Why hire a Data Protection Specialist?

When I am out networking, one of the questions I frequently get asked is "why do I need to hire a data protection specialist?".

There are lots of skills that an organisation is happy to buy in because they recognise that there is a need for specialist knowledge. You would always ask for legal advice when entering into a contract or lease, you obtain insurance advice as to the level of cover you require and the type of insurance that best suits your business, when implementing a new software package you would seek the advice of the software developers to ensure it meets your needs. So what stops you seeking qualified advice for your data protection compliance? 

The Data Protection Law is a complex piece of legislation and has been around for about 18 years; additionally over the years good practice guides and enhancements have been made. I have been a Data Protection Officer for about 12 years and I have studied for and gained the qualification to show that I have the skills and knowledge to provide advice to organisations.

There is lots of advice on the Information Commissioners Website (the regulator for data protection in the UK) and you can find out the basics there. If your business is complex, has more than 25 employees or holds personal information about an individuals health, well-being or criminal convictions, then you really need to get specialist advice.

A data protection specialist, like me, will look at your organisation and the information you are collecting and holding. They'll also provide tailored advice to protect the information you hold and also help you identify how to use it more efficiently. The requirements of the Data Protection Act should not be onerous as they are based on good practice for information security.

The cost of getting advice is likely be far less than any monetary cost that your organisation might suffer as a result of the loss of information, either through accidental or malicious means.

If you want to have a discussion with me about your organisation and how we can help, we offer a free initial discussion so contact us to see how we can help improve your use of the information you collect.

NHS and Data Protection - Are you using the same strategies?

I was unfortunate to have an accident recently which required a visit to two hospitals. The NHS has always been an interesting visit from a Data Protection point of view. How to preserve individuals rights under the Act whilst still conducting the services required. I was really impressed with the the advancement that has been made.

I was admitted via A+E and from the moment I arrived, I was labelled (not sure that's the right term) and given a different name so that even when staff were talking about me it wasn't obviously me as they used my code name. I quite liked being "sierra" (place in the US, rather than a Ford car). Once I was admitted, I noticed a huge change from the last time I was in hospital (back in 2003), firstly no medical notes on the end of the bed. These were kept in a cabinet accessed by the medical staff on the ward. I was also referred to by my bed number when medical staff were discussing me away from the bedside I found this quite reassuring.Obvioulsy I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life being referred to as "bed 14" but when medical staff are discussing me I was happy with it. I can see how some poeple might feel offended and to be fair to the staff they always used my name when addressing me at the bedside, so I had no problems with the situation at all.

From my experience, the NHS at this particular hospital have achieved compliance with the DPA, whilst still providing an excellent service and care for their patients. Can you say that your business is compliant with the DPA?