Introduction
Date updated: Nov 2025
The Respiratory Metagenomics Service respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data.
This privacy notice describes why and how we collect and use personal data and provides information about your rights. It applies to personal data provided to us, both by individuals themselves or by third parties.
Who we are
We are the NHS Respiratory Metagenomics Network which is working to bring metagenomic testing across the NHS.
The service started at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London where the technology, protocol and pathway was developed and tested. It’s now being rolled out across the NHS to 30 sites. This website supports this roll out.
What personal data we collect
We may collect certain information or data about you in various ways. The main circumstances we do so are below;
- When you submit enquiries or feedback through one of our website forms, or sign up for email newsletters, or book a place at one of our events we may collect your name, email address, telephone number and other information.
- When you use our website we will collect:
- Your IP address, and details of web browser and which version of it you used
- Information on how you use our website, using cookies, that will help us improve the website
- Details of transactions you carry out through our website including training and events
- When you participate in any of our projects or programmes we may collect your name, contact and other details.
- When you attend a course or conference we may collect images of you in films or photographs or, in respect of contributions you may make, audio recording. We make delegates aware of this in advance, through an additional notice which outlines opt-out procedures.
- When you contact us directly, we may keep a record of that correspondence.
How we use your personal information
We may use your personal information:
- To provide you with information, products or services that you request from us, or to process your booking in relation to an event or course we are organising
- To make you aware of related opportunities (but only with your consent where required)
- To notify you of any changes to our information
- To assist with any contractual obligations between us
- To administer a project or programme you participate in
- To administer any courses or awards that you participate in
- To provide a record of, or to promote and market a course, conference or award using images and film taken on the day.
- Conduct surveys and process your response to any survey you participate in for research, evaluation and statistical purpose
- To communicate with you regarding our aims and activities
Special categories data
We do not collect any special categories data through your use of our website. There may be additional services on our website which may collect special categories data, and where this is the case a separate privacy notice will be provided detailing what information is collected and why. Please ensure that you review these notices at the time.
The basis for processing your personal information
Data protection legislation requires that we meet certain conditions before we are allowed to use your data in the manner described in this notice, including having a “legal basis” for the processing. These bases are explained below.
- Consent: When you have given us your consent to process your personal data.
- Legitimate interests: The processing of your personal data may be necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by your interests or by fundamental rights and freedoms which require protection of personal data.
Some of the ways we process your data are explained below:
- Information and Services: We need to process your personal data when we provide you with information and services that you have requested from us. We do so because it is necessary for our legitimate interests and/or because it is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract.
- Marketing: When we send marketing communications to you at a business email address, we do so because it is necessary for our legitimate interests. Our legitimate interests include disseminating highlights of what has been happening within the Respiratory Metagenomics Network, as well highlighting job vacancies, relevant courses and training opportunities, in order to fulfil our purpose. You can request that we stop sending you marketing communications at any time. In respect of personal email addresses, we only send you marketing with your explicit consent and you can opt out at any time.
- Publicly available sources: We may gather limited personal data from publicly available sources, so we can contact individuals who we think will be interested in our events or publications. We do so in connection with our legitimate interests.
- Filming and photography at events: We (or a third party) sometimes carry out filming or photography at events as part of our publicity/marketing output. We do so because it is necessary for our legitimate interests in promoting the work we do. We make delegates aware of this in advance, through an additional notice which outlines opt-out procedures.
- Other bases for processing: We may need to process your personal data for compliance with our legal obligations, including where it is necessary for the prevention and detection of crime, or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
Cookies
A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site.
It enables the website to remember your actions and preferences (such as login, language, font size and other display preferences) over a period of time, so you don’t have to keep re-entering them whenever you come back to the site or browse from one page to another. You can find more detailed information about cookies and how they work at ww.aboutcookies.org.
Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer.
Click below to read our full Cookie Policy.
Embedded content from other websites
Our website has links to other websites. Please be aware that this policy covers only our website. You are advised to refer to other websites’ privacy policies or statements if you are concerned about how they use your data.
Who we share your data with
We may have to share your personal data with the parties set out below for the purposes outlined above:
- Law enforcement or other government and regulatory agencies: we may be required by law to disclose certain information to the police or another relevant authority in circumstances e.g. where we think you or someone else is at serious risk of harm.
We have never sold or shared email lists to other organisations for marketing or other purposes; nor do we share any of your personal information with them or allow third-party tracking of your visitor behaviours (see also below).
How long we retain your data
We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
What rights you have over your data
Under certain circumstances, you may have the following rights under data protection laws in relation to your personal data:
- Right to request access to your personal data
- Right to request correction of your personal data
- Right to request erasure of your personal data
- Right to object to processing of your personal data
- Right to request restriction of the processing your personal data
- Right to request the transfer of your personal data, and
- Right to withdraw consent.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details set out below. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
How to contact us or raise a concern or complaint
If you have any concerns about this Privacy Notice, or how your personal data is being collected and processed, including any requests to exercise your legal rights, please contact us on gstt.respiratorymetagenomics@nhs.net