Handling Information in Health and Social Care - Legislation Review

This assignment delves into the critical aspects of handling information within the health and social care sector, providing a comprehensive overview of relevant legislation and practical security measures. It begins by identifying and summarizing key legislations, including the Data Protection Act 1998, the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1998, alongside the Carer of Practice set out by the CQC and the general social care council. The assignment also summarizes the main points of these legislations and codes of practice, emphasizing the importance of confidentiality, data protection principles, and adherence to ethical guidelines. Furthermore, the report outlines how to ensure the security of information, both in manual and electronic storage systems, detailing best practices such as locked cabinets, password protection, and restricted access to sensitive data. The assignment underscores the legal and ethical responsibilities of healthcare professionals in safeguarding patient information and maintaining the integrity of data management processes. The assignment emphasizes the advantages of electronic record keeping and the importance of following all the rules to ensure confidentiality and security.

Level 3 Diploma in Health
care Support (QCF
Handling of information
UNIT 8 WORKBOOK
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Signature
Date of completion
Assessor Signature
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INTRODUCTION
Information is an asset. Our data, documentation and intellectual property has
significant financial value and needs to be protected just as carefully as we protect our
physical assets. For protecting essential data, concept of handling of information come into
picture. Information handling can be simply defined as management and controlling of
overall data. All users of information systems should manage the creation, storage,
amendment, copying, back-ups, deletion or destruction of information in a manner which
protects the confidentiality, integrity and availability of such information (Hsu, C. C., HTC
Corp, 2013). The present report is explaining various legislations that is obeyed or used in
health and social care setting in order to manage the important data.
1.1. List 4 legislation that relate to handling information in health and social care.
The key four legislations that relate to handling information in health and social care are
stated below :
1. Data Protection act 1998
2. Freedom of information act 2000
3. Disability discrimination act 1998
4. Carer of practice set out by the CQC and the general social care council
Summarise 2 codes of practice that relate to handling information in health and
social care.
1.Under the data protection act, we must make sure the information we handle is:
 used fairly and lawfully
 used for limited, specifically stated purposes
 used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive
 accurate
 kept for no longer than is absolutely necessary
 handled according to people’s data protection rights
 kept safe and secure
 not transferred outside the UK without adequate protection (Guo, Innovative Sonic
Ltd, 2012).

Recorded information includes printed documents, computer files, letters, emails,
photographs, and sound or video recordings. The Act does not give people access to their
own personal data. This is where the Freedom of information act comes into play.
2. The CQC provides us with codes of practice that support us with running the business in
lawful manner by using information confidentially and appropriately. Confidential information
is likely to include information about a persons:
 Physical or mental health.
 Social or family circumstances.
 Financial standing and financial details.
 Education, training and employment experience.
 Religious beliefs.
 Racial or ethnic origin.
 Sexuality.
 Criminal convictions.
The information could contain sensitive information about their past, condition or
illness, team information etc. (Katz, P. and et. al., 2011). It is a criminal act if we don not
follow these codes of practice.
1.2 Briefly describe the main points of each the legislations that you have
listed above.
The main points are, to keep any information on a need to know basis, to hold any
information shared to you as private and confidential, unless the service user tells people
himself, or says otherwise. Do not discuss anything in earshot of other people, keep
everything under lock and key. There are 8 enforceable principles and they are: Fairly and
lawfully processed, processed for limited purposes, adequate and relevant and not
excessive, accurate, not kept longer than necessary, processed in accordance with the data
subject’s rights, kept secure and finally, not transferred to countries without adequate
protection. Description of each legislations mentioned above are following :
1. The Data Protection Act : The Data Protection Act (1998) makes provision for the
regulation of the processing of information relating to individuals, including the obtaining,
holding, use or disclosure of such information (Meyer, M. and et, al., 2014). This rule is also
known as the DPA, regulates the use and protection of personal data. It supersedes the
Data Protection Act 1984 and Access to Personal Files Act 1987.
It was amended in 2003 to give individuals more control over digital marketing
communications they receive, meaning they must opt-in to receive emails, SMS text
messages etc from an organisation if they've never had contact with it before.

2. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides public access to information held by
public authorities. Public authorities are obliged to publish certain information about their
activities members of he public are entitled to request information from public authorities.
This Freedom of Information act 2000 also creates the ‘right of access’ to the public of
general information help by public authorities, local authorities and the National Health
Service. Personal data cannot be accessed as this is protected by the Data Protection Act
1998.
3. The disability discrimination act : makes it illegal to discriminate against anybody with
a disability. This gives people with disability the same rights to information, as anybody else.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) works to protect people with disabilities – including
blind and partially sighted people – from discrimination (Somasundaram, S. and et. al., 2013).
The DDA came into effect in 1995. It has been amended a number of times since by
regulations implemented in Northern Ireland l or mental impairment which has a substantial
and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”.
This includes significant sight loss.
The types of discrimination it can help you challenge are:
 direct discrimination (such as a ban on employing blind people)
 disability related discrimination (for example, a taxi driver refusing to take a blind
passenger because they have a guide dog)
 failure by an organisation to make a reasonable adjustment to allow you access to
goods, facilities and services
 victimisation
 harassment
4. Carers Code of Practice : This code applies to the following health and social care
support workers: Adult social care workers working in support of health and social care
professionals, independently (for example personal assistants (PAs), for CQC registered
residential care providers, or as domiciliary care workers in England) and healthcare support
workers who report to registered nurses and midwives in England (Wu, C. H., HTC Corp,
2014). Health and social care support workers must: Protect the rights and promote the
interests of individuals, key people and others. Strive to establish and maintain the trust and
confidence of individuals, key people and others. Promote the independence of individuals
while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm. Respect the rights of
individuals while seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves, key
people or others. Uphold public trust and confidence in health and social care services by

protecting individuals from abuse, neglect and harm. Be accountable for the quality of your
work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving your knowledge and skills. Take
responsibility for how you communicate with and on behalf of individuals Caldicott
Guardians were subsequently introduced into social care in 2002, mandated by Local
Authority Circular (Schmitt, T. and Riegler, R., Cirrus Logic Inc, 2012).
2.1 Describe how you would ensure the security of information using a manual
information storage system.
Manual and electronic information storage systems help to ensure security. Use
passwords on computers and files, frequently change passwords Lock the computer when
leaving the desk Lock confidential papers in a cabinet Only unlock cabinets when they are
needed Shred confidential paper waste Ensure that telephone calls cannot be overheard
Meetings should be conducted in a separate area where they cannot be overheard Only
necessary information should be shared, on a need to know basis For a telephone call, the
identity of the caller needs to be clearly confirmed before sharing any information. Do not
discuss confidential information or other clients in front others (e.g. in conversations with
clients or double-ups with other colleagues) Encrypt files and safely store any electronic
data (e.g. USB sticks or discs in a safe of locked cabinet) Manual security storage systems
are locked away - usually via lock and key, such as cases, wardrobes, etc. It’s better if they
are stored in room with restricted access so, no any dis-entitled person will be able to read
them at all (Zhu, G. and et, al., 2011). As a result, dates will be safer. The electronic security
systems are generally held on computer protected via passwords and firewall.
We use what we call an electronic vault, which is a system that stores the data that is
imputed into a secret file and can only be seen by management with a secure password.
Anybody who wants the info has to ask the manager and he works on a need to know basis.
Also care plans, Mars sheets and any document relating to one of the service users is
locked away until it needs to be used. This ensures confidentiality and who gets to see
them. We even keep information away from family and friends. The thing we say to them is,
if the individual wanted them to know, then they will tell them.
Features of manual and electronic information storage systems that help ensure
security are :
 Top of Form
 Bottom of Form
In our working environment we have lots of paperwork and other information that
needs to be kept private and confidential. It is our legal requirement to use and store
information in locked areas, that are only available to those that have the relevant clearance
to access it. When we communicate with other support workers through text, email or a

communication book we always write in a way that will only be understood by the team. We
tend to use initials and abbreviate certain things that may be understood by other visitors to
our office. We have diaries and phone books, which are kept private and only available to
appropriate members of staff (Hsu, C. C., HTC Corp, 2013). We also have a system called
Carefree, which has all of our clients and staff data kept on a computer database. This is
password protected and only certain members of staff have access to it. There are different
levels with higher amounts of information.
Describe how you would ensure the security of information using an electronic
information storage system.
There are several practices that ensure security when storing and accessing
information. Some of such actions are described below :
 Only discussing information in confidential setting.
 Only discussing information with members of staff, who need to know the information
Ensuring that written records are kept in locked cabinet.
 Ensure that staff message book is kept secure in office.
 Ensure that computer files are password protected.
 Ensuring that service user personal files are kept in secure location in office.
 Not having telephone conversations regarding service users in front of other service
users or visitors.
 Ensure that filing cabinets remain locked when not in use.
Staff are required to make an entry in to an individuals care plan once in twelve
hours. This entry is in the daily life and review and will contain details regarding medication
administration, dietary and fluid intake, elimination, mobility, mood, behaviour exhibited and
any changes or deterioration of the individual. There is also a requirement to record visits
from doctors, nurses and other health professionals (Guo, Innovative Sonic Ltd, 2012). It is
a requirement that all hand written records must be written in black ink, clear and concise
and contain only facts, no personal opinions are to be recorded in care plans as this is
deemed unnecessary.
Advantages of using electronic record keeping are :
 Helps you record business transactions, including income and expenses, payments
to workers, and stock and asset details.
 Efficient way to keep financial records and requires less storage space.
 Provides the option of recording a sale when you raise an invoice, not when you
receive a cash payment from a client.
 Easy to generate orders, invoices, debtor reports, financial statements, employee
pay records, inventory reports.

 Automatically tallies amounts and provides reporting functions.
 Keeps up with the latest tax rates, tax laws and rulings.
 Allows you to back up records and keep them in a safe place in case of fire or theft.
CONCLUSION
From the above based report, it can be concluded that each and every data existing
in care home organisation needs to handled properly since if it is not done accurately then
large number of issues gets created in present as well as future. Ways to handle data are
described in this assignment. For doing this, Manual and electronic information storage
systems is taken into use as this help to ensure security. Freedom of information act 2000
Disability discrimination act 1998,Codes of practice set out by the CQC and the general
social care council and Data Protection act 1998 ought to be followed by care home in order
to run their business ethically. Summary of these acts has been discussed above in this
report.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Hsu, C. C., HTC Corp, 2013. Method and apparatus of handling uplink information under
carrier aggregation in a wireless communication system. U.S. Patent 8,422,387.
Guo, Y. H., Innovative Sonic Ltd, 2012. Method and apparatus for handling scheduling
information report. U.S. Patent 8,223,708.
Katz, P. and et. al., 2011, June. System architecture for handling the information overload in
enterprise information aggregation systems. In International Conference on Business
Information Systems (pp. 148-159). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
Meyer, M. and et, al., 2014. Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system for
handling status information of data units. U.S. Patent 8,687,548.
Somasundaram, S. and et. al., 2013. Method and apparatus for handling system information
change. U.S. Patent 8,457,049.
Wu, C. H., HTC Corp, 2014. Method of handling proximity information transmission and
related communication device. U.S. Patent 8,630,642.
Schmitt, T. and Riegler, R., Cirrus Logic Inc, 2012. System and method for vertically stacked
information handling system and infrastructure enclosures. U.S. Patent 8,251,785.
Zhu, G. and et, al., 2011. System and method for powering an information handling system in
multiple power states. U.S. Patent 8,063,619.