How we collect, use and protect your personal information.
This policy explains what personal information Ossify collects when you use our website and question bank, why we collect it, who we share it with, and the choices and rights you have. We've tried to keep it short and in plain English.
Ossify is run by Ossify Education Ltd., a company registered in England and Wales (company number 17136183), with its registered office at Station House, Hampstead Lane, Yalding, Maidstone, England, ME18 6HJ. We are the "controller" of your personal information, which means we decide how it is used and are responsible for looking after it. If you have any questions about this policy or your information, email info@ossify.co.uk.
Your account. When you sign up we collect your first name, surname, email address and a password. We never see your password: it is stored in a scrambled (hashed) form by our login provider. You can also choose to add a username, your grade or role, your hospital or trust, and your exam date.
You need to give us your name, email address and a password to create an account, because we can't set up your account, give you access or contact you about it without them. Everything else, such as a username, your role, hospital or exam date, is optional. There is no legal requirement for you to give us any of this information.
How you use Ossify. To show your progress and make the revision tools work, we record the questions you answer, the answers you choose, whether they were right, how long you took, your timed exam and mock results, Weekly Challenge and Head to Head games, questions you flag, summaries you save, your XP, streaks and badges, and when you were last active.
Payments. Payments are taken by Stripe. We never see or store your card details. Stripe tells us that a payment has been made, and we keep a record of the email address used, the plan bought, the amount, the date and Stripe's reference for the payment.
Messages you send us. If you use our contact form or email us, we keep your name, email address and what you tell us, so we can reply.
Referral links. If you arrive on Ossify through someone's referral link, we remember the referral code in your browser for up to 30 days and record it with your account if you sign up, so the right person can be credited.
Technical information. Like most websites, the services that run Ossify automatically log technical information such as your IP address, browser and device type, and the times you visit or sign in. This is used to keep the site working and secure.
UK data protection law says we need a lawful reason for each way we use your information:
Ossify uses your answers to point you towards your weaker topics and to build revision sets. This happens automatically, but it only affects the practice questions you're shown. We don't make any decisions about you by automated means that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.
We don't send marketing emails. If we ever want to, we'll only do so with your permission, and you'll be able to stop them at any time. We don't sell your information, and we don't use it for advertising.
Some features are social. Other signed-in Ossify users can see your display name, username and hospital or trust, together with your XP, accuracy and streak on the leaderboard, your score and rank in the Weekly Challenge, and your score in any Head to Head game you play. Other users can find you by name or username to challenge you to Head to Head. Your email address is never shown to other users. If you'd rather appear under a different name, you can change your display name and username in your account settings, or contact us.
We only share your information with companies that help us run Ossify, and only what they need to do their job. They are contractually required to keep it safe and use it only on our instructions.
We may also share information if the law requires it, or with professional advisers such as our accountants and lawyers. If Ossify is ever sold or merged, your information may be transferred to the new owner, who must continue to protect it in line with this policy.
Some of the companies above are based in, or use services in, the United States and other countries. Where your information is transferred outside the UK, we make sure it is protected by safeguards recognised under UK law, such as the UK–US data bridge or the UK International Data Transfer Agreement and Addendum.
Ossify does not use advertising cookies or tracking tools. We use your browser's storage only for things the site needs to work, or that you ask for:
You can clear this storage at any time in your browser's settings. If you do, you'll be signed out, and the site will forget your settings.
Your information is stored with providers that use strong security, and all connections to Ossify are encrypted. Access to your data is restricted so that each user can only reach their own information, and only a small number of Ossify staff can access the systems behind the site. No website can be completely secure, but if something ever went wrong that put your information at risk, we would tell you and the Information Commissioner's Office where the law requires.
You have the right to:
To use any of these rights, email info@ossify.co.uk from the address on your account. We'll reply within one month. There's normally no charge.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, please tell us first and we'll do our best to put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
Ossify is designed for doctors preparing for the MSRA, and is not intended for anyone under 18. We don't knowingly collect information from children.
We may update this policy from time to time, for example if we add new features or change providers. We'll change the date at the top of this page, and if the changes are significant we'll let you know by email or on the site.
Ossify Education Ltd. (company number 17136183)
Station House, Hampstead Lane
Yalding, Maidstone
England, ME18 6HJ