Data Protection

The Pharmaceutical Society NI is a data controller registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. We will make use of personal data provided to support our work as the regulatory body for pharmacists and registered pharmacy premises in Northern Ireland and for our work as the professional leadership body for pharmacists in the area. We will process your personal data for purposes including updating the register, administering and maintaining registration, processing complaints, monitoring registrant fitness to practise, CPD tracking and conducting statistical analysis. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion data will only be used for conducting statistical analysis.

The Pharmaceutical Society NI will not share your personal data on a commercial basis with any third party. We may, however, share your data with third parties to meet our statutory aims, objectives, powers and responsibilities under the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, the regulations made under the Order and other legislation. We may pass information to organisations with a legitimate interest, including other regulatory and enforcement authorities, employers and the Department of Health including its Strategic Planning and Performance Group and its Medicines Regulatory Group

We publish pharmacists’ fitness to practise records on our website as described in our Disclosure and Publication Policy. We may share pharmacists’ names, contact details and education attainment with NICPLD to enable NICPLD to advise you of training opportunities, but only with pharmacists’ express permission.

Your name, address, telephone numbers, email address, employment details and registration with other bodies are used for registration, CPD, finance and regulatory processing. These details are held securely in paper and digital form and disposed of according to our Data Retention Policy. By completing the registration process, you agree to the Pharmaceutical Society NI holding and processing these details under Data Protection Act 2018 Schedule 9 paras 3,4,5 (c) (e), 6 (1).[1]

Employment data can also be used to develop regulatory activities and services in relation to the workforce. This information, in statistical format only, may be made publicly available.

Your personal details are used by us for communication activities to provide up to date information on regulatory activities.

Declarations of health or character will be primarily processed by the Registrar and staff involved in Fitness to Practise work and, in some instances, the Registration Coordinator. This information can be used in conjunction with Fitness to Practise processes and can, where appropriate, be shared with relevant governing bodies.

Your personal details are also used by the Pharmacy Forum for the purpose of communications in relation to professional leadership activities. This can be sent by postal mail or email and, under Data Protection Act 2018, are sent under legitimate interests. The Pharmacy Forum will also use your data to send periodic communications to raise awareness and seek financial support for the charitable work and activities of the Pharmacists’ Advice and Support Service (PASS).

Your financial data is processed by the Business Operations team. Your payments are processed by Global Payments online and Elavon when processed as a terminal card payment. Should you choose to avail of the direct debit option then your payments will be processed by Go Cardless online.

You are entitled to see the information we hold about you. If you wish to see this information, please send your request in writing to: Data Protection Officer, Pharmaceutical Society NI, 73 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HL, detailing the information you wish to see. We are required to respond within 30 days. If you do not wish your information to be stored, where we are able to, we will remove upon request any information required. Please contact the Data Protection Officer on 028 90326927 or by email at dataprotection@psni.org.uk.

Please note that all registrants will receive communications relating to registration/regulation. The organisation is required to maintain and update registration details on an annual basis and publish a register. The Pharmaceutical Society NI is legally required to provide copies of the registers to the Department of Health Pharmacy Inspectorate in compliance with the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976.