Privacy policy

Summary of our privacy policy

The Department of Health and Social Care (“we”, “us”, “our”, “DHSC”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This privacy policy covers what information we collect and how we use, disclose, transfer and store your information.

The NHS Better Heath website promotes healthy lifestyle habits, whether it's getting active, quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol, or losing weight. Some of these topic areas include an option to sign up for supportive emails.

When our Better Health website tools and email programmes gather data, it is stored in line with the details in this policy.

Data controller

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is the data controller.

What personal data we collect

Information we collect about you

When you use our website, apps or services we may automatically collect the following information about you:

• Technical information: including the type of mobile device you use, mobile network information, your mobile operating system, the type of mobile browser you use (device information).
• Details of your use and the resources that you access:
  • Internet Protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet, your login information, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform.
  • Information about your visit: including the full URL accessed through and from our website(s), the date and time you visited, pages you viewed or searched for, page response times, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction information, and methods used to browse away from the page and any phone number used to call our customer service number.
• Location information. We may also use GPS technology to determine your current location. Some of our location-enabled services require your personal data for the feature to work. If you wish to use the particular feature, you will be asked to consent to your data being used for this purpose. You can enable or disable location services when you use our service at any time through your mobile device settings.
• Interactive tools. For example, our Healthy Choices Quiz and Personal Quit Plan. As well as appearing on the Better Health website, these tools can also be used on other (third-party) sites. In some cases, tracking is used to show user progress through a tool. This information will not be shared with third parties. All our tools store the number of times a user has visited the tool. Some tools also store information about how far you got through a tool, so you do not have to restart the tool if you use it again.

We may use this information:

• to administer our website and for internal operations, including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, research, statistical and survey purposes
• to improve our website to ensure that content is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your device and computer
• to allow you to participate in interactive features of our service, when you choose to do so
• as part of our efforts to keep our website safe and secure
• to make suggestions and recommendations to you and other users of our website about services that may interest you or them
• to provide you with targeted advertising that we feel may be of interest to you
• for research purposes carried out internally or by trusted third parties

Information we receive from other sources

We may receive information about you if you use any of the services, websites we operate or the other services we provide. In this case, we will have informed you when we collect data and explain that it may be shared internally and combined with data collected on our website. We are also working closely with third parties (for example, business partners, sub-contractors, delivery services, analytics providers, search information providers) and may receive information about users from them. Any data provided is anonymised.

We may combine this information with information you give to us and information we collect about you. We may use this information and the combined information for the purposes set out above (depending on the types of information we receive).

Information you give us (submitted information)

You may give us information by filling in forms on DHSC websites and apps or by corresponding with us by phone, e-mail or otherwise. This includes information you provide when you register to subscribe to any of our services, participate in discussion boards (or other social media functions on or linked to from our websites), enter a competition or promotion, complete a survey or carry out any other activity, and when you report a problem.

The information you give us may include your name, address, postcode, e-mail address, phone number, age, gender, username, password, personal description, and any other information you provide. This is used for internal reporting and will not be shared with third parties.

• Contact information. In order to get help from a human operator. We will not collect this information unless you specifically elect to share this information with us.

We may use this information for a variety of reasons.

• To carry out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into between you and us and to provide you with the information, products and services that you request from us.
• To provide you with information about other DHSC and its executive agencies’ services that we feel may be of interest to you. You can opt out of receiving any communication we send you relating to this at any time.
• If you are an existing user, we will only contact you by electronic means (email or SMS) with information about services we feel may benefit you. If you are a new user, we will contact you by electronic means only if you have consented to this. If you do not want us to use your data in this way, please unsubscribe from the emails directly or email betterhealth@dhsc.gov.uk.
• To ensure that content from our websites(s) is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your device.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies. These are small files saved on your phone, tablet or computer when you visit a website. They store information about how you use the website, such as the pages you visit.

The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. For all other types of cookies we need your permission before we can use them on your device.

For more information on the cookies used please read the cookies policy on the NHS website.

Software Developer Kits (SDK)

Our Apps use SDKs to distinguish you from other users of our apps. This helps us collect information about how you are using our apps so we can ensure we are providing you with a good experience and it allows us to improve in future. For detailed information on the SDKs we use and the purposes for which we use them see below.

Information about our use of SDKs

By downloading our apps, you are agreeing to our use of SDKs.

An SDK is a piece of computer code that is used in mobile applications that allows certain software packages to run. We use the following SDKs.

Analytics SDKs - Google Analytics

Analytics SDKs collect information about app usage including data about how many users are using our apps, the number of sessions running on our app and how long each session is, the location users are logged in from, how many times our app is crashing, what operating systems and devices are running our app, and how many times certain app features are used.

Interest-based advertising SDKs - RhythmOne

To identify the interests of users, so that we can deliver advertising that is more relevant to your interests. Read about RhythmOne and its privacy policy on the RhythmOne website.

Surveys & Feedback SDKs – Survey Monkey

We may invite you to take part in optional in-app surveys to help us improve our app and services. These surveys are delivered using the SurveyMonkey SDK, which is integrated into our app. SurveyMonkey acts as a data processor on our behalf. You can read more about how SurveyMonkey handles data on:

• Survey Monkey Privacy Notice
• Survey Monkey Data processing agreement

Taking part in surveys is entirely optional and will not affect your use of the app.

How to opt out of Our use of SDKs

Analytics and advertising tracking SDKs

As these features are critical to our ability to provide users with free, high quality mobile applications. It is not possible to opt out from tracking features. Downloading our apps is deemed acceptance of these terms. However, if you are concerned about this type of tracking having downloaded our app(s), we would recommend deleting the app. If the app is deleted, we will no longer be able to track usage.

Interest-based advertising SDKs

You can opt out from receiving targeted advertising based on data collected via your mobile applications by following your device maker’s most current published instructions, such as the examples below. (These instructions are current as of the date of this version of our privacy policy).

Android devices

On your device, follow these steps:

1. Select Google Settings
2. Select Services
3. Select Ads
4. Opt out of interest-based ads

iOS (Apple) devices

Devices with iOS 6 and above use Apple’s Advertising Identifier. To learn more about limiting ad tracking using this identifier, visit the Settings menu on your device.

If your device is using iOS 7 or higher, follow these steps:

1. Select Settings
2. Select Privacy
3. Select Advertising
4. Limit Ad Tracking

If your device is using iOS 6, follow these steps:

1. Select Settings
2. Select General
3. Select About
4. Select Advertising
5. Limit Ad Tracking

What happens when you opt out of SDKs

When you opt out, we will stop:

1. collecting information about your interests via our apps
2. serving you targeted ads based on the data collected via our apps

Please note that opting out of either browser-based or mobile application-based data collection does not mean you will not see ads online from DHSC or other digital advertising companies, but only that DHSC will not tailor ads based on your interests.

Information on third-party platforms

Some of our products are available through platforms that have been created and are managed by other organisations, before making use of these products we recommend that you familiarise yourself with the relevant privacy policies for these services.

Where such products are offered, we will make clear to you that a third-party platform is being used.

How we use your data 

We analyse information to see what is most effective about our website and associated services to help us identify ways to improve it and to make it more effective. We may also use information for other purposes, which we would describe to you at the point when we collect the information.

Legal basis for processing personal data

Under Article 6 of the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing personal data are:

• Your consent
• For the performance of a task in the public interest or in the exercise of our official authority

Data processors and other recipients of personal data

• We strive to capture the minimal amount of personal data, and only share with other organisations where the law permits us to do so or where we require and have gained your consent.
• We only share information with our authorised data processors for the sole purpose of processing the data in connection with the service we have procured from them. These processors must act at all times on our instructions as the data controller under the data protection legislation.
• We do not sell individuals' information.
• Before you submit any information, you will be informed why we are asking for specific information and it is up to you whether you provide it.

Disclosure of your information

We may share your information with selected third parties including but not limited to:

• Business partners, suppliers and sub-contractors for the performance of any contract we enter into with you
• Local councils with which we collaborate to advise and support them in the delivery of their public health function, but only in an anonymised manner
• Analytics and search engine providers that assist us in the improvement and optimisation of our website(s)

We may disclose your personal information to third parties:

• If DHSC or substantially all of its assets are transferred to a third party organisation, in which case personal data held by it about its users will be one of the transferred assets.
• If we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply our terms of use and other agreements; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of DHSC, our users, or others. For our terms of use, visit  the end-user licence agreement for our Better Health apps and Better Health website terms and conditions.

How long do we hold this information?

Unless otherwise stated, business information that falls under DHSC is held for a minimum of 2 to 6 years and will be subject to review. Better Health products and emails is held for 2 years, smoking data is held for 4 years and family programme data is held for 6 years.

We will hold the information for as long as we are providing you services. If you request to 'unsubscribe', your details are removed from the database.

How we keep your data secure

We invest significant resources to protect your personal information, from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. However, no internet-based site can be 100% secure and so we cannot be held responsible for unauthorised or unintended access that is beyond our control.

Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password which enables you to access certain parts of our website(s), you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share a password with anyone.

All information you provide to us is stored on secure servers held in both the European Economic Area (EEA) and GDPR compliant international data processors only. Where international data processors are used, all appropriate technical and legal safeguards will be put in place to ensure that you are afforded the same level of protection as within the EEA.

Your rights as a data subject

By law, data subjects have a number of rights, and this processing does not take away or reduce these rights under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679) and the UK Data Protection Act 2018 applies.

These rights are:

1. The right to get copies of information – individuals have the right to ask for a copy of any information about them that is used.
2. The right to get information corrected – individuals have the right to ask for any information held about them that they think is inaccurate, to be corrected
3. The right to limit how the information is used – individuals have the right to ask for any of the information held about them to be restricted, for example, if they think inaccurate information is being used.
4. The right to object to the information being used – individuals can ask for any information held about them to not be used. However, this is not an absolute right, and continued use of the information may be necessary, with individuals being advised if this is the case.
5. The right to get information deleted – this is not an absolute right, and continued use of the information may be necessary, with individuals being advised if this is the case.

You have the right to ask us not to process your personal data for marketing purposes. When you sign-up for our emails, we will ask you to confirm you have read and accepted our terms and conditions, which will allow us to use your data for marketing purposes. We will usually inform you (before collecting your data) if we intend to use your data for such purposes or if we intend to disclose your information to any third party for such purposes.

If you choose to accept our terms and conditions but later change your mind, you can also exercise the right to ask us to not process your personal data for marketing purposes at any time by contacting us at betterhealth@dhsc.gov.uk or unsubscribing from emails directly.

Our website may, from time to time, contain links to and from the websites of our partner networks and affiliates. If you follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies. Please check these policies before you submit any personal data to these websites.

Comments or complaints

Anyone unhappy or wishing to complain about how personal data is used as part of this programme, should email our Data Protection team in the first instance or write to:

Data Protection Officer
1st Floor North
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU

Anyone who is still not satisfied can complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). You can make a complaint on the ICO website and their postal address is:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Automated decision making or profiling

No decision will be made about individuals solely based on automated decision making (where a decision is taken about them using an electronic system without human involvement) which has a significant impact on them.

Changes to our privacy policy

Any changes we may make to our privacy policy in the future will be posted on this page and, where appropriate, notified to you by email. Please check back frequently to see any updates or changes to our privacy policy.