Unit 2: Handle Information in Care Settings Assignment

Introduction

In health and care settings, handling information appropriately is important to maintain the safety, privacy and dignity of all included individuals. Information handling encompasses the storage, collection and sharing of both medical and personal data concerning service users, resident and patients (Handling Information in Care Settings, 2024). The report will shed light on indentifying the legislation that relates to the sharing information, storage and recording. Moreover, it will delve into describing how to access the advice, information and guidance.

Identifying the legislation which relates to the sharing information, storage and recording

Within the health and social care settings, managing or handling information effectively play a key role. This is making sure about the compliance with the ethical and compliance requirements, protecting rights of individuals and also managing the confidentiality.

• Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR: By embodying the (UK GDPR) General data protection regulation is governing overall personal data procedure (The UK Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation, 2024). This mainly sets the 7 key principles:
• Transparency, fairness and lawfulness: The information needs to be processed and gathered openly, legally.
• Purpose limitation: The information needs to be utilised for legitimate and specified purpose.
• Accountability: The organisations should focus on the compliance with the laws related to the data protection.
• Confidentiality and integrity (security): The personal information should be secured from the loss or unauthorised access.
• Storage limitation: The data must be kept more than significant period.
• Data minimisation: Only the important data must be retained and collected.
• Accuracy: The information should be kept appropriately and up to date.
• The health and social care Act 2012: The Act focuses on the significance of the accurate data sharing and maintaining confidentiality within health and social care (Health and Social Care Act 2012, 2024). This established Caldicott principles, this direct how the information of patient needs to be managed. Minimum significant information must be utilised. Everyone managing the personal data needs to understand the different responsibilities.
• Freedom of information Act 2000: Act permits the public to effectively access the held information via authorities of public, like as care and NHS organisations (Freedom of Information Act 2000, 2025). On the other hand, this does not allow access to the information personal; this can be secured under UK GDPR and DPA 2018.
• Care Act 2014: The Act involves the efficient guidelines within offering information among the care providers to offer support to the individual’s well being (Care Act 2014, 2025). This makes sure that the data is offered effectively among the agencies to manage the confidentiality.
• The Human rights Act 1998: The Human rights Act 1998’s Article 8 which secures the right of family and private life. This is meaning that the individuals can have the appropriate rights to anticipate the personal information to be managed along with the security and care (Health and Social Care Act 2012 (Article 8), 2024).

These legislations collectively making sure that the providers of the health and social care manage the high standards within safeguarding rights of individual, preventing breaches and personal data.

Explaining why it is important to have secure systems for the storing and recording information within care setting

Within health and social care, securing systems for storing and recording information are important for managing high standards, securing rights of individuals and ensuring about the privacy. By securely handing the data supports the ethical responsibilities and legal requirements with the compliance while developing the care services effectiveness.

Protecting privacy and confidentiality: The service users hand over care providers along with the sensitive and personal data, like as personal details, care plans and medical records. The secure systems reduce the unauthorised access; this is making sure that the data is accessible for those who require it. Without any kind of appropriate security, the sensitive information might be provided by the individuals who are unauthorised; this is leading to the confidentiality breaches.

Compliance with the regulatory and legal requirements: The care providers within the health and social care should comply with the major laws like as GDPR of UK and (DPA 2018) Data protection Act 2018. This mandates the appropriate personal data handling and mandates the storage securely (Peiffer-Smadja et al, 2020). Failing to align these laws might result within the different legal consequences, like as reputational damage and fines. The secure systems offer helps the organisations to avoid the major liabilities and legal obligations.

Assuring reliability and data accuracy: Record keeping accurately is important for providing the care effectively. The secure digital systems decrease chances of risk and data tampering loss, making sure that the professionals within the healthcare have access to up to date and correct data. It boosts the decision making and reduces the medical errors within the care planning.

Preventing identity fraud and theft: If the personal data mismanaged might be exploited for the activities of the fraudulent like as theft identity. The systems of secure storage, involving the restricted access and encrypted databases, help in reducing the unauthorised from details misusing for the malicious and financial purpose.

Developing professionalism and trust: The services users and also families anticipate professionalism, confidentiality from the major care providers. Applying the sure systems makes sure them that their information is managed effectively and responsibly. The information breach might lead to trust loss, negatively affecting the relationship among the service users and care providers.

Meeting professional and ethical standards: The effective healthcare professionals are mainly bounded via the ethical codes, like as (GMC) general medical council and (NMC) Nursing and Midwifery council code (Madsen et al, 2023). This focuses on the appropriate information and confidentiality management. Handling the systems and secure storage makes sure compliance with the different professional responsibilities.

Describing how to access advice, information and guidance about handling information

Handling the information effectively within the overall healthcare setting plays an important role for managing confidentiality. This makes sure about safety of patient and complying ethical and legal guidelines. The Practitioners might access the advice, information and guidance on handing the overall information via different sources. This includes the training programs, professional bodies, regulatory frameworks and organisational policies. The major guidance source is organisational procedures and policies. Each organisation of health care has major protocols tracing how to share, store, record and collect secure patient’s information. These policies lines up with the various legal requirements including (UK GDPR) Data protection Act and needs to be reviewed regularly by the practitioners.

The industry standards and government regulations offer the important information or data. Within UK, the guidance via (ICO) information commissioner’s office offers help practitioner to understand the best practice and data protection laws. The principles of Caldicott which is established by government of UK, focuses on the significance of sharing data and patient confidentiality within the overall healthcare (Doupnik et al, 2020). The professional bodies like as (HCPC) Health and care professional council. (GMC) General medical council and (NMC) Nursing and Midwifery council provide guidelines on the professional and ethical responsibilities about the handling information. These organisations offer the case studies, training materials; resources to offer help practitioners to implement the best practices within the day-to-day work.

Another support source is development and workplace training programs. The different health care’s providers provide training for the data protection to makes sure about understand how to manage the information (Henry and Fouladkhah, 2019). The effective training involves the topics like as cyber security, patient confidentiality and information governance. The refresher courses offer help to the practitioners to be up date with the technology and legal development. The practitioners might seek the effective advice from the information governance leads, (DPOs) Data protection officers and line managers in organisations. The specialize professionals within the data protection, also offer the solutions, resolve the concerns and clarify the policies for handling the secure information.

At the time of dealing with the major challenges, advisors and legal teams in the organisations of the healthcare might provide the guidance on the ethical considerations and laws of data protection. Finally, the government websites and online resources, like as platforms of NHS digital, provide the effective guidance on the protocols of information sharing, confidentiality and data security. Via accessing the different guidance sources, the health care practitioners might make sure that they manage the correct information, securing the organisational integrity and rights of patient.

Explaining what actions to take when there are concerns over the sharing information, recording

If there are reviews related the sharing, storing and recording the information within the settings of healthcare, the quick actions need to be taken to reduce the confidentiality breaches, individual’s potential harm and non compliance. The individual data should be kept securely so that the third parties who have no right to know that this don not have access to it. This involves the rectifying errors, seeking advice and reporting the concerns (Grover et al, 2020). By identifying the concerns related to the sharing, storing and recording information within the health and social care. Whenever any kind of concern occurs related to the recording information, this includes the outdated, incomplete and incorrect records. The practitioners need to initially verify the information via checking with the other documents, patient records and care plans. This is making sure that the shifts are effectively documented with the reason, time and date for alteration. Any kind of uncertainty related to the how to alter the records with the supervisor or line manager.

If any kind of issues occurs due to storing information, like as unauthorised access, paper records unsecured to the electronic files. The Healthcare practitioners should have quick steps to protect the information. The physical records need to be effectively stored within the electronic records and locked cabinets needs to be password protected. Any kinds of breaches like as unauthorised access and missing files, needs to be reported to the information governance and (DPO) Data protection officer for the resolution and investigation. The concerns related to the offering or sharing the data or information occurs when the healthcare practitioner are not sure the data needs to be disclosed. If any kind of request related to the data of patient is arriving from the external organisation and unauthorised individual. The practitioners need to have the advice before offering data or focus on the confidentiality policies. These needs to be provided only with the professionals are authorised on the procedures or need to know basis. If, major breach related to data occurs, like as sent email to the wrong person or recipient, the misplaced documents, the shared unencrypted file (Leung et al, 2023). At this moment the practitioners should be quickly report to the team of information security, DPO and line manager. Within the different cases in which the practitioners are uncomfortable in resolving the direct concerns, can utilise the process of whistle blowing to report the unsafe and misconduct practice.

Ultimately, the appropriate action and taking at the time of concerns occur, this makes sure about the compliance with the laws of data protection, information misuse, reduce the unauthorised access and secure the dignity and privacy of individuals who are receiving the care.

Keep records that are up to date, accurate, complete and legible

Managing the legible, accurate, complete and up to date records is important within the overall health and social care to makes sure about the effectiveness, well being and safety of the individual. Appropriate keeping record offers help to the healthcare practitioners to make the effective decisions, monitor the progress and track the history of patient. In order to makes sure about the up to date records, the practitioners within the health care needs to document the data ASAP after the intervention, consultation and event. The entries delays might leads to misinterpretations, missing details and errors which can negatively affect the overall care. The ongoing updates make sure that the records showcase the current status health of individuals to offer the effective support.

The records needs to be effectively done, which contains the major details, like as communication logs, observations, medication records, treatments plans and assessments. Critical information omitting might outcomes within the legal issues and inadequate care (Lorenz et al, 2019). At the time of recording the information, the healthcare practitioner must follow the appropriate and structured format, assuring about the no effective details mainly left. Accuracy is important within making sure about the appropriate treatment and reducing the medical errors. The data needs to be recorded by making use of the factual description and clear apart from the opinions or assumptions. For instance patient looked upset, states that they can be in the stress due to the pain, if any kind of issue or error arises, they needs to be effectively prepared, along with the entry originally be accurately signed and dates, visible.

The legibility mainly plays a key role, the records are whether electronic or handwritten. The handwriting which is illegible might put the individual in major risks at the time of having medication or incorrect treatment or misinterpretation. If by making use of the digital records, the healthcare practitioners must makes sure about the clear formatting, Grammar and correct spelling. The practitioners needs to comply with the laws related to the data protection like as (UK GDPR) Data protection Act 2018, this is making sure that the effective records are stored securely and also handled confidentiality. By effectively keeping the well documented, timely and accurate records, the professionals within the healthcare uphold the care’s high standards. This makes sure to offer support to the smooth decision making and regulations compliance in the teams of healthcare.

Follow the agreed ways of working for

Recording information: By recording information should focus on the working methods which are agreed within the healthcare, this is making sure about the legal compliance, accuracy and consistency. The practitioner needs to utilise the systems based on the approved documentation, whether record details, electronic and paper based within the professional, factual or objective manner. Every entry must involve the electronic credentials, signature of practitioner, time and date. The healthcare professionals’ needs to effectively avoid utilising the subjective language and jargon and apart from emphasises on the concise or clear event’s description. If any kind of additional data is needed, the healthcare practitioners needs to focus on the properly updating records, making sure about the accountability and transparency.

Storing information: Appropriate healthcare records storage is important to manage the compliance, security and confidentiality with the laws related to the data protection. The different physical records should be effectively kept along the access restriction which locked cabinets. This is making sure that this can be seen by the authorised personnel. The electronic records must be backed up, encrypted and password protected to reduce the data loss or unauthorised access. The organisations should have the effective policies of the retention, majorly how long the major or key records needs to be stored before the time of disposed securely. The services related to the confidential disposal waste must be utilised for the paper records, this needs to be utilised the methods of the secure deletion digital, this implemented to the files based on electronics. The practitioners should never leave the data which is sensitive ignored, this includes the

Sharing information: Within the healthcare sharing the data or information needs to focus on the strict guidelines which are confidentiality. The data needs to be provided only to the basis of need to know, this makes sure that the professionals who are related have the access of records. Before providing the data, the healthcare practitioners’ needs to confirm the recipient should have the access which is authorised. For the communication verbally, the patient’s discussion needs to take place alone or private to reduce the chances of overhearing by the unauthorised individuals (Tomicki et al, 2023). At the time of offering electronic data, the practitioner needs to utilise the documents which are password protected, encryption tools and secure email systems. If sharing the data through post, this needs to be marked and sealed as the part of confidentiality. Within the different cases in which the individuals access the request to the data or records, the healthcare practitioner needs to focus on the organisational processes and laws of the data protection. This helps in making sure that the personal data is offered securely and appropriately. If any kind of uncertainty related to the offering the information which is sensitive, the practitioner needs to seek the guidance via the legal advisors, DPOs and supervisors before proceeding.

By aligning to the working’s agreed methods for the sharing information, storing and recording, practitioners make sure about the ethical and legal standards, confidentiality and data accuracy, mainly developing the trust and safety of patient.

Conclusion

Conclusively, it states that the appropriate information handling plays a key role within the healthcare setting which makes sure about the legal standards, confidentiality and safety of patient. By managing the legible, complete, up to date and accurate records offer help to the practitioners offer the coordinated and effective care while reducing the chances of errors. Following the working ways for the sharing, storing and recording data makes sure to secure the rights of individuals and data security. The confidentiality needs to be effectively upheld, along with the offered data only with the basis of need to know and via the channels which are secure. When the different concerns occur related to the handling information, the practitioners needs to seek the guidance and organisation policies to reduce the chances of breaches. By aligning to the professional standards, laws of data protection and best practice, the practitioners boost the high quality, effective care. The regular training plays a major role within the managing security and integrity of the records within the healthcare.

Struggling to structure complex healthcare topics like data protection and confidentiality? Native Assignment Help offers expert Assignment Help for health and social care students in the UK, ensuring well-researched, plagiarism-free content aligned with academic standards. Our specialists support you with legislation-based assignments, reflective writing, and evidence-backed reports to boost your grades.

References

Books and Journals

Doupnik, S.K., Rudd, B., Schmutte, T., Worsley, D., Bowden, C.F., McCarthy, E., Eggan, E., Bridge, J.A. and Marcus, S.C., 2020. Association of suicide prevention interventions with subsequent suicide attempts, linkage to follow-up care, and depression symptoms for acute care settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 77(10), pp.1021-1030.

Grover, S., Sarkar, S. and Gupta, R., 2020. Data handling for e-mental health professionals. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 42(5_suppl), pp.85S-91S.

Henry, M. and Fouladkhah, A., 2019. Outbreak history, biofilm formation, and preventive measures for control of Cronobacter sakazakii in infant formula and infant care settings. Microorganisms, 7(3), p.77.

Leung, L.J., Lee, J.K., Merchant, S.A., Jensen, C.D., Alam, A. and Corley, D.A., 2023. Post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer etiologies in a large integrated US health care setting. Gastroenterology, 164(3), pp.470-472.

Lorenz, K., Freddolino, P.P., Comas-Herrera, A., Knapp, M. and Damant, J., 2019. Technology-based tools and services for people with dementia and carers: Mapping technology onto the dementia care pathway. Dementia, 18(2), pp.725-741.

Madsen, M.D., Cedergreen, P., Nielsen, J. and Østergaard, D., 2023. Healthcare professionals’ perception of their working environment and how to handle mental strain. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 67(7), pp.979-986.

Peiffer-Smadja, N., Lucet, J.C., Bendjelloul, G., Bouadma, L., Gerard, S., Choquet, C., Jacques, S., Khalil, A., Maisani, P., Casalino, E. and Descamps, D., 2020. Challenges and issues about organizing a hospital to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak: experience from a French reference centre. Clinical microbiology and infection, 26(6), pp.669-672.

Tomicki, C., Rech, C.R., Konrad, L.M., Bezerra, J.B., Grontowski, C.R., Schwingel, A., dos Santos Lopes, A.A., Manta, S.W. and Benedetti, T.B., 2023. Adoption of an intervention to promote physical activity and healthy eating in brazilian health care settings. Revista Argentina de Ciencias del Comportamiento (RACC), 15(1), pp.35-45.

Online

Care Act 2014, 2025. Online. Available through <https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/contents>

Freedom of Information Act 2000, 2025. Online. Available through https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/contents

Handling Information in Care Settings, 2024. Online. Available through https://cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/care/handling-information-care-settings

Health and Social Care Act 2012 (Article 8), 2024. Online. Available through <https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/schedule/1/part/I/chapter/7

Health and Social Care Act 2012, 2024. Online. Available through https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/7/contents

The UK Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation, 2024. Online. Available through https://www.itgovernance.co.uk/dpa-2018#:~:text=The%20Data%20Protection%20Act%202018,data%20erased%20in%20certain%20circumstances