Precious commodities

Information about our healthcare, financial and personal lives are precious commodities, which opportunist criminals look for, so we are wise to take careful security steps. In the same way every patient is well aware of the risks should their information fall into the wrong hands and they look for reassurance that the practices has robust measures are in place to protect their data. Dental teams must be aware of their responsibilities to safeguard patient's information and take every opportunity to demonstrate to patients how seriously they take the observation of Information Governance good practice.

In December 1997, the Caldicott Report highlighted areas of concern linked to weaknesses in the way NHS organisations handled patient's confidential information. To address these areas of weakness the Caldicott report determined the need to set standards for the maintenance of full and accurate care records and for those records to be kept confidential, secure and accurate. This report if the basis of current of IG objectives formed by regulation to ensure information about patients is used solely in ways that respect patient's rights and promote health and wellbeing.