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Privacy notice for the independent review of the health protection system in Wales online survey.

First published:
21 October 2022
Last updated:

Background

The Welsh Government is undertaking research to assess the extent to which our emergency response systems and processes could be strengthened so that we can maximise our capability to respond to current and emerging threats. The main research aims are to:

  • define what is required for a high performing health protection service that maximises the effectiveness and efficiency of its resources;
  • achieve national consistency where this would enhance quality and impact; and
  • further strengthen preparedness to ensure the responsiveness and resilience of the health protection function for the future in the areas of infectious disease, non-communicable disease and CBRN.

As part of this research Welsh Government will be gathering information from members of the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) through an online survey.

The Welsh Government is the data controller for the research.

The results of this research may be published in peer–reviewed articles or disseminated at internal of external meetings. All captured data will be anonymised prior to release.

Your participation in this research is completely voluntary. However, your views and experiences are important in order to help inform Welsh Government policies.

The contact for this research at Welsh Government is HPAG.Secretariat@gov.wales.  

What personal data do we hold and where do we get this information?

Personal data is defined under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) as ‘any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified by reference to an identifier’.

Your email address will only be accessible by the Welsh Government research team and will only be used as part of undertaking this research project.

Online survey

The survey does not ask for your name and neither your email address nor your IP address are captured as part of completing the survey. However, the survey does request information on your organisation and a description of your role within the organisation in order to reassert a future vision of our Health Protection system in Wales and assess the extent to which the system could be strengthened to maximise our capability to respond to current and emerging threats be they infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases or deliberately caused public health events to cause harm.

Any data captured will be anonymised. With the exception of the study team, there will be no mechanism to establish any connections between any participants or organisations. All data will be handled in strict accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The results of this survey may be published in peer–reviewed articles or disseminated at internal of external meetings. Once again, all data will be anonymised prior to release.

If you raise a query or complaint and provide personal data requesting a response, the researcher will forward the request only to the relevant official and subsequently delete it from the research data.

What is the lawful basis for using your data?

The lawful basis for processing information in this data collection exercise is our public task; that is, exercising our official authority to undertake the core role and functions of the Welsh Government.

Participation is completely voluntary. Research studies such as this are important for the Welsh Government to collect information and actionable evidence about its ability to deliver government priorities. The information collected in this research, for example, might be used to inform the development.

How secure is your personal data?

Personal information provided to Welsh Government is always stored on a secure server. The data can only be accessed by a limited number of researchers working on this project. Welsh Government will only use this data for research purposes. Welsh Government has cyber essentials certification.  

When conducting surveys, Welsh Government use a survey software programme called SmartSurvey. This is UK GDPR compliant and meets our expectations in terms of the security of any data collected via the software (all data is processed within the UK).

The most sensitive data we collect in an anonymous form (using SmartSurvey) so we do not know who the data relate to as we only require an overall view of the people we survey. Any data captured will be anonymised. With the exception of the study team, there will be no mechanism to establish any connections between any participants or organisations. All data will be handled in strict accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Welsh Government has procedures to deal with any suspected data security breaches. If a suspected breach occurs, Welsh Government will notify you and any applicable regulator where we are legally required to do so.

Welsh Government will use the information gathered to produce a report that will be published on the Welsh Government website. This report will not include any information that could be used to identify individual participants.

How long do we keep your personal data?

Welsh Government will hold personal data during the project period. Three months after the end of the study, the research team will anonymise all the personal data it has collected from, or about, you in connection with this research project.

Individual rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to the personal information you provide as part of this project, you have the right:

  • To access a copy of your own data;
  • For us to rectify inaccuracies in that data;
  • To object to or restrict processing (in certain circumstances);
  • For your data to be ‘erased’ (in certain circumstances); and
  • To lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection.

The contact details for the Information Commissioner’s Office are: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Phone: 01625 545 745 or 0303 123 1113. Website: www.ico.gov.uk

Further Information

If you have any further questions about how the data provided as part of this study will be used by the Welsh Government or wish to exercise your rights using the UK General Data Protection Regulation, please contact:

HPAG.Secretariat@gov.wales

The Welsh Government’s Data Protection Officer can be contacted at: Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ

Email: DataProtectionOfficer@gov.wales.