This page and any pages it links to explains marswales.org (and all other associated domains) terms of use.  You must agree to these to use the site.

Who we are
The Medical Appraisal and Revalidation System (MARS) is managed by the Revalidation Support Unit (RSU) on behalf of Health Education & Improvement Wales (HEIW). It is supported by the Business Systems Support Unit (BSSU). MARS became the single appraisal management system for all doctors with a prescribed connection in Wales from April 2014.

Using MARS
You agree to use MARS only for lawful purposes. You must also use it in a way that doesn’t infringe the rights of, or restrict or inhibit the use and enjoyment of, this site by anyone else.
We constantly adapt the system in line with feedback, quality assurance reviews and external bodies such as the Wales Revalidation Delivery Board. We can, if required, change or remove content at any time without notice.  If you have any feedback regarding the site, please email Heiw.mars@wales.nhs.uk 

Services and data use
You can use MARS to facilitate your appraisal process. MARS is also used to support you and Responsible Officers through revalidation.
If you are an Appraisee you should remember that the data you enter must not breach patient confidentiality rules. You are asked to agree the following statements:-

• I agree not to enter patient identifiable data into this database
• I agree not to use images of patients without prior consent or under normal NHS rules of data processing
• I understand that current appraisal supporting information entered on MARS will be fully accessible to my appraiser for the year in question within 30 days of an agreed meeting date
• Where information could foreseeably be associated with an identifiable patient even when a name is not used, consent for inclusion must be obtained in advance.

I understand and accept the principles of access and confidentiality described in this statement.

If you are an Appraiser you must agree to the following conditions:-
I understand that the information I have access to on the database is personal data as defined by the GDPR, and that I therefore have specific responsibilities to it.
Therefore I agree:

• To hold this data securely and use it only for the purposes for which it has been submitted to me.
• To securely destroy any data that I may download and/or print from the database once the appraisal is complete. In keeping with best practice, hard copy data should be shredded and/or disposed of in confidential waste.

If you are another user (Designated Body staff, system/IT administrator, Wales Postgraduate NHS staff etc.) you must agree to the following conditions:
I understand and accept the principles of access and confidentiality described in the statements below and recognise and accept my own responsibilities in relation to them.
I therefore agree:

• To hold this data securely and use it only for the purposes for which it has been submitted to me.
• To destroy any data that I may download from the database securely. In keeping with best practice this data should be shredded and/or disposed of in confidential waste.

Linking from MARS
MARS links to other websites that are managed by us e.g. Revalidation Wales. If you have any feedback on any of these, please contact Heiw.mars@wales.nhs.uk. MARS also links to websites that are not managed by us e.g. GMC Connect. We don’t have any control over the content on these websites.
We’re not responsible for:

• the protection of any information you give to these websites
• any loss or damage that may come from your use of these websites, or any other websites they link to

You should read all terms and conditions, privacy notices and end user licences that relate to these websites before you use them.

Using MARS content
All content is subject to copyright protection. The website is subject to copyright and the contents, process and functionality cannot be shown, described or demonstrated to any parties that are not directly engaged with the system.
MARS consists of a number of independent sites; they cover the hospital sector (that includes the independent sector) and general practice. The main structures of the sites are identical but the text has been changed as appropriate.
The personal information held within these sites is treated in accordance with General Data Protection Regulation. For the purposes of the regulation, Health Education & Improvement Wales is the Data Controller. Further information can be found in our privacy notice.

Disclaimer
While we make every effort to keep MARS up to date, we can’t provide any guarantees that the information will be current, secure, accurate, complete or free from bugs or viruses.
All advice we produce is consistent with regulatory requirements. Should you have any queries regarding this, please contact the GMC.
We’re not liable for any loss or damage that may come from using MARS. This includes:

• any direct, indirect or consequential losses
• any loss or damage caused by civil wrongs (‘tort’, including negligence), breach of contract or otherwise
• the use of MARS and any websites that are linked to or from it
• the inability to use MARS and any websites that are linked to or from it

This applies if the loss or damage was foreseeable, arose in the normal course of things or you advised us that it might happen.

Information about you and your visits to MARS
We collect information about you in accordance with our privacy notice and our cookie policy. By using MARS, you agree to us collecting this information and confirm that any data you provide is accurate.

Virus protection
We make every effort to check and test MARS for viruses at every stage of production. You must make sure that the way you use MARS doesn’t expose you to the risk of viruses, malicious computer code or other forms of interference which can damage your computer system.
We’re not responsible for any loss, disruption or damage to your data or computer system that might happen when you use MARS.

Viruses, hacking and other offences
When using MARS, you must not introduce viruses, trojans, worms, logic bombs or any other material that’s malicious or technologically harmful.
You must not try to gain unauthorised access to MARS, the server on which it’s stored or any server, computer or database connected to it.
You must not attack MARS in any way. This includes denial-of-service attacks.
We’ll report any attacks or attempts to gain unauthorised access to MARS to the relevant law enforcement authorities and share information about you with them.

Governing law
These terms and conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

General
We’re not liable if we fail to comply with these terms and conditions because of circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
We might decide not to exercise or enforce any right available to us under these terms and conditions. We can always decide to exercise or enforce that right at a later date.
Doing this once won’t mean we automatically waive the right on any other occasion.
If any of these terms and conditions are held to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal for any reason, the remaining terms and conditions will still apply.
The Revalidation Support Unit (RSU) is committed to providing a high-quality service to everyone we deal with. In order to do this we need you to provide feedback on our service and we want to help you resolve a complaint you may have, as quickly as possible. For information regarding our complaints policy, please contact Heiw.mars@wales.nhs.uk 

Changes to these terms and conditions
Please check these terms and conditions regularly. We can update them at any time without notice. We will endeavour to contact all of our users, should they be updated.