PROMOTE GOOD PRACTICE IN HANDLING INFORMATION IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE SETTINGS

LEARNING OUTCOME 1

UNDERSTAND REQUIREMENTS FOR HANDLING INFORMATION IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE SETTINGS

The following are current legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling information in health and social care. They also summarise the main points of legal requirements for handling information.

• THE DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998 – The Data Protection Act 1998 is a piece of legislation which defines the law on processing data of people living within the United Kingdom. The Data Protection Act 1998 is set out in eight principles:
1. Personal data must be processed fairly and lawfully.
2. Personal data must only be obtained for the …show more content…

The patient will be given a hospital number which would appear on all paperwork and documentation relating to them. Although all records would be kept in paper files there would still be an overall record which would identify a person’s name and address to their particular number. This would be kept on a central computer system.

Other than being stored alphabetically or numerically files could be organised according to the different services they fall under. For instance: ‘Mental Health Services’ or ‘Care in the Community Services’. Within these services files may be organised alphabetically or geographically.
Sometimes the files may have to be removed from where they would normally be stored. This may be a community nurse using noted for when they are visiting the homes of patients. In this case all notes should be stored in a lockable case which is made from strong durable materials to deter any possible break in and stored in the boot of a car out of view.

ELECTRONIC INFORMATION STORAGE SYSTEMS – Electronic storage systems such as computers are protected by passwords, log in cards (chip and pin) and encryption. Passwords should be kept confidential at all times and log in cards must only be used by the person authorised to do so.

Computer systems allow a lot more information to be stored in very little space. When not using the