In 2005 an elected body was created, made up of Caldicott Guardians from organisations involved in the provision of health and social care services in the UK. It was set up to facilitate the sharing of good confidentiality practice and the promotion of a national approach to confidentiality and information sharing.
This extended to the appointment of guardians into councils with social services responsibilities to:
- make sure that personal information about those who use services, is used legally, ethically and appropriately, and confidentiality is maintained.
- provide leadership and informed guidance on complex matters involving confidentiality and information sharing.
Our role within Leicestershire County Council
A Caldicott Guardian’s main concern is information relating to you (and your care), but the need for confidentiality may extend to your relatives, our staff and others.
Our Caldicott Guardians aim is to play a key role in:
- ensuring we satisfy the highest practical standards for handling personal-identifiable information.
- applying the 8 Caldicott Principles wisely, using common sense and an understanding of the law.
- striving to be compassionate and courageous, recognising that our decisions will affect real people – some of whom we may never meet.
The importance of the Caldicott Guardian acting as ‘the conscience of the organisation’ remains central to trusting the impartiality and independence of their advice.
The 8 Caldicott Principles
The Caldicott principles apply to the use of confidential information within health and social care. They must be followed when information is shared with other organisations, and between individuals (both for individual care and for other purposes).
The Principles:
- Justify the purpose(s) for using confidential information.
- Use confidential information only when it is necessary.
- Use the minimum necessary confidential information.
- Access to confidential information should be on a strict need-to-know basis.
- Everyone with access to confidential information should be aware of their responsibilities.
- Comply with the law.
- The duty to share information for individual care is as important as the duty to protect patient confidentiality.
- Inform patients and service users about how their confidential information is used.
Registered Caldicott Guardians
- Adrian Allen – Assistant Director, Public Health
- Sharon Cooke – Assistant Director, Children and Family Services
- Inderjit Lahal – Assistant Director, Adults and Communities