Dear Users

As you will be aware, all the data that is generated using the YNiC scanners is stored and made available to users in an anonymised format.

The reason we do this is to try and protect participants being identified with a specific scan and therefore attempt to maintain some protection of what is ultimately information about the structure and function of their brain.

Some studies, for good scientific reasons, will be involved in scanning individuals at other sites and there will be a wish to bring that data to YNiC for analysis. But please can we ask you to ensure that:

a) you have permission to do so from the remote site's own ethical governance committee and if necessary their data protection officer. You should also ensure that the list of people who will analyse that data in YNiC do have permission to access that data. Permission from YNiC alone is not sufficient.

b) that YNiC is informed that this data is being stored on our systems. If we receive a freedom of information request or an enquiry within the laws of the data protection legislation we cannot respond accurately if we do not know about it. We are obliged to provide this information. Not knowing is not a defence.

c) that the data is anonymised. This is critical. No study has permission to access non-anonymised data on our systems under any circumstances.

d) No data is transferred to us from outside Europe without specific permission from the University's data protection office. We would be happy to help if this is necessary.

We have a duty of care to our participants and their willingness to take part in studies is related to us treating their data respectfully and legally.

This is not being issued because we are aware of any current problems at YNiC but because we have heard of problems at other sites where they have not taken care about data storage.

Please can I ask everyone to be diligent about these important issues.

Thank you

Gary