Privacy Policy

The Royal Society of Medicine is committed to safeguarding and protecting the privacy of our members, visitors and audiences. This Privacy Policy explains the types of information we collect from you and what happens to personal data provided to us.

What our Privacy Policy covers

We have a rigorous approach to privacy and the management of personal data. All information collected about our audiences is in accordance with:

  • The General Data Protection Regulation
  • The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003
  • Directive 2009/136/EC of 25 November 2009 (European Union Cookie Directive)

If you have any queries regarding our privacy policy, please contact the RSM's Chief Digital Officer:

John Foster-Hill
The Royal Society of Medicine
1 Wimpole Street
London, W1G 0AE
Email: John.Foster-Hill@rsm.ac.uk

Types of information we collect

The RSM may collect and process the following information about you:

  • Voluntary information provided by you, for example when you register online or sign up to receive emails from us
  • When you make a booking or purchase on the website, by phone, email or paper-based communication. We maintain a record of your transaction history but will not retain your credit card details.
  • Members using their membership card to enter and enter and exit the Club areas, the Library and other parts of the building Use of the Library services, for example borrowing books and journals, literature searches and document delivery requests
  • Information about your use of our website, for example pages viewed, location data or traffic sources used to visit our website
  • IP addresses – we use IP addresses to help identify those using the RSM website to gather broad demographic information for reporting purposes. The use of IP addresses is also used to help diagnose problems with our server and may also be used to assist in the detection of fraud. In this instance, the RSM may pass this information to the police.
  • Surveillance CCTV video footage (without audio) at key RSM entry-points (e.g. reception desks etc.). We have decided this is necessary for the prevention and detection of crime, for protecting the safety of individuals and/or for the security of our premises.

How we use the data that is collected

The RSM aims to use the information that is collected to provide a personalised service to all our customers. Data is used for:

Charitable Activities

RSM will conduct charitable activities which may include the sharing of news, event invitations, research, fundraising and surveys.

Account management

The RSM will use the personal information provided to undertake account / membership management and administration. For example, processing membership queries, undertaking Section management and administration and electing RSM Trustees and Presidents. This may require us to share your details with third-parties/volunteers (e.g. Section Presidents, Section Secretaries, Section managers etc.) to allow them to contact you about any management and administration queries.

Fulfilling purchases

The RSM will use the personal information provided to fulfil purchases, for example processing membership applications, event registration confirmations, inclusion within meeting attendee lists and online learning videos. This includes contacting you about any queries, for example answering an email, and sending confirmations.

Marketing and communications

When you register online or make a guest purchase on the website, you can choose whether you would like to receive marketing communications from the RSM by phone, email, post or text.

If you have opted into any of these forms of communication, you will receive marketing tailored to the information you have provided us when first registering. We will not contact you for marketing purposes unless you have opted in to receive communications. When joining the RSM through any offline application process you will also be asked for contact preferences.

Service-based communication

The RSM will use the information supplied to send RSM members’ service-based communications about their membership benefits and renewal.

Meetings, events and conferences

Limited personal information will be shared with event attendees, including sponsors and exhibitors of the event you are registered to attend via the event participants list. This is based on our legitimate interest and that of event supporters, sponsors and exhibitors to ensure information provided is relevant to the audience attending, as well as to encourage networking and engagement amongst event attendees. This information includes your name, job title, institution and company name. Additionally, contact details (only if you consented to share contact details) may be shared with third party organisations who are supporting the event, who may contact you for marketing and promotional purposes. Contact details would not be shared with fellow event attendees.

If you would prefer us not to share these details with our event attendees, supporters, sponsors and exhibitors, then you can indicate this by using the opt out box when completing your event registration form via the online booking process.

Education event partners

Limited personal information will be jointly owned with education event partners if you are a registered participant of these events. This is based on our legitimate interest and that of our education event partners to ensure that the information provided is relevant to the audience attending, as well as to encourage networking and engagement amongst event attendees. This information includes your name, job title, institution, company name and contact details. If you consented to share your contact details with our education event partners, they may contact you for marketing and promotional purposes. Contact details would not be shared with fellow event attendees. If you would prefer our education event partners not to contact you for marketing and promotional purposes, then you can indicate this by using the opt-out box when completing your education event registration form via the online booking process.

Suppliers

At times, we work with external suppliers to provide you with services. All data is transferred securely to data suppliers and all have signed data processing confidentiality agreements with the RSM.

Subsidiary services

The RSM may also use the information provided by you to enable its subsidiary company, Royal Society of Medicine Commercial Services Limited, to provide you with information about our hotels, club and services at the RSM's premises.

Surveillance CCTV footage

Our surveillance CCTV system and the images produced by it are controlled by the Royal Society of Medicine, who is responsible for how the system is used under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.

The footage we record will provide the organisation with some ability to:

  • Prevent and detect crime
  • Proactively & retrospectively protect the safety of individuals
  • Enhance the security of our premises

The data we collect is accurate, relevant & secure. It is stored in such a way to maintain its confidentiality and integrity. It is also only available to named individuals, should we need access to it. The data we collect is adequate and limited to what is necessary. Should it be required, we can locate & retrieve footage / data in a timely manner.

We will not use the system for any incompatible purposes and we conduct regular reviews of our use of CCTV to ensure that it is still necessary and proportionate.

How long we keep your personal information

The period we keep your information depends on the purpose for which your information was collected and the use to which it was put. The RSM does not retain or use personal data for longer than is required to undertake the work of the charity.

We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements and, where required for us to assert or defend against legal claims, until the end of the relevant retention period or until the claims in question have been settled. For example, we usually retain sales records or event participant information for at least six years so we can fulfil our statutory obligations for tax purposes.

Data relating to event participants or other customers are kept for up to six years. If you have not attended an event or purchased a product from us in two years, then we will email you to allow you to proactively provide permission for the RSM to continue contacting you. If you do not wish to provide permission, then we will no longer keep in touch.

If you are an RSM member, your record will be kept while you remain a member. If you decide to cancel, your record will be retained for five years following the expiry of your membership so that we can assist you should you decide to re-join or be reinstated into the RSM.

Updating your personal information

You can manage your communication preferences at any time by logging into the website. Alternatively, you can contact the Membership Department on membership@rsm.ac.uk or call 020 7290 2991 who will assist you with updating your details.

It is important that the information contained in our records is both accurate and current. If your personal information happens to change, please keep us informed of such changes as soon as possible. Those whose data is held by the RSM have the right to the amendment or deletion of incorrect entries within a reasonable time. The RSM stores information only as long as necessary.

In some circumstances, we may not agree with your request to change your personal information and will instead append an alternative text to the record in question.

Access to your personal information

You can ask to see the personal information that we hold about you. If you want to review, verify or correct your personal information, please note that any such communication may be required in writing.

When requesting access to your personal information, please note that we may request specific information from you to enable us to confirm your identity and right to access, as well as to search for and provide you with the personal information that we hold about you. We may charge you a fee to access your personal information; however, we will advise you of any fee in advance.

Your right to access the personal information that we hold about you is not absolute. There are instances where applicable law or regulatory requirements allow or require us to refuse to provide some or all the personal information that we hold about you. In addition, the personal information may have been destroyed, erased or made anonymous in accordance with our record retention obligations and practices. If we cannot provide you with access to your personal information, we will try to inform you of the reasons why, subject to any legal or regulatory restrictions.

If you require assistance in preparing your request, please contact the Membership Department at membership@rsm.ac.uk or call 020 7290 2991.

Your other legal rights

Data protection legislation ensures that you are in control of your personal information. You have a right to:

  • Request a copy of your personal information
  • Ask us to correct information that is wrong or request for it to be only used for certain purposes
  • Ask us to remove or delete personal information, also known as the right to be forgotten
  • To object to using your personal information for certain purposes, for example profiling or in marketing emails
  • Contact the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) if you feel that we are not managing your data in accordance with the GDPR. 

Please bear in mind that sometimes we may not be able to help, for example due to legal or statutory obligations.

Cookies

We use cookies to make our website easier to use and to help us understand how people are using our website so that we can make improvements. Cookies are files stored in your browser and are used by most websites to help personalise your web experience.

View the full list of cookies we collect on this website. 

Security

Whenever the RSM handles personal information, regardless of where this occurs, every precaution is taken to ensure that information is treated securely, for instance by encrypting the information and by storing the information in a secure environment.

Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while the RSM strives to protect personal information, it cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information transmitted to the RSM, which is done at the sender’s own risk.

Any information revealed, including personally identifiable information, in a public forum such as in a discussion forum or a chat, is not subject to this Privacy Policy. It is therefore important that consideration is given to what information is disclosed in these areas.

Disclosure of data

The RSM may use the information received through this website to provide RSM services and to enable its subsidiary company, Royal Society of Medicine Commercial Services Limited, to provide services at the Society's premises.

Except that stated above, the RSM will only disclose your personally identifiable information to third parties where required to do so by law or by a competent regulatory authority, where you have consented to the disclosure and where it is in our legitimate interest to do so.

We will always be transparent about any disclosure of your data to a third party. Any information collected by the RSM will be treated confidentially.

Data from job applicants, current and former employees

The RSM complies with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) rules in which data about yourself that is provided during the application process is used and held.

From the point at which we receive your job application, whether directly or via an agency, the RSM will need to maintain and process data about you for the purposes of reaching and communicating a recruitment decision and production of an offer of employment if appropriate. Such data is normally retained for six months following completion of our recruitment processes in the event of an offer of employment not being made.

For a full list of data the RSM will process, read our fair processing notice for job applicants notice. If you have any queries about the process or how we handle your information please contact hr@rsm.ac.uk.

Linking to the RSM’s website

Links to any content on this website are not allowed without full and proper reference to the Royal Society of Medicine and the Society reserves the right to withdraw permission for any link.

Links must not:

  • Suggest that the Royal Society of Medicine promotes or endorses any third party’s causes, ideas, websites, products or services
  • Use the content for inappropriate commercial purposes

The RSM website contains links to external sites. Please note that the RSM is not responsible for the privacy practices of other sites. The RSM encourages its website users to be aware when they leave this website and to read the privacy statements of every website collecting personally identifiable information.

Screenshots

Screenshots of RSM websites in print should only be used with the RSM's permission. Screenshots must appear without any alteration to the copy or graphical images.

When using a screenshot, the URL of the RSM's website must be included credit given to the RSM as follows: Reprinted with permission from (www.rsm.ac.uk). © Copyright (year of creation) Royal Society of Medicine. All rights reserved.

For further information please contact media@rsm.ac.uk.

Changes to the Privacy Policy

If the RSM decides to change its Privacy Policy, the changes will be posted on the RSM’s website so users may always know what information is collected, how it is used, and under what circumstances, if any, it is disclosed.

The RSM will use the information in accordance with the Privacy Policy under which the information was collected.