Cookie Policy for Virtual Triage

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website or use a web application. They help us:

• Operate the website
• Improve performance
• Understand usage patterns
• Maintain security
• Enhance user experience

Cookies are categorised as essential (strictly necessary) or non-essential (require your consent).

2. How We Use Cookies

2.1 Essential Cookies (Strictly Necessary)

These cookies are required for our platform to function and cannot be disabled.

Examples include:

• Session Management: keeping you logged in securely
• Security Cookies: preventing fraud, enforcing authentication
• Load Balancing & Infrastructure Cookies
• Form State Cookies: remembering temporary form entries

These do NOT store medical or health data.

2.2 Performance & Analytics Cookies

Used to improve our website and platform functionality.

We may use:

• Google Analytics
• Error tracking tools
• Page load and performance monitoring

We ensure that analytics data does not include clinical or special category data; IP addresses may be anonymised where applicable; events logged are strictly technical (e.g., clicks, screen size, page navigation).

2.3 Functional Cookies

Improve user experience by remembering:

• Language preferences
• Accessibility settings
• Theme or display modes
• Location preference for finding clinicians (approximate, not precise)

These do not store medical information or tie preferences to clinical data.

2.4 Marketing & Advertising Cookies

These cookies help us measure the effectiveness of our campaigns and show relevant ads (e.g., via Google Ads).

We guarantee:

• Marketing cookies do not access or associate with clinical data
• Remarketing audiences are based on website behaviour only
• No health-related identifiers are used for advertising segmentation
• We never use clinical content for advertising or analytics

This aligns with GDPR restrictions on special category data.

3. Third-Party Cookies

The following trusted services may place cookies:

Google Services

• Google Analytics
• Google Tag Manager
• Google Ads
• Google Maps

Communication & Platform Infrastructure

• Video conferencing providers (for technical session cookies only)
• Email delivery systems
• SMS providers (e.g., Twilio)

Payments

• Stripe (fraud prevention & secure processing)

Social Media (if enabled)

• Facebook (login/sharing)
• LinkedIn
• Twitter/X

We require all third parties to comply with GDPR and do not permit them to process clinical data via cookies.

4. Cookies and Health Data (GDPR Special Category Protection)

Because Virtual Triage operates in digital health, we apply strict safeguards:

• Cookies NEVER store or transmit medical information
• Cookies NEVER track symptoms, diagnoses, consultations summary, notes, or consultations
• Clinical data is stored separately and encrypted
• Tracking is decoupled from special category data
• We do NOT use behavioural health advertising or profiling

This ensures compliance with GDPR Articles 9 and 22.

5. Managing Your Cookie Preferences

Website Banner (Consent Tool)

When you visit our site for the first time, you will see a consent banner allowing you to:

• Accept all cookies
• Reject non-essential cookies
• Manage preferences

Your choices can be updated anytime using the “Cookie Settings” link.

Browser Controls

You may also restrict cookies via:

• Chrome → Settings → Privacy and Security
• Firefox → Options → Privacy & Security
• Safari → Preferences → Privacy
• Edge → Settings → Cookies and site permissions

Blocking essential cookies may affect platform functionality.

6. Mobile App Cookie & Tracking Controls

Mobile applications use similar technologies (SDKs). You may control permissions via:

• App Settings → Privacy & Permissions
• Device Settings → Tracking / Advertising ID
• In-app privacy options

We do not use mobile tracking for health data profiling.

7. Data Retention

Cookie data is retained for limited durations:

• Session Cookies: deleted when browser closes
• Functional Cookies: up to 12 months
• Analytics Cookies: up to 24 months (anonymised where possible)
• Marketing Cookies: up to 12 months

We do NOT retain or store cookie data that contains special category (health) information.

8. International Data Transfers

Some third-party providers may process data outside the UK/EU. We ensure:

• Adequacy decisions
• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
• Supplementary encryption measures

All transfers comply with UK GDPR.

9. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in legal requirements, platform features, or cookie management tools. We will notify users where appropriate through banners, app notifications, or website updates.

Last Updated: [Insert Date].

10. Contact Us

For questions about our Cookie Policy:

• Email: teams@virtualtriage.ai
• Website: virtualtriage.ai
• Address: Suite 2, Parkway 5 Parkway Business Centre, 300 Princess Road, Manchester, M14 7HR, UK