should not follow accounts that could bring you or the BSG into disrepute. This might include retweeting libellous statements, or messages about illegal practices.
• Be mindful that your username and description (if applicable) on social networking sites must also not be liable to bring the BSG into disrepute, through inappropriate language etc.
• When commenting on a dental matter, unless authorised to speak on behalf of BSG, you must state that the views expressed are your own. Always add a ‘views are my own’ disclaimer where appropriate.
• Remember that what you post online can potentially be accessed forever.
• Remember that if you interact with other members of staff online you should conduct yourself appropriately and courteously, as would be expected of you at work.
• Consider carefully before mentioning or ‘tagging’ other members of staff in your posts.
• The BSG committee will not tolerate processes, attitudes and behaviour that amount to discrimination as defined within the Equality Act (see BSG Equality Diversity and Inclusion Policy for full definitions)

DO NOT:

• Engage in activities on social media which might bring the BSG into disrepute.
• Post, ‘Like’, Retweet’ or ‘Share’ discriminatory statements online.
• Make disparaging, discriminatory or defamatory remarks about the BSG, patients or fellow employees on any form of social media site, or ‘Retweet’ or ‘Share’ such comments.
• Behave in a way using social media which could be interpreted as bullying or harassment.
• Post any confidential information that you have obtained through your employment or missing word here?

5.2 Reporting Inappropriate Use

If a member of staff comes across information contained on social media sites that contravenes this policy, they should report the issue to the chair. All incidents will be investigated by the Chair, the President and the Honorary Secretary, which may include viewing and taking screenshots of the posts in question. The BSG will not tolerate behaviour from staff which breaches our Social Media Policy. Any such breach will be regarded as misconduct and dealt with by the Trustees. Any breach by a lecturer or contractor may result in their contract being terminated.

6. Training

The Chair is available to provide advice and guidance on the effective and appropriate use of social media to all staff, if required.

7. Monitoring

This policy will be reviewed every 3 years or when otherwise deemed necessary. (This Policy was last reviewed in June 2028)