Free review of care providers’ Data Security and Protection Toolkit submissions

As part of the Better Security, Better Care programme we are offering care providers the opportunity to have their Data Security and Protection Toolkit publication reviewed.

We can check your responses to questions and provide advice on what you need to do in order to improve.

It is a free, but limited service which ends in December 2021 – so get your request in as soon as possible.

How to take part

Step 1: Register with the DSPT and complete all questions for Approaching Standards as a minimum. If you want us to review any related documents, such as your policies, you will need to upload them to the DSPT. You can request the support before or after you have published your DSPT. (Find out more about Registering for the DSPT and Completing Approaching Standards).

Step 2: Email [email protected] and request a review. We will then send you the name and email address of the person who will carry out the review.

Step 3: Add the reviewer to your DSPT: We will send you information about how to do this. This will enable our reviewer to see your DSPT information, but they will not edit it in the DSPT.  Also if you want us to review any documents which you have not yet added to the DSPT, you will need to email them directly to your reviewer.

Step 4 Get your review: Once we complete the review, we will email you a bespoke report which will tell you if your organisation has provided sufficient evidence for each item and will offer advice if any evidence is missing. You don’t have to act on any of the advice, but you may choose to amend your DSPT and re/publish.

Step 4 Remove your reviewer: Once the review is complete you can remove the Digital Social Care team member from your DSPT.  Again, we will send you details about how to do that.

How we will use information from the reviews

Your review findings will not be shared with anyone else beyond the team who are carrying out the reviews. So for example, it will not be shared with commissioners or regulators.

It is not designed to be a pass/fail audit and will not affect your DSPT publication status.

We are carrying out these reviews in order to:

  1. provide support to care providers completing the DSPT
  2. see how care providers are answering questions and to understand where they may need additional support or guidance.

This will help us to make sure the Toolkit is as useable and useful for the sector as possible.

So the findings from your review will be looked at alongside all other reviews to see if there are any obvious trends or issues. The findings will be fully anonymised and turned into a report. This report will be used to inform NHSX and NHS Digital on how suitable the Toolkit is for the social care sector and will provide recommendations on any additional guidance or support that should be offered to help care providers complete the Toolkit.

If you would like any more information on this element of the review programme please contact [email protected].

 

First published 9 November 2021