Privacy and Data Protection
User anonymity and personal information on Health Scotland websites
Log files are maintained and analysed of all requests for files on the Health Scotland web servers. Log files do not capture personal information, but do capture the user's IP address which is automatically recognised by Health Scotland web servers. Aggregated analyses of these log files are used to monitor website usage. These analyses may be made available to Health Scotland staff and partner agencies to allow them to measure, for example, overall popularity of the site and typical user paths through the site.
Except as stated already, Health Scotland will make no attempt to identify individual users. You should be aware, however, that access to web pages will generally create log entries in the systems of your ISP or network services provider. These entities may be in a position to identify the client computer equipment used to access a page. Such monitoring would be done by the provider of network services and is beyond the responsibility or control of Health Scotland.
Health Scotland will make no attempt to track or identify individual users, except where there is a reasonable suspicion that unauthorised access to systems is being attempted. In the case of all users, Health Scotland reserves the right to attempt to identify and track any individual who is reasonably suspected of trying to gain unauthorised access to computer systems or resources operating as part of Health Scotland web services. As a condition of use of this site, all users must give permission for Health Scotland to use its access logs to attempt to track users who are reasonably suspected of gaining, or attempting to gain, unauthorised access.
All log file information collected by Health Scotland is kept secure and no access to raw log files is given to any third party.
Use of cookies
Health Scotland websites do not store any information that would, on its own, allow us to identify individual users of this service without their permission. Any cookies that may be used by Health Scotland websites are used either solely on a per session basis or to maintain user preferences. Cookies are not shared with any third parties.
Data protection and confidentiality
Some services on Health Scotland websites require us to collect personal information from you. To comply with the Data Protection Act and NHS confidentiality guidance, we have a duty to tell you how we store the information we collect and how it is used.
Health Scotland Quit Buddy Privacy Policy
Health Scotland Quit Buddy is committed to safeguarding your privacy online. We use the information we collect about you to enable us to send you email communications to support you in giving up smoking and to help us understand how the Can Stop Smoking website is used.
What kind of ‘personal information’ does Health Scotland Quit Buddy collect?
’Personal information’ relates to any information that enables us to identify you. Health Scotland Quit Buddy collects the following information regarding visitors to the Can Stop Smoking website: the information you provide on completing the Quit Buddy registration form (your email address, name, and title) and information regarding what pages are accessed and when.
How does Health Scotland Quit Buddy use my information?
Health Scotland uses the information we collect about you to enable us to send you email communications to support you in giving up smoking and to help us understand more about how the Can Stop Smoking website is used.
Who is collecting your information?
When you are in the Health Scotland Can Stop Smoking website and are asked for personal information, you are sharing that information with Health Scotland alone unless stated otherwise.
With whom does Health Scotland Quit Buddy share your information?
Health Scotland will not disclose any of your personally identifiable information, except when we have your permission or under special circumstances, such as when we believe in good faith that the law requires it.
Health Scotland will not make individual identifying information available to any affiliated third parties. Health Scotland does not sell on lists to others.
Health Scotland does not sell or rent user information to anyone.
How does Health Scotland Quit Buddy protect my personal identifiable information?
Health Scotland is committed to taking reasonable steps to protect the individual identifying information that you provide to us. All of the information you provided on the Quit Buddy registration form will be automatically and securely stored in our subscription database. This database is used to hold your details and enables us to provide the Quit Buddy email service to you.
What security precautions are in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of my information?
Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, Health Scotland cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk. Once we receive your transmission, we make our best effort to ensure its security on our systems.