MAVERICK Study Privacy Policy
Collaborators:
- King’s College London (KCL)
- University of Southern Carolina (USC)
Funding:
National Institute of Health
Who are we:
This study is coordinated by King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR), King’s College London (KCL), which is the leading civilian United Kingdom (hereafter “UK”) centre of excellence for military health research. KCMHR is independent of the UK Ministry of Defence (hereafter “MoD”) and our work has helped shape government policy towards military personnel, veterans and their families. Our research is conducted within the KCL governance framework which ensures that our work is carried out to high scientific and ethical standards.
University of Southern Carolina (USC) is the sponsor for this study and is based in the United States of America. KCL will follow all applicable regulations and laws of the United States of America. We will be using information you provide through the MAVERICK to undertake this study, and we will act a data controller for this study. This means that KCL are responsible for looking after your information and using it properly.
Study background:
This study was setup in 2021 by USC and KCMHR, to explore the development of a digital technology platform to support the early service leavers of the Armed Forces (military).
What information are we collecting:
We are interested in collecting information related to your mental health, daily activity, and physical activity.
How will we share the findings of the study:
We will publish the findings in scientific papers and we will publicise them in the veterans’ and armed forces communities, e.g. by making them available for relevant newsletters and websites.
Scientific papers will contain only anonymous, aggregated data (e.g. percentages and averages) presented as tables and figures. The scientific papers will not contain any data on individual veterans.
How long will we hold the data:
KCMHR and USC will keep identifiable information about you for 7 years after the study has finished, to enable us to manage the data. If, in 7 years no future analyses are planned, all the data we hold will be securely destroyed. Please note, identifiable information collected by either KCMHR or USC will remain the country and collection and each partner will not be able to view identifiable information. This means that KCMHR will not be able to view any identifiable information related to participants, and the same for USC for KCMHR participants.
How do we keep your information safe and secure:
Any information that could identify you is held securely with strict arrangements about who can access the information. At KCMHR, all paper-based documents will be held in a locked filing cabinet in an alarmed office, and a secure off-site archive. All electronic information will be held securely on encrypted servers. Access to all information will be strictly limited to authorised members of the study team from KCMHR and USC. The data file used for analyses by the study team will be de-identified, meaning we remove all names, and other identifiable information (e.g. military service number). This information will be stored separately from the analyses file, and password protected and encrypted.
The information will only be used for the purpose of health and care research. It will not be used to make decisions about future services available to you, such as insurance.
What is the legal basis for holding these data:
The lawful basis for processing this information is: Article 6(1.e) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.
The special condition category is article 9(2)(j) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) based on Union or Member State law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject.
How can you access your own data:
You can contact Dr Daniel Leightley ([email protected]) for further information.
Rights of access:
You have the right to see the information we hold about you. If you would like to access your information please contact Information Compliance team via post: King's College London, Waterloo Campus Room 5.20, James Clerk Maxwell Building, 57 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8WA; or by email: [email protected].
How can I object to my data being used:
Article 21 of the GDPR gives individuals the right to object to the processing of their personal data. If you wish to object to your personal data being processed please email your reason(s) to the KCL Data Protection Officer: Mr Albert Chan (Assistant Director of Business Assurance) Information Compliance team, King's College London, Waterloo Campus Room 5.20, James Clerk Maxwell Building, 57 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8WA; or by email: [email protected]. Objections will be responded to without undue delay and within one month of receipt.
Complaints:
If you wish to raise a complaint on how we have handled your personal data, you can contact our Data Protection Officer who will investigate the matter. If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are processing your personal data in a way that is not lawful you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Our Data Protection Officer is Mr Albert Chan and you can contact them at Information Compliance team, King's College London, Waterloo Campus Room 5.20, James Clerk Maxwell Building, 57 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8WA; or email: [email protected].
General enquiries:
For general enquiries relating to the study, or to find out more about how we use your information please contact Dr Daniel Leightley ([email protected]) for more information. Our Privacy Notices are regularly reviewed and updated.