Disability Services - Confidentiality, Data Protection and Privacy Statement

The Disability Services Department offers a confidential service to all disabled students and staff.  In practice this means that:

• We will not disclose anything about the nature or content of your contact with Disability Services to anyone outside the Service, unless you agree that we do so (other than when there is imminent, grave danger to you or to someone else, or when we are required to do so by law).
• If we contact Academic Schools or Professional Services, or anyone external to the University, on your behalf we will only do so with your consent.
• When a third party has made a referral to Disability Services we will not disclose any further information to the referrer without the knowledge and consent of the person concerned.
• We will process all personal and sensitive data in strict accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• We will keep all student and staff records confidential to the Service and will not allow anyone outside the Service to access any records without your written consent, except when required to do so by law.
• We will take all reasonable steps to safeguard the security of any information about you that we hold in written or electronic format.
• We will destroy all written and electronic records that we hold about you, 6 years after the end of the Academic Year that you leave the University of Dundee.  The GDPR also provides you with rights to data erasure which can be undertaken upon request. However, destruction of your data whilst you are still an active student or member of staff may prevent us from being able to offer any level of support.
• Your Disability Services’ records are not part of your academic (students) or personnel (staff) records.
• We will ensure that all statistical information given to third parties (for example, for Service evaluation purposes) is produced in an anonymous format so that individuals cannot be identified.

How we use your information

This privacy notice sets out how the University of Dundee ("the University") collects, uses and protects the information that you provide to Disability Services.  This information is used by Disability Services to identify and arrange support for you. To do this, Disability Services requires your contact details and information relating to your disability.

Personal data

Your personal data will normally include your name, phone number, Staff/Student ID number and your University email address, as well as information relating to your disability. 

Sensitive (special categories of data)

Information concerning disability is classed as ‘special category’ personal data under the GDPR.

Data controller

The data controller for your information is the University of Dundee.

The University maintains lists of students and staff and their contact details, and emails people directly via Microsoft Office 365.  This product is cloud-based.  Microsoft have adopted "binding corporate rules" amongst other measures to safeguard data in their systems.

The physical version of any documents relating to you are securely locked away when not in use and destroyed in line with the University’s data retention policy.

Lawful processing

The University asserts that it is lawful for us to process your sensitive personal data for the purposes detailed above for the performance of tasks carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.  The University may also process your personal data in this area in compliance with legal obligations to which it is subject.