Your Confidential Information

How do you keep my records confidential?

The data that we obtain from you will be strictly confidential. You will be assigned a unique study number which is used as the identifier in our database and makes you completely anonymous to everyone except the research study nurses, study doctors and the study administrator.

This database is stored on a secure server at the Medical Sciences Division IT Services (MSD IT Services) at the John Radcliffe Hospital. The MSD IT Services routinely handles sensitive information and procedures are in place to ensure the highest possible data security and integrity.

Everyone working at the University of Oxford has a legal duty to keep personal information confidential. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it secure and confidential.

You have the right to confidentiality under the Data Protection Act 1998, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the common law duty of confidence.

If you have any concerns or questions about the confidentiality of your information, then please contact us.

What will we use your information for?

We will use your information for scientific research purposes.

Any data released to researchers will be in an electronic form and will be anonymised i.e. it will contain no personal identification. If your samples are released for further analysis to other departments, those researchers can request information such as your BMI, age, blood sample results etc., which will enable them to analyse their data. However, none of your personal information or data that could be traced to you will be released.

A researcher will never contact you directly, unless we have requested and received your permission for them to do so.