Cookie Policy
Cookie Notice
You should be aware that when you access or use our website we may collect information from your devices through the use of 'cookies'. Cookies perform various different functions, and the purpose of this policy is to give you a clearer understanding of:
- What cookies are
- Why do we use cookies
- How we use cookies
- How you can control the use of cookies
What are cookies?
Cookies are text files containing a small amount of information that are downloaded to your device when you visit a website. Your browser makes cookies available each time you visit our websites.
Why do we use cookies?
Cookies are used by our websites to improve your experience on the site and to ensure that relevant content and functions are delivered and used more effectively.
We use both session cookies and persistent cookies to perform various functions across our sites.
Session cookies are downloaded to your device temporarily for the period that you browse a particular website; these cookies might allow you to navigate between pages more efficiently or enable websites to remember the preferences you select. Persistent cookies can be used to help websites remember our website administrators as a returning visitor.
How we use cookies?
When you visit our websites, Cookies will be placed on your device in two ways. Cookies placed by West Midlands Sickle cell and Thalassaemia Network through Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, as the site operator, are called "first party" Cookies. Cookie may also be placed on your device by a party other than West Midlands Sickle cell and Thalassaemia Network, such cookies are known as "third party” cookies. Examples of the uses of third party cookies include collecting usage data via google analytics.
While there are many different uses for first and third party cookies, the cookies used by us all fall into one of the following main categories of cookies:
- Strictly Necessary Cookies
- Functionality Cookies
- Performance Cookies
Set out below is more information on these categories of cookies, including their purpose and whether these cookies collect personal data:
Cookie Type - Strictly Necessary Cookies
Purpose
These cookies are strictly necessary to enable you to navigate our websites and to use the features you have requested during the course of your visit. They are used to provide content to you, as a user, and to provide information that you have requested.
Such cookies are essential to help your device download or stream information so that you can navigate around our website, use any features and allow you to return to pages you have previously visited.
More information
Examples of strictly necessary cookies:
- Positioning information on your screen so that you can see and use our websites
- To keep website editors logged in when they use our website so they are not required to log in every time they visit
These cookies do not remember your preferences beyond your current visit.
Data Collection
Some of these cookies do collect your personal data in order to function. They may collect the following types of personal data:
- IP address
- Location data
- Identify you as being logged in our websites
Cookie lifetime
These cookies are deleted when you close your web browser (browser session).
Cookie Type - Functionality Cookies
Purpose
These cookies enhance the functionality of our websites by storing your preferences. Functional cookies record information about choices you've made (such as language preference).
More information
Here are some examples of the uses of functionality cookies:
- To remember your preferences and settings such as language
Data Collection
Some of these cookies do collect your personal data, to enable us to provide the services as outlined above.
Cookie lifetime
Functional cookies expire after a maximum 2 years. Functionality cookies can be deleted from your browser history at any point before their expiry time.
Cookie Type - Performance Cookies
Purpose
These cookies are used to collect information on website usage. Such cookies are used to provide aggregated statistics on visitors to our websites. These statistics are used for internal purposes to help us to test and improve the performance of our websites, providing a better user experience.
More information
Here are some examples of the uses of performance cookies:
- To provide statistics on how our websites are used;
- To assess errors within the user experience.
Additionally, we use tools to assess cookie information at an aggregate level to carry out analytical functions on our site including, Google Analytics
Data Collection
While these cookies do not identify you personally while you are not logged in, they will collect your browser information and anonymised data, for the purposes outlined above.
Some of these cookies are managed by third parties such as Google Analytics. These third parties are not capable of using these cookies for any purpose other than those outlined above and they are unable to identify with these cookies.
Cookie lifetime
Performance cookies are valid for varying periods. Some performance cookies are deleted once you close your browser, while others have an indefinite validity period. Such cookies can be deleted at any stage using your browser settings.
How can you control the use of cookies?
You can amend your browser settings to block some or all cookies. To do this, follow the instructions provided by your preferred web browser (please choose the relevant link below). Please be aware that if you block cookies from a website, some or all the website's functions may not perform as intended:
Mobile phone users may have to refer to their handset manual for details on how to block cookies using their mobile browser.