Confidentiality

People tell us things in confidence: an illness in the family, a difficult experience of treatment, a project that is not yet public, a job application they would rather their employer did not hear about. This policy explains how Duet Health Foundation looks after what you tell us, who inside the charity can see it, and the narrow circumstances in which we may have to pass it on.

Who this applies to

It applies to every trustee, member of staff, volunteer, contractor and external reviewer acting for Duet. Everyone agrees to it before they start, and it continues to apply after they stop working with us.

Our commitment

Anything you send us is treated as confidential. We share it inside Duet only with the people who need it to do the job you asked us to do, and we do not share it outside Duet without your permission — unless the law requires us to, or someone is at risk of serious harm.

Health information and personal stories

We are a grant-making and information charity, not a clinical service, so we do not need your medical details in order to help. Please send only what you need to. Where you do share something personal it is stored with your enquiry, seen only by the staff handling it, and never used as an example in our materials without your written agreement. If we would like to use your story, we will show you the wording first, and you can withdraw your agreement at any time — including after publication.

Grant enquiries and research

Unpublished research plans, budgets, protocols and study designs sent to us are treated as commercially and academically confidential. Trustees and staff declare any interest in an application and step out of the discussion where there is a conflict. Where we ask an outside expert to review an application we tell you that a review is happening, and the reviewer agrees in writing to keep the material confidential and to destroy their copy afterwards.

Job applications and volunteering

Applications are seen only by the people involved in that recruitment. We will not contact a current employer or a referee without your agreement. Unsuccessful applications are held for two years and then deleted, unless you ask us to keep you on file.

Donors and members

We do not publish donor or member names, amounts or messages unless you have agreed to it. Members choose separately whether to be named on our members list, and can change that decision whenever they like. You can ask to give anonymously at any time.

How information is stored

Enquiries and applications are held in access-controlled systems, and access is limited to the people who need it. Access is reviewed when someone changes role and removed on the day they leave. Paper notes are kept locked and shredded once they are no longer needed.

When we may have to speak up

We may pass information on without your agreement if we believe a child or an adult at risk is in danger, if someone’s life is at risk, or if we are required to by a court, a regulator or the police. Where it is safe and lawful to do so, we will tell you first and share only the minimum needed. Our safeguarding page explains how concerns are handled.

If confidence is broken

If you believe we have shared something we should not have, tell the Programme Manager at Info@duet.org.uk. We will investigate under our complaints procedure, tell you what happened, and report the incident to the trustees — and to the Information Commissioner’s Office where the law requires it.

Talking to us

If you would rather talk something through before writing it down, email Info@duet.org.uk or call 01252 844868 and we will find a way that suits you.

Review

The trustees of Duet Health Foundation (registered charity number 1217999) review this policy every year, and after any incident.