Recommendations

What could be done as a result of what people said to this project.

How to find out how well care services look after information

Most people said that how a care service looks after their information would influence their choice of service in future.

26 out of 30 people said they would like care services to display a quality mark for their data protection and cyber security.

When told about the Data Security and Protection Toolkit, people felt it would be good to know if a care service had reached a good standard on the DSPT.

Things that could be done

1. The DSPT website could be redesigned to include a page designed specifically to help members of the public find out which care services has the DSPT in place
2. A badge or logo could be introduced which care services who have completed the DSPT could display on their website, in their buildings, in email signatures or letters.
3. The new DSPT website page and the badge / logo could be publicised to members of the public.
4. When local councils, health services, charities and advice services are talking to people about how to choose a care service, they could highlight the DSPT and how to find out about it.

What care services tell the people they support and family members about the personal information they keep

There is a legal requirement for organisations to tell people what personal information they keep about them, what they do with it and who they might share it with.

This is usually done by writing a Privacy Notice. This is a well-known legal requirement, and most care services probably have one.

However, often Privacy Notices are long and detailed and written in legal language. Most people do not read them, and if they do, they struggle to understand the technical language that they often use.

Some care organisations also produce a short summary of their Privacy Notice, written in language that is easier to understand. Some organisations also produce a summary using Easy Read. (Easy Read means having pictures alongside the words to help explain what is being said.)

This project suggests that it would be a good idea for more organisations to do this.

Things that could be done

1. An example of a short, easy to understand Privacy Notice could be produced and published on the Digital Social Care website.
2. Care organisations could be encouraged to use the example to produce a summary Privacy Notice for their own organisation, in the best format for the people they support.
3. Guidance for care services about how they look after personal information could say that they should find ways to make the contents of their Privacy Notice accessible for the people they support and for family members.
4. The requirement in the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) for care services to have a Privacy Notice could be extended to say that they should find ways to make the contents of their Privacy Notice accessible for the people they support and family members.