Terms and Conditions

1. About Us

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of the website dauk.org ("Website") and the services provided by the Doctors' Association UK ("DAUK", "we", "us", or "our").

DAUK is a grassroots membership organisation representing doctors and medical students across the United Kingdom. We are a campaigning and lobbying organisation—we are not a trade union and do not provide individual industrial representation.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using our Website, creating an account, or becoming a member of DAUK, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use our Website or services.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and DAUK. We recommend that you print or save a copy of these Terms for your records.

Eligibility

To use our services, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a medical professional registered or eligible for registration with the General Medical Council (GMC), or a medical student enrolled at a UK medical school
• Have the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts
• Provide accurate and truthful information during registration

3. Use of Our Website

Permitted Use

You may use our Website for lawful purposes only. You agree to use the Website in accordance with these Terms and all applicable laws and regulations.

Prohibited Activities

You must not:

• Use the Website in any way that breaches any applicable local, national, or international law or regulation
• Use the Website for any unlawful or fraudulent purpose
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Website, server, or any connected database
• Introduce viruses, trojans, worms, or other malicious software
• Use automated systems or software to extract data from the Website (scraping)
• Impersonate any person or misrepresent your identity or affiliation
• Interfere with or disrupt the Website or servers or networks connected to it
• Reproduce, duplicate, copy, or resell any part of our Website without our express written permission

Website Availability

We do not guarantee that our Website, or any content on it, will always be available or uninterrupted. We may suspend, withdraw, or restrict all or any part of the Website for business or operational reasons.

4. Membership Terms

Membership Tiers

DAUK offers membership at different tiers, including:

• Full Membership: For qualified doctors registered with the GMC
• Associate Membership: For retired doctors, overseas doctors, medical researchers, NHS/healthcare supporters, and others who wish to support DAUK's mission
• Student Membership: For medical students enrolled at UK medical schools

The specific benefits and pricing for each tier are displayed on our Website and may be updated from time to time.

Subscription and Payment

• Membership subscriptions are processed through our payment providers, Stripe and PayPal
• Subscriptions are billed on a recurring basis (monthly or annually, as selected)
• All prices are displayed in British Pounds Sterling (GBP) and include any applicable VAT
• You authorise us to charge your designated payment method for all fees incurred
• Payment is due at the time of subscription and on each renewal date

Automatic Renewal

Your membership will automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless you cancel before the renewal date. You will receive a reminder email before each renewal. You can manage your subscription and cancel auto-renewal at any time through your Member Dashboard or the Stripe Customer Portal.

Cancellation

• You may cancel your membership at any time through your Member Dashboard
• Cancellation will take effect at the end of your current billing period
• You will retain access to member benefits until the end of your paid period
• No partial refunds are given for unused portions of a billing period

Refunds

As DAUK is a non-profit membership organisation:

• Refund requests within 14 days of initial subscription may be considered on a case-by-case basis
• Refunds are generally not provided for subscriptions older than 14 days
• If you believe you have been incorrectly charged, please contact us at contact@dauk.org

Price Changes

We reserve the right to change membership prices. Any price changes will be communicated to existing members at least 30 days before they take effect, and will only apply from your next renewal date.

5. User Accounts

Account Registration

To access certain features of the Website, you must register for an account. When registering, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and promptly update your account information
• Keep your password confidential and secure
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account

Account Security

You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to protect your login credentials.

One Account Per Person

Each member may only hold one account. Multiple accounts for the same individual may be merged or terminated.

6. Intellectual Property

Our Content

All content on this Website, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, audio, video, software, and their arrangement (collectively, "Content"), is owned by or licensed to DAUK and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

Limited Licence

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use the Website and its Content for personal, non-commercial purposes, subject to these Terms.

Restrictions

You may not:

• Reproduce, distribute, or publicly display any Content without our prior written consent
• Modify or create derivative works based on the Content
• Use the Content for commercial purposes
• Remove any copyright or proprietary notices from the Content

Trademarks

"Doctors' Association UK", "DAUK", and associated logos are trademarks of DAUK. You may not use these trademarks without our prior written permission.

7. User Conduct

As a member or user of our Website, you agree to conduct yourself in a professional manner consistent with the values of the medical profession. You must not:

• Post or share content that is defamatory, obscene, offensive, or discriminatory
• Harass, threaten, or abuse other users or DAUK staff
• Share confidential information about patients or colleagues
• Use the platform to promote commercial products or services without permission
• Engage in any activity that could bring DAUK or the medical profession into disrepute

We reserve the right to remove content and terminate accounts that violate these standards.

8. Events and Webinars

Registration

Registration for events and webinars is subject to availability. Some events may be restricted to members only or specific membership tiers.

Event Changes and Cancellations

We reserve the right to:

• Change event dates, times, locations, or formats
• Cancel events due to unforeseen circumstances
• Limit attendance numbers for capacity or safety reasons

Where events are cancelled by DAUK, registered attendees will be notified and any fees paid will be refunded or credited.

Attendee Conduct

Attendees at DAUK events must behave professionally and respectfully. We reserve the right to refuse entry or remove any person whose behaviour is disruptive or inappropriate.

Recordings

Events and webinars may be recorded for members who cannot attend live. By participating, you consent to being recorded unless you notify us otherwise in advance.

9. Case Support Services

Nature of Service

DAUK offers case support services to assist members facing workplace difficulties. This service provides:

• Peer support and guidance
• Signposting to relevant resources and organisations
• General information about processes and procedures

Confidentiality

Information shared through our case support service is treated confidentially in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Files are stored securely with GDPR-compliant retention periods.

Limitations

We cannot guarantee any particular outcome from using our case support services. Members are advised to seek independent legal advice for serious matters.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

External Links

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites. These links are provided for convenience only. We do not endorse and are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of any third-party websites.

Third-Party Services

We use third-party service providers to operate certain aspects of our services:

• Stripe: Payment processing and subscription management
• PayPal: Payment processing for legacy subscribers
• Brevo: Email delivery and contact management
• Cloudflare: Security and file storage

Your use of these services is subject to their respective terms and privacy policies.

11. Important Disclaimers

Not Medical or Legal Advice

Content on this Website is provided for general information purposes only. It does not constitute medical, legal, financial, or professional advice. You should always seek appropriate professional advice for your specific circumstances.

No Warranty

The Website and its Content are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

Accuracy of Information

While we strive to ensure the accuracy of information on our Website, we do not warrant that the Content is accurate, complete, or current. Policies, procedures, and guidance may change, and you should verify information with authoritative sources.

12. Limitation of Liability

Extent of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• DAUK shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• DAUK shall not be liable for any loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities
• Our total liability to you for any claims arising from these Terms or your use of our services shall not exceed the amount you have paid to us in membership fees in the 12 months preceding the claim

Exclusions

Nothing in these Terms shall limit or exclude our liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by our negligence
• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
• Any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by English law

Reasonable Precautions

You acknowledge that DAUK is a non-profit organisation run primarily by volunteers. We exercise reasonable care in providing our services but cannot guarantee error-free operation.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless DAUK, its officers, committee members, volunteers, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in any way connected with:

• Your access to or use of the Website
• Your breach of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party rights
• Any content you submit or share through our services

14. Termination

Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us at contact@dauk.org or through your account settings. Cancellation of membership is separate from account deletion.

Termination by Us

We may suspend or terminate your account and access to our services immediately, without prior notice, if:

• You breach any provision of these Terms
• You engage in conduct that we reasonably believe is harmful to DAUK, other members, or third parties
• You provide false or misleading information
• Your payment method fails and is not resolved within a reasonable time
• We are required to do so by law

Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your right to access the Website and member services will cease immediately
• Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive (including intellectual property, limitation of liability, and governing law)
• We may retain certain data as required by law or for legitimate business purposes, as described in our Privacy Policy

15. Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes:

• We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
• We will notify members by email of significant changes
• We may post a notice on our Website

Your continued use of the Website after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must stop using our services and may cancel your membership.

16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms, including any question regarding their existence, validity, or termination, shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Before initiating formal legal proceedings, we encourage you to contact us to attempt to resolve any dispute amicably. You may also use the European Commission's Online Dispute Resolution platform at ec.europa.eu/odr, although we are not obliged to participate in alternative dispute resolution.

17. General Provisions

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and DAUK regarding your use of our Website and services, and supersede any prior agreements.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.

Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations where such failure or delay results from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, pandemic, war, terrorism, strikes, or government actions.

No Third-Party Rights

These Terms do not confer any rights on any third party under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

18. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us:

For data protection enquiries, please see our Privacy Policy or email contact@dauk.org.