Personal Data Personal data submitted via the BOA website is used only for the purposes described on the website and not for any other purpose. Users’ personal data is not disclosed to third parties, except those who may administer the BOA website and then only for the purposes of website administration. Members may request the updating of their own personal data on the BOA membership database by using the online form specially provided for the purpose. Periodically, a new copy of the BOA membership database will be uploaded so that members may see the most recent copy of their personal profile and that of other members. Personal data held in the Members' Database or in the Members' Handbook is intended for the personal use of individual members and approved associates, such as BOA Committee members, and may not be used for any other purpose or made available to third parties for any purpose whatsoever. It is a requirement of members’ use of the website that BOA members provide a “preferred email” which will be used by BOA to communicate any urgent news or other material to them and will be included in the members' handbook. Personal information is protected both online and off-line and will be deleted when BOA has no further use for it. Only approved administrators have access to off-line information. The server where personally identifiable information is stored is kept in a secure environment. The BOA does not use cookies for collecting personal user information from the site and we shall not collect any information about you except that required for system administration of the web server, or to improve our website services (through anonymised information provided through Google Analytics) or to collect information submitted by you via the website for purposes advertised on the website itself. Information gathered from polls will be anonymous and personal data will not be used in any analysis. Website surveys will handle personal data in the aggregate so that individuals cannot be identified by name in any subsequent report. While the BOA website is not primarily intended for the general public, and therefore does not endorse any particular surgeon, technique, hospital, or practice, it will in due course develop a comprehensive library of patient information. Our policy is that e-mails received asking for surgical advice, surgical referrals or sources of surgical information are not answered. These e-mails are deleted on receipt. No information contained in these requests is retained by either the BOA or the BOA webmaster. The BOA fully endorses and adheres to the seven principles of data protection, as enumerated in the Data Protection Act of 1998. The privacy statement only covers the website of the British Orthopaedic Association at
www.boa.ac.uk and its sub-site at
www.os.boa.ac.uk and its associated site
www.jointaction.org.uk. Links within the BOA site to the websites of other organisations are not necessarily covered by this policy.
General Information about OS-Net By enrolling in OS-Net, which is a section of the main BOA website, you agree that the BOA may use your details as it sees fit with the primary purpose of notifying students of information and material relevant to a career in orthopaedic surgery. With this in mind, we may pass your details to other clinicians or administrators in the BOA / OS-Net network who may then contact you directly. We shall not pass your details onto any other third parties. The general terms and conditions and privacy policy of the BOA website, also apply to the Undergraduate OS-NET section.
The Joint Action Website Joint Action is the research appeal of the British Orthopaedic Association. The BOA is the data controller and will store and use your details to achieve our charitable objectives and conduct fundraising activities as described on the Joint Action website. The general principles of the BOA privacy policy also apply to the Joint Action website.
Personal data submitted via the Joint Action website is used solely for fundraising purposes described on the website. Any information which is submitted, including personal data will be held within a database to conduct our charitable aims and objectives and may be disclosed to carefully chosen third parties including any law enforcement agencies, but only for the express purposes of conducting our fundraising activities. Your rights under the 1998 Data Protection Act and subsequent 2003 Information Communication Amendment are not affected in any way and you may opt out of any or all of our activities at any time by selecting the appropriate details from within your Joint Account or telephoning our Data Protection Officer on 020 7406 1767.
All submitted data remains the sole property of Joint Action and therefore of its parent body, the British Orthopaedic Association. All personal information is protected both online and off-line and will be deleted when Joint Action has no further use for it. Only approved administrators have access to off-line information. The server where personally identifiable information is stored is kept in a secure environment. Joint Action does not use cookies for collecting personal user information from the site and we shall not collect any information about you except that required for system administration of the web server or information submitted by you via the website for purposes advertised on the website itself. We do however reserve the right to conduct analytical activities to improve our service offerings to our supporters through the likes of, but not limited to Google Analytics.
The Joint Action website does not endorse any particular surgeon, technique, company, device, product, hospital, or practice. Our policy is that any communication received in these categories asking for surgical advice, surgical referrals or sources of surgical information are not answered. These e-mails are deleted on receipt. No information contained in these requests is retained by either Joint Action or the BOA.
Summary of Terms Used
Browser - used to locate and display web pages via a software application. A popular one is Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Cookie Message given to a web browser by a web server. The message is then stored by the browser in a text file called cookie.txt. Each time the browser requests a page from the server, this message is sent back. A cookie’s main objective is to identify users and personalise their visit by customising web pages for them for example by welcoming them by name next time they visit the same site. A site using cookies will usually invite you to provide personal information such as your name, e-mail address and interests.
IP (Internet Protocol) All networks connected to the Internet speak IP, the technical standard which allows data to be transmitted between two devices. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol) is responsible for making sure messages get from one host to another and that the messages are understood.
IP Address If you are connected to the Internet your computer will have an IP address. For example, it may look something like this 197.185.92.3.
Web Server A computer that hosts a website and delivers (serves up) web pages to your personal computer.
Personal data is data relating to a living individual who can be identified by that data.