1.Introduction
1.1
The Department of Health and Social Care owns the NHS.net Connect website. The content, data, and services on the NHS.net Connect website are delivered by NHS Digital. You may access and use this website if you agree to be legally bound by the terms set out here. If you do not agree to be legally bound by these terms, please do not access and/or use the NHS.net Connect website.
1.2
Terms for access to and use of the patient feedback facility under which you can review, or comment on, individual NHS services, such as GPs or hospitals, or comment on articles, are set out in sections 7 to 10 below. If you agree to be legally bound by the terms, you may use the comments facility. If you do not agree to be legally bound by these terms, please do not use the facility to post comments.
1.3
If you choose to log in to the NHS.net Connect website, you are using your NHS account. By using your NHS account, you are accepting the NHS account terms and conditions, NHS account privacy policy, and NHS account cookies policy. These will apply while you are using services within your NHS account.
Your use of the NHS.net Connect website other than for the services available in your NHS account will continue to be covered by the NHS.net Connect website terms and conditions, privacy policy, and cookies policy (other than where other applicable terms or policies are notified to you).
1.4
The NHS.net Connect website is intended for use only by people who live in England. References to "the NHS" mean "the NHS in England" unless otherwise stated. Service descriptions, entitlements, and costs refer to services in England, and arrangements may differ elsewhere in the UK.
1.5
If you use the NHS.net Connect website on behalf of someone else:
- (a) these terms apply to your use;
- (b) you are responsible for such access and use, including being responsible for compliance with these terms;
- (c) you must, to the extent possible, make the person you are using the NHS.net Connect website on behalf of aware of:
- (i) your access and use and any steps you take on their behalf, and
- (ii) these terms.
If you put someone's details in without the right to act on their behalf or their consent, you will be breaching the terms of use for this service and may be committing a criminal offense.
2. Changes to terms
2.1
We may make changes to the NHS.net Connect website, including these terms, at any time. You will be legally bound by the updated or amended terms from the first time that you use the NHS.net Connect website after we publish the changes on it.
3. Intellectual property rights and licence terms
3.1
The Department of Health and Social Care owns or has the right to use all intellectual property rights in the contents of the NHS.net Connect website or used for the provision of the NHS.net Connect website ("NHS Website Content"). This includes rights in copyright, patents, database rights, trademarks, and other intellectual property rights.
3.2
You have permission to use NHS Website Content for the sole purposes described and on the terms detailed in these terms and conditions. You need written permission from us or any other owner of NHS Website Content before you may use these items in any other way.
3.3
Copyright and database rights in NHS Website Content are released free of charge under the Open Government Licence ("OGL"), except where specified, either in these terms and conditions or elsewhere on this website. If there is any conflict between the OGL terms and these terms and conditions, these terms and conditions shall take precedence.
3.4
This means that you can use NHS Website Content, except where specified, including copying it, adapting it, and using it for any purpose, including commercially, provided you follow these terms and conditions and the terms of the OGL.
3.5
The OGL terms do not apply to the following categories of NHS Website Content, and therefore these must not be used without our or the relevant owner’s prior consent, other than to the extent necessary for users to use services on the NHS.net Connect website for their intended purposes:
- any logos, visuals, image rights, trademarks, trade names, and design styles (except where these are integral to a document or data set) of the NHS.net Connect website, or any predecessor or linked body, as well as of any partner or contributor
- any other intellectual property rights, including but not limited to patents, design rights, and trademarks
- personal data (which will include but not be limited to images, videos, and audio with identifiable people in them)
- information owned by third parties which we are not authorised to license on to you
3.6
If you copy and reuse NHS Website Content but do not make any changes or adaptations, you must attribute us as follows: "Information from the NHS.net Connect website," and "as at DDMMYY" if you are not refreshing your copy, unless you have our written consent to an alternative attribution. The relevant attribution must be made for every separate instance, use, or appearance of NHS Website Content, and in each case, you must make a clear distinction between NHS Website Content and your other content.
4. Third-party websites
4.1
We do not monitor the content of third-party websites. Any link provided on NHS.net Connect is solely for your convenience. We do not accept any responsibility for any third-party website.
4.2
Where we provide links to third-party websites, that does not imply any association with or recommendation for those websites.
5. Liability
5.1
We accept no liability to you should the NHS.net Connect website not be available at any particular time.
5.2
You acknowledge and agree that we will not be responsible for any injury, loss, damage, costs, or expenses (whether direct or indirect) arising out of or relating to the use or misuse of the NHS.net Connect website, except to the extent that such liability cannot be excluded by law.
5.3
Although we follow our governance processes and make reasonable efforts to maintain accurate and up-to-date content, this website is provided "as is," and to the extent permitted by law, we do not warrant or represent (expressly or impliedly, including but not limited to the implied warranties of satisfactory quality and fitness for a particular purpose) that the NHS.net Connect website or any content is accurate, complete, or up-to-date, will meet your specific requirements or needs, will be available without interruption or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that NHS.net Connect or its supporting systems are free of viruses or bugs.
5.4
We do not accept any liability if we fail, or are delayed or interrupted in performing any obligation, due to:
- (a) the unavailability or failure of any telecommunications or computer services, systems, equipment, or software operated or provided by you or any third party;
- (b) any other event beyond our reasonable control.
5.5
We do not give any commitments or accept any liability regarding NHS.net Connect content provided by other users or third parties.
5.4
The terms set out here should be read in conjunction with our external links policy. You acknowledge and agree that we will not be responsible for any injury, loss, or damage (whether direct or indirect) arising from or related to the misuse of, or inappropriate reliance on the contents or advice provided via an external link on this website, except where such liability cannot be limited or excluded by law.
6. Registration to post comments
6.1
To post comments on NHS.net Connect pages, you must provide a valid email address and any other information we request.
6.2
The terms outlined here and in sections 8, 9, and 10 should be read in conjunction with our comments policy.
7. Posting comments
7.1
Postings made to the NHS.net Connect website will not be treated as confidential.
7.2
You are legally responsible for the content of any material you submit for posting on NHS.net Connect.
7.3
The Department of Health and Social Care shall own the intellectual property rights in any material posted on NHS.net Connect.
8. Editorial control of comments
8.1
We reserve the right (on behalf of ourselves or any moderator we may appoint) to:
- (a) temporarily or permanently suspend your access to our comments facilities;
- (b) edit, withhold, or delete any posts you submit;
- (c) take any other action against your registration if, in our view, you have not complied with the rules of conduct outlined below.
9. Online conduct
9.1
If you are under 16, you should seek parental or guardian consent before submitting a comment.
9.2
Comments posted should relate to your personal experience or that of someone close to you. You should not name any individuals (other than yourself) or include information that could identify someone else about whom you are writing. If commenting on someone else's experience, you may do so if you ensure that you are not named and you state how the person is connected to you (for example, "my father"). You confirm that all factual statements in your comment are true, and that any expressions of opinion are your honest opinions on those facts or those of the person on whose behalf you're writing.
9.3
Comments about services should help people make informed choices about treatment or care locations. Postings should be constructive, truthful, and not abusive.
9.4
Do not use the comment facilities to complain about individual hospitals, GP practices, or treatment centers. If you wish to make a formal complaint, refer to NHS complaints procedures.
9.5
If you find any comments offensive or objectionable, you can make a complaint to the moderator using the "Report" link at the foot of each published comment.
9.6
We have many measures in place to keep your information safe. However, it is important for you to also play your part – visit relevant government resources for advice on how to protect your information.
10. Interactive services
10.1
The NHS.net Connect website offers various Interactive Services that allow you to submit information, register, or request certain services. If you use these services, you must follow the instructions provided on the relevant pages, as well as these terms.
10.2
Certain Interactive Services require you to provide personal data or verify your identity. You are responsible for ensuring that the information you provide is accurate and complete. If any of your personal data changes, you must inform us. Information submitted through Interactive Services will not be publicly visible. Some Interactive Services may have their own privacy policies, which will be indicated on the relevant pages, and should be read carefully.
11. Attacks, unauthorised access and other violations
11.1
You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to NHS.net Connect, its services, the servers on which they are stored, or any server, computer or database connected to them. You must not attack NHS.net Connect or any services it hosts in any way (including denial-of-service attacks). Any such attacks or attempts to gain unauthorised access will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, and we may share relevant information with them.
11.2
You must not use NHS.net Connect:
- (a) to transmit any false, misleading, fraudulent, defamatory, offensive or illegal communications;
- (b) in a way that could damage, disable, overburden, impair or compromise our systems or security or interfere with other users;
- (c) in any unlawful manner, for any unlawful purpose, or in any way inconsistent with these terms of use, or act fraudulently or maliciously – for example, by hacking or inserting malicious code such as viruses or harmful data.
12. Remedies
12.1
Where possible, we may terminate your access to all or any part of NHS.net Connect and its services at any time without notice if you breach these terms.
12.2
You may terminate your account registration through the account settings on NHS.net Connect. This will remove any stored personal information. Email subscriptions can be ended by following the instructions provided within the communications.
12.3
We reserve the right to investigate complaints or reported breaches of these terms and take any action we consider appropriate. This may include reporting any suspected unlawful activity to law enforcement, regulators, or other relevant third parties and sharing necessary information such as user details, email addresses, usage history, IP addresses, and traffic data.
13. General
13.1
If any part of these terms is found to be illegal, invalid, or otherwise unenforceable, the remaining terms will continue in full force and effect.
13.2
We may transfer our rights and obligations under these terms to another organisation. You may only transfer your rights or obligations to another party with our written consent.
13.3
Use of NHS.net Connect and these terms shall be governed by the laws of England, and you agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts in connection with any disputes.