Ask Fellow Optoms

Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction

Welcome to Ask Fellow Optoms. These Terms and Conditions govern your use of our Platform and the services provided. By using this Platform, you agree to comply with and be bound by these terms. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use the Platform.

Ask Fellow Optoms is a professional peer-to-peer communication platform that facilitates direct dialogue between optometric and ophthalmic professionals. The Platform is a neutral communication facilitator and does not create, validate, or endorse the professional opinions, advice, or clinical discussions shared by Users. Users communicate directly with one another; Ask Fellow Optoms merely provides the infrastructure through which this communication occurs.

The Platform may also support reflective learning and professional education as secondary functions. However, Ask Fellow Optoms is not an educational content provider, curriculum designer, or professional authority. All clinical discussions, advice, and educational materials on the Platform originate from User-to-User communication, not from Ask Fellow Optoms itself.

The Service does not constitute a clinical triage service, diagnostic service, medical advice service, or a medical referral pathway. Users must not rely on the Platform for the real-time management of urgent clinical cases or as a substitute for direct patient care, professional consultation, or established clinical pathways.

The Platform is not intended to be used for clinical decision-making, diagnosis, treatment planning, or patient management, and does not perform any analysis or interpretation of clinical data.

2. User Agreement

By downloading, accessing, or using Ask Fellow Optoms, you confirm that you are an eye care professional over the age of 18 and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, our Privacy Policy, and our Data Processing Agreement (Section 16). If you do not meet these requirements, please refrain from using the Platform.

You affirm that you are genuinely the person you claim to be. You acknowledge that Ask Fellow Optoms is a communication platform and that all professional opinions, advice, case discussions and professional opinions you receive or provide originate from other Users, not from Ask Fellow Optoms. Ask Fellow Optoms does not endorse, verify, audit, or assume responsibility for the accuracy, safety, or appropriateness of any User-generated professional content.

All statements, representations, advice, or clinical opinions shared on the Platform are made by individual Users in their professional capacity and are not endorsed by or attributed to Ask Fellow Optoms.

3. Features and Use

3.1 Posting Feature

Users can post clinical or other relevant cases to clinical practice. Users are responsible for ensuring that all uploaded content is appropriately anonymised and does not contain identifiable patient information.

Ask Fellow Optoms implements reasonable technical measures to reduce the risk of identifiable data being shared, including automated metadata removal and security controls. However, such measures cannot guarantee complete anonymisation, and Users remain responsible for verifying that all content is fully anonymised prior to upload.

The Platform may employ automated tools and limited manual review processes in specific circumstances to support compliance, security, and enforcement of these Terms. Such measures do not constitute comprehensive monitoring of all content.

For any patient-related information uploaded to the Platform, the User acts as an independent Data Controller and is solely responsible for ensuring that all such data has been lawfully obtained, anonymised, and shared in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

Ask Fellow Optoms acts as an independent Data Controller in relation to the operation, security, storage, and administration of the Platform, including the processing of personal data required to provide the service.

To protect the integrity of shared data, the Platform utilizes hardware-backed attestation (App Check) and short-lived signed URLs to ensure secure, time-limited access to clinical images.

Users must always respect patient privacy and maintain anonymity in any text or images they share. Users must ensure that they have a lawful basis for sharing any patient-related data, including obtaining valid and informed consent where required, or relying on another appropriate legal basis under applicable data protection laws.

When sharing content that involves a patient case, users agree that they have informed the patient about how their information will be used, explained their right to object, obtained informed consent and ensured that the patient understands the implications, or have another lawful basis.

Users are responsible for ensuring that patient confidentiality and anonymity are maintained. Ask Fellow Optoms implements appropriate technical and organisational safeguards to support data protection, but cannot verify the origin, accuracy, or completeness of User-submitted content.

By using this feature, users understand and accept that the content is solely for communication and educational purposes and should not be relied upon for diagnosis or clinical management decisions. Users acknowledge that this is a learning tool and therefore, in order for other professionals to give the best learning experience, they should provide sufficient relevant detail when sharing cases. Users should provide enough information to elicit a valid response and not treat the app as a diagnostic tool.

3.2 Messaging Feature

The Messaging Feature is the core communication function of the Platform. Users can communicate directly with each other via secure messaging to discuss professional scenarios, share experiences, and engage in peer-to-peer professional dialogue.

The Platform applies reasonable security and access controls to protect communications; however, Users must ensure that no identifiable patient information is shared.

Ask Fellow Optoms is a neutral communication facilitator and does not create or endorse any messages or clinical discussions between Users.

The Platform does not proactively monitor or review all User communications. However, Ask Fellow Optoms reserves the right to review, moderate, remove, or restrict access to content where it reasonably believes such action is necessary to enforce these Terms, protect Users, comply with legal or regulatory obligations, or maintain the integrity of the Platform.

By using this feature, users understand and accept that all communication originates from other Users and not from Ask Fellow Optoms. Users are solely responsible for evaluating the professional quality and appropriateness of peer-provided information. User-to-User communication is for professional discussion purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for direct clinical consultation or established professional guidelines.

3.3 AI Guidance

This feature uses experimental Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate simulated responses for general educational and comparative purposes only. These outputs are not tailored to individual patients, do not constitute clinical advice, and must not be used to inform diagnosis, treatment decisions, or clinical management.

CRITICAL DISCLAIMER: AI-generated responses may be factually inaccurate, clinically dangerous, outdated, or based on incomplete training data. These outputs are simulated opinions provided for educational comparison only and must never be used as a basis for patient treatment, diagnosis, or clinical decision-making. Users acknowledge that AI systems can generate harmful, unsafe, or misleading medical information. Ask Fellow Optoms assumes no liability for any adverse outcomes, clinical errors, or patient harm arising from reliance on AI-generated content.

By using this feature, users understand and accept that the guidance provided is for educational purposes only and should not be used for clinical management or diagnosis decisions. Users are solely responsible for verifying any information against current clinical guidelines and their professional judgment.

3.4 CPD Activity and Evidence

When users share cases or participate in discussions on the Platform, Ask Fellow Optoms logs the duration and nature of engagement. Every 35 minutes of logged engagement counts towards 0.5 points of self-directed CPD. Users will be able to view and download evidence of their engagement activity.

ACCREDITATION DISCLAIMER: Ask Fellow Optoms is not an Accredited CPD Provider unless explicitly stated in writing. The Platform provides evidence of User engagement in self-directed reflective learning and professional communication only. Ask Fellow Optoms does not accredit, validate, or guarantee the educational quality of peer-to-peer discussions on the Platform.

Users are solely responsible for: (i) justifying the relevance and quality of their engagement and learning activity to their respective professional regulator, including the GOC or equivalent body; (ii) accurately documenting their participation; and (iii) ensuring that their CPD claim complies with their regulator's standards. Ask Fellow Optoms assumes no liability if a professional regulatory body rejects, discounts, or refuses to recognize CPD evidence submitted from this Platform due to accreditation status, quality standards, or lack of formal educational credentials.

Users understand that engagement evidence can be used for self-directed CPD only. Only a maximum of 5 minutes of CPD activity will be allocated per case. When uploading evidence on the professional body portal, users must declare that this is self-directed activity based on peer communication and professional discussion facilitated by the Platform.

On the relevant professional body website, users may be asked to include a reflection statement in addition to the evidence upload. It is the user's responsibility to complete any such reflection to demonstrate how their engagement meets their learning outcomes.

As a user, you are responsible for meeting all your continuing educational and regulatory requirements. You acknowledge that the Platform is a communication tool and will not rely on the Platform alone to meet your professional targets or regulatory obligations.

4. Regulatory Cooperation and Disclosure

Users are responsible for adhering to the General Optical Council (GOC) rules, General Dental Council (GDC) rules, and the College of Optometrists guidance when using Ask Fellow Optoms.

Ask Fellow Optoms may disclose user data where required to comply with legal obligations, regulatory requests, law enforcement requirements, or to protect the rights, safety, and integrity of the Platform and its Users.

5. User Responsibilities

Users are responsible for the accuracy and legality of the content they post. Users must not use the app for any illegal or unauthorized purpose. Users agree to comply with all applicable laws regarding online conduct and content. By using this app, you agree that the professional registration number, such as a GOC number, that you provide is correct, valid, yours, active, and matches all your details on the relevant body register.

6. Prohibited Content and Conduct

Users are prohibited from posting or sharing content that is considered objectionable, including but not limited to:

Offensive, abusive, or hateful language or imagery
Harassment, bullying, or threatening behavior
Illegal activities or content
Sexually explicit material

The Platform prohibits such content and behaviour. Where such content is identified or reported, Ask Fellow Optoms may take appropriate action, including removal of content, suspension of accounts, or reporting to relevant authorities.

Users found violating these terms will be subject to action, including but not limited to:

Removal of the offending content
Temporary or permanent suspension of the user's account
Reporting to relevant authorities if necessary

6.1 Content Moderation and Reporting

Users may report content that they believe breaches these Terms or applicable laws. Ask Fellow Optoms may investigate reported content and take appropriate action where necessary.

Moderation is carried out on a reactive and risk-based basis. Ask Fellow Optoms does not guarantee the identification or removal of all prohibited content and Users remain responsible for their interactions and reliance on any information shared on the Platform.

You agree to use the app to take advantage of the above features. Any content related to the advertising of other third-party applications or tools is strictly prohibited unless otherwise approved by us.

7. Intellectual Property Rights

All Platform technology, design, branding, logos, and software infrastructure are the property of Ask Fellow Optoms or its technology suppliers and are protected by intellectual property laws.

Users retain full ownership of all professional opinions, case discussions, clinical advice, and other substantive content they post or communicate on the Platform. Ask Fellow Optoms is a communication facilitator and does not claim ownership of User-generated professional content.

Users grant Ask Fellow Optoms a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license limited solely to: (i) hosting and transmitting User content between Users on the Platform; (ii) creating backups and ensuring Platform reliability; and (iii) generating anonymised engagement statistics for CPD tracking purposes.

Ask Fellow Optoms does not have the right to publish, distribute, or commercialise User-generated professional content except as necessary to operate the communication Platform itself.

8. Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. Please review our Privacy Policy and the Data Processing Agreement (Section 16) to understand how we collect, use, and protect your personal information and any patient-related data you may share.

Personal data is processed on the basis of contractual necessity (to provide the Platform), legitimate interests (to maintain and improve the service), and legal obligations where applicable.

9. Account Suspension and Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate user accounts where we reasonably believe a User has breached these Terms, posed a risk to other Users, or where required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations.

10. Amendments to Terms

We may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. Continued use of the app after any such changes shall constitute your consent to such changes. Users are encouraged to review these terms periodically.

11. Limitation of Liability and Role of Ask Fellow Optoms

11.1 Regulatory Positioning

Ask Fellow Optoms is a communication and networking platform only. It does not perform clinical analysis, generate patient-specific outputs, or provide decision-support tools.

The Platform is not a medical device and is not intended to be used for the diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment, or alleviation of disease.

Users must not use the Platform to make or support clinical decisions relating to patient care.

Ask Fellow Optoms is a professional peer-to-peer communication platform and communication facilitator. It is not a medical device, healthcare provider, clinical advisor, or educational content provider. All clinical discussions, advice, professional opinions, and educational materials on the Platform originate from User-to-User communication, not from Ask Fellow Optoms.

Ask Fellow Optoms assumes no responsibility for: (i) the accuracy, safety, appropriateness, or legality of any User-generated professional content; (ii) any clinical decisions made by Users based on peer communication on the Platform; (iii) any adverse patient outcomes resulting from reliance on information shared between Users; or (iv) the professional qualifications or competence of other Users.

Users must rely on their own professional judgment, current clinical guidelines, and established professional standards when evaluating any information discussed on the Platform. Users are solely responsible for assessing the credibility and applicability of peer-provided input to their own professional practice.

In no event shall Ask Fellow Optoms be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from (i) your use or inability to use the Platform; (ii) reliance on any User-generated content; (iii) communication failures or service interruptions; or (iv) any unauthorized access to our servers resulting from User negligence (for example compromised credentials). Our liability is limited to maintaining the technical and administrative safeguards outlined in our Data Processing Agreement.

Nothing in this section limits Ask Fellow Optoms’ right to take proportionate moderation or enforcement action in accordance with these Terms.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Ask Fellow Optoms and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, or debt, and expenses (including but not limited to legal fees) arising from:

Your use of and access to the app
Your violation of any term of these Terms and Conditions
Your violation of any third-party right, including without limitation any copyright, property, or privacy right

13. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Kingdom, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

14. Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms and Conditions or the use of Ask Fellow Optoms shall be resolved through binding arbitration in the United Kingdom, except that either party may bring a claim for injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us at info@askfellowclinicians.com.

16. Data Processing Agreement (DPA)

This section outlines the data processing responsibilities between Users of the Platform and Clinician People Ltd.

Users act as independent Data Controllers in relation to any patient or third-party personal data they choose to upload or share via the Platform.

Clinician People Ltd acts as an independent Data Controller in relation to the operation, administration, security, and provision of the Platform, and may act as a Data Processor only where it processes personal data strictly on behalf of Users and in accordance with their instructions.

16.1 Scope and Purpose

The Platform provides a secure peer-to-peer communication environment.

Users may upload and share Special Category Data (including clinical images) at their own discretion and remain solely responsible as Data Controllers for ensuring lawful processing, appropriate anonymisation, and valid patient consent.

Clinician People Ltd processes personal data as an independent Data Controller for the purposes of operating, securing, maintaining, and improving the Platform. Where Clinician People Ltd processes personal data strictly in accordance with User instructions, it may act as a Data Processor.

16.2 Processor Obligations

Where Clinician People Ltd acts as a Data Processor, it agrees to the following obligations:

Documented Instructions: Process personal data only on the written instructions of the Controller (the act of uploading a case constitutes such instruction).
Confidentiality: Ensure that all persons authorized to process the data (including Admins performing manual review) are bound by strict professional confidentiality.
Technical Security: Implement appropriate technical and organisational measures, including encryption at rest and in transit, access controls, audit logging, and data minimisation practices. Where feasible, the Platform applies automated safeguards (such as metadata removal and security validation checks) designed to reduce the risk of identifiable data being shared.
Audit Logging: Maintain audit logs of data access events of all data access events to satisfy the Controller's statutory audit requirements.
Sub-processors: The Controller authorizes the use of the following sub-processors: (i) Google Cloud Platform (Firebase) for data storage, processing, and infrastructure; and (ii) SendGrid for transactional email communication and notifications. The Processor will notify the Controller of any material changes to sub-processors and will ensure all sub-processors are bound by equivalent data protection obligations.
Breach Notification: Notify the Controller within 48 hours of becoming aware of a confirmed data breach affecting patient data.

16.3 Data Subject Rights

Clinician People Ltd will support Users in responding to data subject rights requests where applicable.

Where identifiable patient data is reported or identified as having been shared inappropriately, Ask Fellow Optoms may take immediate action to restrict access to or remove such content in order to mitigate risk.

Users, as Data Controllers, remain responsible for handling and responding to requests relating to patient or third-party data they have uploaded.

Clinician People Ltd will independently handle data subject requests relating to personal data processed for Platform administration, accounts, and service provision.

16.4 Termination

Upon termination of the service, Clinician People Ltd will delete or anonymise personal data in accordance with its data retention policies, except where continued retention is required to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, or maintain regulatory audit records.

16.5 Data Protection Contact and Compliance

Data Protection Contact: For any inquiries relating to data protection, privacy concerns, or data subject rights, Users may contact info@askfellowclinicians.com.

Ask Fellow Optoms will respond to all valid requests within applicable legal timeframes.

GDPR Compliance: Clinician People Ltd, as an independent Data Controller, commits to compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the UK GDPR and EU GDPR.

The Platform applies data protection principles including lawfulness, fairness, transparency, data minimisation, and security by design.

Where required, Ask Fellow Optoms conducts Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) to assess and mitigate risks associated with data processing activities.

Clinician People Ltd is registered with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office where required and complies with applicable data protection obligations.

Data Location and Residency: All personal data and Special Category Data are processed and stored primarily within European data centers via Firebase infrastructure. No data is transferred to, or processed in, jurisdictions outside the EEA without appropriate data transfer mechanisms, such as Standard Contractual Clauses, adequacy decisions, or binding corporate rules.

International Compliance: In addition to UK GDPR and EU GDPR compliance, the Platform implements safeguards aligned with industry standards for protecting sensitive health-related data.

16.6 Data Retention

Ask Fellow Optoms retains personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes of the Platform, including providing services, maintaining security, complying with legal obligations, and supporting regulatory requirements.

Different categories of data may be retained for different periods, including:

Account and profile data: retained for the duration of the account and a reasonable period thereafter
User communications and uploaded content: retained for a period necessary to support Platform functionality, dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance
Audit logs and security records: retained for a defined period to support legal and regulatory obligations

Data will be securely deleted or anonymised when no longer required.

16.7 Data Misuse and Incident Response

If Ask Fellow Optoms becomes aware that identifiable patient data has been uploaded in breach of these Terms or applicable data protection laws, it may take immediate action including restricting access, removing content, and notifying relevant parties where required.

Users acknowledge that such actions are necessary to comply with legal and regulatory obligations and to protect data subjects.

By using Ask Fellow Optoms, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

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