Good Practice in Handling Information Essay

Promote good practice in handling information in health and social care setting Outcome 1 Understand requirements for handling information in health and social care settings 1. Identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling information in health and social care. OUTCOME 1 1. Identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling information in health and social care. All of the staff need to make sure that confidentiality is paramount. Staff have to read and understand the Data Protection Act of 1998. We have to make sure that we are clear about our standards of conduct, that we are expected to meet. We are encouraged to use the codes of conduct to maintain our own practice is good and we need to look at any area’s where we can improve on. When it comes to Medication, staff have to make sure that all stock is listed on the MAR sheet. The Human Rights Act 1998 details the right to a private life. There is also the GSCC code of practice for social care workers, which provides a clear guide for all those who work in social work, setting out the standards of practice and conduct workers and their employers should meet with regards the handling of information. There is also Caldecott standards which govern the sharing of information based on the Data protection Act. 2. Summarise the main points of legal requirements and codes of practice for handling information in health and social care. DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998 This legal document sets out eight principles which are in essence a code of good practice for processing personal data. These are * Make sure that  things are processed fairly and lawfully. * Processed only for one or more specified and lawful purpose. * Adequate, relevant and not excessive for those purposes. * Accurate and kept up to date – data subjects have the right to have inaccurate personal data corrected or destroyed if the personal information is inaccurate to any matter of fact. * Kept for no longer than is necessary for the purposes it is being processed. * Processed in line with the rights of individuals – this includes the right to be informed of all the information held about them, to prevent processing of their personal information for marketing purposes, and to compensation if they can prove they have been damaged by a data controller’s non-compliance with the Act. * Secured against accidental loss, destruction or damage and against unauthorised or unlawful processing – this applies to you even if your business uses a third party to process personal information on your behalf. * Not transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area – the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein – that do not have adequate protection for individuals’ personal information, unless a condition from Schedule four of the Act can be met. Question 2 – Emma’s Pointer When a new resident is admitted, then they need to have a new care plan. The care plan will show all the medication that they are currently on. If they have any allergies to anything. All personal clothing and possessions are listed. We list how much money they have, if it is over  £20.00 then we take it to the office for safety reasons. Where it is documenated for the resident. 1.2 Emma We have to always make sure that we respect confidential information and clearly explain to any angency workers about policies relating to confidnentialy to both residents and carers. 2. Emma’s pointer Smart sheet does not go up to Handout 6 !!! When maintaining records, you need to record residents : Medication and any changes to their medication Doctor’s visit’s or any other professional bodies Contact with the family Any falls that have occurred Body mapping Any illnesse’s need to be recorded Daily notes need to updated how residents have been during the day and also during the night. Emma’s pointer Question 3 Should there be an incident at work then staff need to make sure that they fill out the relevant paperwork, i.e. if there was an accident on the premises then they need to fill out the an accident form, if there are any injuries sustatained to a resident then a 24 hour observation chart needs to be started.