RTS Terms and Conditions of Use

Content last updated: May 2024.  Page Created.

Introduction

In agreeing to these Terms and Conditions of Use, you are undertaking to ensure the protection and security of all data accessed by you in the NIHR Reference & Terminology Service (RTS) and to process these data in accordance with the following conditions.

The NIHR RDNCC reserves the right to change these Terms and Conditions of Use at any time. The date of issue of this version can be found at the top of this page.

Data within this service is owned by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The DHSC is the Data Controller. Data can only be copied, downloaded or shared with 3rd Parties with permission and in line with these Terms and Conditions of Use.  Specific queries can be made through the information contact email address rts.support@nihr.ac.uk  

RTS Terms and Conditions of Use

The purpose of RTS is to promote data standardisation and interoperability across NIHR and its partner organisations but it may be accessed across the wider clinical research community, subject to approval.

Currently all data are shared without any licensing restrictions but should it be necessary in future access to some RTS content may be restricted.

The Reference Data and Terminology Service can be accessed by individual users via its user interface or through system-to-system integration using its APIs. 

By using this service you are agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, you are undertaking to ensure the protection and security of all data accessed by you in the NIHR Reference Data & Terminology Service and to process this data in accordance with the following conditions.

Acceptable Use: What you are agreeing to do

In agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, you are undertaking to ensure the protection and security of all data accessed by you in the NIHR Reference & Terminology Service (RTS) and to process this data in accordance with the following conditions depending on which class of user you fall into.

For all Users

Users of this service will respect the privacy of personal data as described in the RTS Privacy Notice. 

You are expected to adhere to standard information security good practice, 

for example:

• not sharing accounts 

• choosing secure passwords

• only accessing confidential information when you cannot be overlooked

• not sharing data with people who are not authorised to see it 

This list is not exhaustive.

You are expected to:

• adhere to any relevant data sharing agreements

• respect the data that you are using in line with the Privacy Notice - RTS Privacy Notice.

• adhere to any prevailing legislation

• keep any data you may have downloaded up to date and complete whilst in use

For individuals with Administrator system roles:

• Data contained within the NIHR RTS can only be used for internal management information. Its use is to be limited to supporting day-to-day operations and decision making

• You must safeguard the data from unauthorised and unlawful disclosure. Individual access must be appropriately restricted, unique login credentials must not be shared or transferred to any other individual.

• To immediately notify the RDN using rts.support@nihr.ac.uk where any individual raises concerns with regard to your use of the data, or where you have concerns regarding other individuals use of the data.

• Individuals wishing to re-use any data from RTS for any other purpose i.e. referencing RTS data in materials to be published and/or be made publicly available, must request permission using rts.support@nihr.ac.uk. It is the decision of the NIHR RDN as to whether to allow such re-use.

• Upon any breach of the above conditions for reasons not attributable to the default of the RDN, you and/or your employing organisation shall: 

1. indemnify RDN against all reasonable liabilities, costs and expenses that may arise and 

2. the RDN may immediately terminate your User account without giving notice.

• If you leave the role for which you were granted an Administrator system role, you must contact the RTS Support helpdesk on rts.support@nihr.ac.uk to inform them that you no longer require access to RTS and ask for your system role to be removed. 

If your organisation is a regular consumer of RTS data it is your responsibility to ensure that the data you hold locally which came from RTS are kept up to date. (ODS data are updated daily, Sponsor/Funder information is updated weekly or more often than that). The APIs have been designed to facilitate this.

You accept that:

• RDNCC does not own all the data in RTS and cannot therefore make changes to some datasets. For example ODS data are owned by NHS Digital so corrections/updates must be requested either from the ODS Helpdesk or via the OC1 Contacts in NHS Trusts.

• Requests for new, non-ODS, organisations to be added to RTS may only come from NIHR or HRA colleagues. For more information see the Data Requests page.

• RTS support is only available during normal office hours

Service Availability: What RDNCC provide

The NIHR RDNCC endeavours to ensure that all information on this system is accurate and available in a timely manner. If you find inaccurate information please let us know by contacting rts.support@nihr.ac.uk. 

We endeavour to provide high levels of service availability. However availability at any point, particularly out of support hours, is not guaranteed. Support is limited to core service hours (weekdays hours). Please note the system is unavailable when system changes or fixes are deployed. A banner will be displayed at the top of the screen to indicate any changes you make during such a deployment will not be saved.

Breaches of these Terms of Use: Who to contact

If you become aware of any breaches in use of this service and the data involved, then you should report it to rdncc.ig@nihr.ac.uk.

 Access to accounts may be suspended without notice. 

Intellectual Property: Who owns the information

The intellectual property of this service and all materials relating to it belong to Department of Health and Social Care.

Further information and contacts

Further sources of information are:

• Privacy Notice for this service, which includes within it contact details for GDPR related information requests -  RTS Privacy Notice

• Email address for reporting security breaches: rdncc.ig@nihr.ac.uk

• For queries about these terms and conditions: rts.support@nihr.ac.uk

• For Be Part of Research queries please contact:  bepartofreseach@nihr.ac.uk