December 5th 2024
Care providers can now access abbreviated guidance on managing, retaining and disposing of records.
The guide, published by Digital Care Hub, provides guidance on how to keep records, including how long to keep different types of records. It is an abbreviated version of the Records Management Code of Practice – A guide to the management of health and care records.
The Code is relevant to organisations working within, or under contract to, the NHS in England. The Code also applies to adult social care commissioned or delivered by local authorities, and the Care Quality Commission also refers to the Code.
Speaking about the new guide, Daniel O’Shaughnessy, Head of Programme Delivery at Digital Care Hub said:
“Records are at the heart of high-quality care. Accurate care records ensure that staff have the right information to make informed decisions about the people they support. Properly managed organisational records—ranging from staff files to financial records—help organisations operate smoothly and withstand audits or legal challenges.
“The consequences of poor records management can be serious, from data breaches that harm individuals to reputational damage that undermines trust. We know it can be challenging for care providers to work through their obligations and best practice. We hope this abbreviated guide will give them the knowledge and confidence they need to get it right.”
The guidelines in the abbreviated Code apply to adult social care records, regardless of the media on which the records are held. Usually these records will be on paper or digital. This includes:
- care records of adults who receive social care support
- jointly held records
- records held as part of a Shared Care Records programme
- staff records
- complaints records
- corporate records – administrative records relating to all functions of the organisation.
The guide covers:
- Records management obligations: All care employees are responsible for managing records appropriately. Care professionals also have professional responsibilities. Each organisation should also have a policy statement on records management.
- Format of records: This section provides advice on managing certain formats of records, for example, emails, cloud-based records and scanned records.
- Records storage for operational use: The Code contains detailed instructions on how to design a record keeping system for the type of records managed. For social care providers its useful to consider the management of paper and digital records – including records stored off-site.
- Management of records when the minimum retention period is reached An appraisal should be carried out to decide what to do with records once their business need has ceased and the minimum retention period has been reached. There will be one of three outcomes from appraisal:
- destroy or delete
- continued retention – this will require justification and documented reasons
- permanent preservation
- Retention schedules: Appendix 1 outlines the retention requirements and schedule for care records, corporate governance communications, staff records and occupational health, procurement, estates, finance and legal, complaints and information rights.
- How to deal with specific types of records: Appendix 2 provides detailed advice on records management relating to specific types of records including audio visual records; contract changes, evidence for court, and staff records.
Visit Records management – Abbreviated Code of Practice and guidance for adult social care
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