Policy on confidentiality

SYRCOX keeps information on its members in its membership records and in records of organisation Committee meetings. This will include information such as address and contact details but may also include more personal information. This information is held on trust and the organisation will only use it in certain ways.

1. All information on members is kept by the organisation Secretary. It can be accessed by other members of the organisation Committee where necessary.
2. Except in very specific circumstances (see Points 5 and 6, below), when the organisation wishes to share information on a member with outside persons or organisations, the organisation will ask for verbal consent from the member beforehand and will not give out information without this approval.
3. If a member makes a complaint about another organisation member or official, or is engaged in a dispute with another organisation member or official, the information the member provides to organisation officials will be treated as confidential. This information will only be shared with other people, including those the complaint or dispute relates to, with the approval of the member making the complaint.
4. Information on a member will not be shared with media organisations without his or her consent in writing.
5. Information on a member will only be shared with outside persons or organisations without that member’s consent when it is legally obliged to do so or when sharing that information could protect the member or another person from serious harm. For example, if the organisation is aware that the member is in danger of harm, the organisation may be legally obliged to share information with the Police or Social Services. Information may be shared with the Police when the member is the subject of a criminal investigation or when there is reason to believe the member is or has been engaged in criminal activity.
6. Where a member has broken organisation rules and been disciplined by the organisation, other organisation members may need to be informed of the action taken by the organisation.
7. A member may request at any time to see information held on him or her by the organisation in membership records or other organisation documentation. The organisation will provide this information.