Privacy policy

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Fund is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy statement explains how we handle personal information that you provide us with.

By using this website, you agree to this privacy statement.

We are committed to our responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 2018. All personal information we obtain will always be held, used, and processed accordingly.

Personal information we collect

Personal information is information that can be used to identify you. It includes:

  •  your name,
  • date of birth,
  • email address,
  • postal address,
  • telephone number,
  • fax number, and
  • credit/debit card details.

We collect personal information when:

  • you donate money,
  • undertake fundraising activities,
  • ask about our activities,
  • register on our website,
  • order products and services (such as publications and email newsletters),
  • or otherwise give us personal information online, in paper or electronic form, over the phone or face to face.

Debit/credit card details are only collected if you provide them to donate. They are deleted as soon as the donation is processed.

Bank account details are only collected if you set up a direct debit payment for a regular donation. You agree that all personal data you submit may be processed for the following purposes:

  1. To detect and reduce fraud and credit risk.
  1. To develop an understanding of your interests from past interactions we can send you relevant and personalised communications.

How we collect information about you

We collect information in the following ways:

When you share it directly

For example, when you sign up for one of our events, tell us your story, donate, or email us.

When you share it indirectly

Where you have given consent, relevant information may be shared with us by third parties. For example, independent event organisations, such as the London Marathon, and fundraising websites such as Enthuse.  Please refer to the privacy policies of third-party organisations to understand how they will process your data.

When you share it on social media

Depending on your settings on apps such as Facebook (Meta) or Twitter (X), we may have access to see the information you share publicly on those platforms. We gather this data and combine it with information from other sources to gain a better understanding of our supporters and improve our fundraising methods, products, and services.

When it is in the public domain

As a fundraising organisation, we undertake in-house research, and from time to time engage specialist agencies, to gather information from publicly available sources such as Companies House, the Electoral Register, and company websites.

We may also carry out research using publicly available information to identify individuals who may have an affinity to our cause but with whom we are not already in touch. This may include people connected to our current major supporters, trustees, or other lead volunteers. We also use publicly available sources to carry out due diligence on donors in line with the charity’s gift acceptance procedures and to meet money laundering regulations. This research helps us to understand more about you as an individual so we can focus conversations we have with you about fundraising and volunteering in the most effective way and ensure that we provide you with an experience as a donor or potential donor which is appropriate for you.

How your personal data is used

Information you share with us is used:

  • to provide you with the services, products, or information you have requested,
  • for administration purposes,
  • for direct marketing if you have opted in,
  • to further our charitable aims, including for fundraising activities,
  • and to fulfil our legal obligations.

Your data will never be sold.

Direct marketing

If you have opted in, we will send you communications about the progress we are making and ask for financial and other support. These communications will be sent according to your preferences. Clear information about how to opt out and/or unsubscribe is included in all our communications.

Legitimate interest

We may contact you about supporting our charity or attending one of our events where we have accessed that there is a legitimate reason for doing so such as prior participation in the same or a similar event.

Contractual obligations

If we have an agreement in place with a partner organisation, such as an event organiser, your details may need to be shared with them to fulfil the agreement and provide you with the service.

Legal obligations

Your data may be shared with other organisations if we are legally obliged to do so. This includes exchanging information for fraud and credit risk reduction and for police investigations.

How your personal data is stored

All information we collect is stored and processed within the UK and the EU. Data is stored on our own systems and on systems supplied to us by carefully vetted third-party suppliers.

Appropriate measures have been taken to protect the storage of and access to your personal data. Our network and systems are protected and routinely monitored.

The accuracy of your data and keeping it up to date

Please let us know if your postal address or contact details change, so we can keep our records up to date. Should we discover that communications could not be delivered to you, we may attempt to use available sources, such as the National Change of Address (NCOA) database maintained by Royal Mail, to find and update your details.

We strive to keep your information accurate and up to date. If you notice any mistakes or if we discover any inaccuracies, we will promptly correct them. We assume the information you provide is correct unless proven otherwise.

Opting out

If you no longer wish to hear from us there are several ways you can opt out:

  • Email bht.charity@nhs.net
  • Call 01494 411700
  • Use our unsubscribe form
  • Follow the link at the bottom of any electronic correspondence from us
  • Write to us at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Fund, Amersham Hospital, Whielden Street, Amersham, HP7 0JD.

Your request will be processed within 30 days.

Website data

Website analytics

When you browse our website, information about your visit is recorded. We cannot identify you from this information. Information we collect includes:

  • IP address (anonymised so it only provides broad location information),
  • the type of browser and operating system you use,
  • the date and time of your visit,
  • the pages you visited,
  • and where applicable, the address of the website from which you linked to us.

We use this information to better understand our visitors and improve the experience of our website.

Cookies

Web cookies are small pieces of data stored in a web browser. They are typically used to remember preferences and improve website functionality.

Our website does not currently make use of any cookies. Should this change in the future, you will be asked for your consent before they are placed in your browser.

Other websites

Our website contains links to third-party websites. We do not control the privacy practices of these websites. Please ensure you read their privacy policies.

Sending and receiving email

Email is inherently insecure. Please bear this in mind when deciding what you will share when you contact us. The information in an email is considered private and confidential. If you receive an email from us by mistake, please notify us by forwarding the email to bht.charity@nhs.net and then delete it without copying, using, or sharing its contents.

SMS donations

Donations made via SMS (text message) are processed by third parties. We do not control the privacy practices of these services. Please ensure you read their privacy policies. Names and numbers collected by these third parties are not shared with us.

Patient data

We do not have access to patient data. The hospital does contact ‘past patients’ on our behalf, asking if they would like to hear more from our charity. At no point do we see any patient data. We only contact patients directly if they ‘opt-in’ from this mailing by returning a permission slip. This process does not divert funds from patient care.

Children’s data

If you are aged 16 or under, you must get your parent/guardian’s permission before sharing any personal details with us.

Right of access

You have a right to access the personal data we hold about you. To obtain a copy of your data, you can:

  • Write to Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Fund, Amersham Hospital, Whielden Street, Amersham, HP7 0JD. Please ensure you provide a return address.
  • Email bht.charity@nhs.net
  • Call 01494 411 700

It may take up to 30 days to respond to your request.

Privacy queries

If you have any questions regarding this privacy statement, you can email bht.charity@nhs.net or call 01494 411 700.

Making a complaint

If you feel your data has not been handled appropriately, you can register a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues at www.ico.org.uk.

About this privacy statement

This privacy policy was last updated on 24.11.23

This privacy statement will be updated to reflect changes in the law and changes to how we look after your data. You may like to check this page from time to time to make sure you are happy with how your data is being processed.