How we use cookies
This policy helps to explain the occasions when, where and why
cookies may be sent to your computer when you visit www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk and
how you can block and/or delete cookies. By using our site you
consent to cookies being used in accordance with our policy
documented below.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a text file that contains small amounts of
information which are placed on your computer when you visit a
website. They are mostly used to make websites work more
efficiently and to provide information to the owners of the
site.
Cookies allow the website to remember important information that
will make your use of the site more convenient.
A cookie from our website typically contains the name of our
domain (royalberkshire.nhs.uk), the "lifetime" of the cookie, and
then possibly a random generated number or another value. Like most
sites, we use different categories of cookies for a variety of
purposes in order to improve your online experience.
For more information on cookies, visit the official Information
Commissioners Office (ICO) website at http://www.ico.gov.uk/, or http://www.whatarecookies.com/
Cookie categories
Cookies on our site can be categorised into four main
groups:
Category 1: Necessary cookies
These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move
around the website and use its features, such as accessing secure
areas of the website.
Category 2: Performance cookies
These cookies collect information about how visitors use a
website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if
they get error messages from web pages. These cookies don't collect
information that identifies a visitor. All information these
cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. It is only
used to improve how a website works.
Category 3: Functionality cookies
These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make,
(such as username name, etc.) and provide enhanced, more personal
features. The information these cookies collect may be anonymised
and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.
Category 4: Targeting/Advertising cookies
These cookies are used to deliver adverts more relevant to you
and your interests. They are also used to limit the number o times
you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness
of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising
networks with the website operators permissions. They remember that
you have visited a website and this information is shared with
others organisations such as advertisers. Quite often targeting or
advertising cookies will be linked to a site functionality provided
by other organisation.
List of cookies used on the Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust website:
Below is a list of the cookies used on our site, include their
name, expiry times, category type and a short description about the
cookie.
Please note: We do not use any Category 4
(targeting/advertising) cookies on our website.
| Cookie Group: |
Google Analytics (1st party
cookie)
|
| Cookie names |
_utma, _utmc, _utmb, _utmz |
| Description |
_utma and _utmc: used by Google Analytics to identify unique
visitors vs. returning visitors.
_utmb: used by Google Analytics for generally visitor
tracking
_utmz: used by Google Analytics for tracking source visits
(i.e. where the user came from). |
| Expiry |
_utma: 2 years
_utmc: Not set – cleared on browser close
_utmb: 30 minutes
_utmz: 6 months |
| Category |
Category 2: Performance cookie. |
|
Cookie Group:
|
Google Maps (3rd party
cookie)
|
| Cookie names |
NID & PREF |
| Description |
Unique identifiers given to each computer to allow traffic
analysis to Google Maps
|
| Expiry |
6 months |
| Category |
Category 3: Functionality cookie.
|
|
Cookie Group:
|
YouTube (3rd party
cookie)
|
| Cookie names |
Demographics, SID, HSID,
PREF, VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE |
| Description |
Unique identifiers given to each computer to allow
traffic analysis to YouTube.
|
| Expiry |
1.5 years, 10 years, 10 years, 10 years, 9
months |
| Category |
Category 3: Functionality cookie. |
| Cookie Group: |
RBFT Functionality (1st party
cookie)
|
| Cookie name |
Theme |
| Description |
Cookie used to store “view” for website i.e. patient view
or GP view.
Used so that when user returns their “default” view is still
stored. |
| Expiry |
1 year |
| Category |
Category 1: Necessary cookie. |
Google Analytics
The Trust's website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics
service, provided by Google, Inc (“Google”), to analyse the use of
our blog website.
The information generated by the Google Analytics cookies
(including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by
Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this
information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website,
compiling reports on website activity for website operators and
providing other services relating to website activity and internet
usage.
Google may also transfer this information to third parties where
required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the
information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP
address with any other data held by Google.
Google will store this information. For more information see
Google’s privacy
policy. If you wish to opt out of being tracked, they provide a
facility to tracking on all sites using Google Analytics on their
Opt-out browser
site.
YouTube
The Trust's website occasionally links to videos on
YouTube. For more information see YouTube Privacy
policy
Notification of changes
From time to time, we may make changes to our cookie policy.
This may be in relation to changes in the law, best practice,
changes in our services or treatment of your personal information.
We will always display clearly when our cookie policy was last
amended on this page.
Last updated: 26 June 2012
Useful Contacts
Public Relations Team
Royal Berkshire Hospital Foundation Trust
London Road
Reading
RG1 5AN
0118 322 8600
Email us