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Ask Confidentiality Statement

What do we do with information about you and why?

At Ask we aim to provide a comprehensive advice and support service to students experiencing a wide range of difficulties. Due to the complexity of the issues we deal with, we keep case notes about some students. This means that, not only can we keep track of cases more effectively, but should the person who dealt with your initial enquiry be unavailable, another member of staff should be able to follow up your case using the information in your file.

Where do we keep information about you?

In order to maintain your confidentiality, information about students is kept in numbered files in a locked filing cabinet. Your name is recorded separately with the appropriate reference number. No-one outside of the Ask service can have access to your file and you can ask to look at the information in your file at an appropriate time.

For how long do we keep information about you?

Files in Ask are destroyed by manual shredding after 6 years. This is both to comply with Data Protection regulations and because we may want to refer back to information about you should you come back to see us later on in your university career. We consider the usual university course to be 4 years, with a possibility of 1 year out, allowing 5 years in total. After 6 years, it is unlikely that any information we hold about you will be relevant.

What can we tell people about you?

Whilst working with one of our advisers or volunteers, you may decide to talk about things which are very personal to you. We may speak privately with colleagues about your situation, however no-one outwith the Ask service will be given information about you.

The 2 exceptions to this are if you authorise us to speak with a specific person about your situation or if we feel that there is a serious risk to you or someone else if we do not inform an appropriate person. If we feel that you or someone else are at risk, we will make every effort to let you know that we are going to speak to someone about this and will ask for your agreement in passing information on, however, we will still tell an appropriate person even if you do not agree to this.