Newsletter: May 2024
Dear Caldicott Guardians,
As we enter the last month of spring, we want to share some updates to keep you informed and support your work.
In particular, we wanted to take a moment to remind you about our upcoming annual Caldicott Guardian conference on Tuesday 21 May 2024. We have a limited number of discounted places available; use the promotional code HCUK100ukcgc at checkout. You can join us in person in London or attend virtually – reserve your spot while spaces last!
Additionally, we are offering free evening classes covering a range of exciting topics relevant to your role. Be sure to also check out the latest news items, which we hope you find helpful.
As always, we are grateful for all the work you do. Please do reach out to us if you have any comments or feedback, or topics that you would like to hear more about.
Dr Arjun Dhillon - UKCGC Chair
Dr George Fernie - UKCGC Vice-Chair
UKCGC events and learning opportunities
Caldicott Guardian National Annual Conference 2024
This year, we are sponsoring the Healthcare Conferences UK’s annual national Caldicott Guardian conference, which is taking place in London (or online) on Tuesday 21 May 2024.
The event brings together Caldicott Guardians to understand current issues, the national context, and debate and discuss issues they face in practice. We have an exciting programme of speakers including the National Data Guardian, Dr Nicola Byrne, and some stimulating topics including the Federated Data Platform (FDP), updates from the four nations, patient perspectives, and artificial intelligence. Find out here what else is on the programme.
There are still some discounted rate tickets (£100) available if you use the promotional code HCUK100ukcgc at the checkout (on the second page of the online booking form). Please note that discounts are not valid in conjunction with any other offer from the HC-UK Conferences group (including the credit card discount) and are for new bookings only. HC-UK is unable to offer refunds on booked places.
Caldicott Guardian evening classes
The UKCGC runs a series of free, online evening classes (17:30-18:30) for Caldicott Guardians and those performing the Caldicott function for their organisation. The classes aim to spread good practice and share ideas for practical implementation.
Thursday, 16 May 2024 - An introduction to DPIAs for Caldicott Guardians
Tuesday, 11 June 2024 - Information sharing to safeguard children & young people. How can CGs help?
Tuesday, 16 July 2024 - Maintaining Confidentiality after death: the role of the CG
Monday, 12 August 2024 - Information sharing with the police: a simple overview
Tuesday, 03 September 2024 - Recording considerations: recordkeeping for CGs
Tuesday, 08 October 2024 - Legal framework: a simple overview for CGs
Wednesday, 06 November 2024 - An introduction to DPIAs for Caldicott Guardians
Tuesday, 03 December 2024 - Ideas for networking and support for Caldicott Guardians
Those wishing to attend should contact helen.dyer10@nhs.net.
Further information and updates can be found here.
UKCGC Breakfast Club
This monthly breakfast club is held virtually via MS Teams and can include relevant news updates, an opportunity to network with other Caldicott Guardians, case studies and the chance to ask questions you may be facing as a Caldicott Guardian. The 2024 breakfast club dates can be found here.
Those wishing to attend should contact helen.dyer10@nhs.net.
Sector news relevant to Caldicott Guardians
National Medical Examiner System
On 15 April 2024 the government announced the Death Certification reforms, which will come into force on 9 September 2024. This new statutory medical examiner system is being rolled out across England and Wales to provide independent scrutiny of deaths, and to give bereaved people a voice. From 9 September 2024 all deaths in any health setting that are not investigated by a coroner will be reviewed by NHS medical examiners.
National Data Guardian’s Annual Report 2022-23
The National Data Guardian has published her annual report for 2022-23. The report provides an account of work carried out by National Data Guardian, Dr Nicola Byrne, her support team (the Office of the National Data Guardian), and her panel of advisors during the financial period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. It also sets out the National Data Guardian’s priority work areas for 2023-2024.
Information Commissioner’s response to the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill
The Data Protection and Digital Information (DPDI) Bill was first introduced during the 2022-23 parliamentary session. The DPDI bill aims to reform data protection and information governance laws, making them more adaptable to the digital age while maintaining high standards of data protection. The bill has now been carried over to the 2023-24 parliamentary session.
In March 2024, the Information Commissioner published an updated opinion on the latest Government amendments to the bill.
ICO Campaign Promotes Data Sharing to Safeguard Children
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a 'Think. Check. Share.' campaign to raise awareness about responsible data sharing and safeguarding children from harm. By working with education, law enforcement, and social service organisations, the ICO emphasises how data protection laws enable safe, lawful sharing of personal information to protect children and young people. The campaign includes free resources such as toolkits and a 10-step-guide, aiming to support frontline staff and enhance safeguarding practices across sectors.
BMA Publishes New Core Ethics Guidance
The British Medical Association (BMA) has launched a comprehensive resource for doctors and medical students, offering core ethics guidance on topics such as consent, mental capacity, confidentiality, and the doctor-patient relationship. The resource provides legal principles and good practice standards with links to additional guidance from reputable organisations. While not a set of rules, the resource aims to help healthcare professionals reflect on ethical questions and make informed decisions.
Helpful resources
NHS Information Governance portal
If you haven’t already, it is worth visiting the NHS Information Governance portal as a source of quality advice and helpful resources. It provides guidance on topics such as sharing information with the police and other issues pertinent to Caldicott Guardians.
Understanding Patient Data
Understanding Patient Data provides research and resources for anyone who wants clear, jargon-free explanations of how patient data is used. If you need to talk with colleagues and patients about data, their products will help you to do this.
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