Information Governance is an important part of ongoing CQC assessment. IG should be built-in to the daily working routine of your business, follow these simple tips to make sure that IG does not let you down during your next CQC inspection ...

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2. How to ensure your organisation is Information Governance compliant
What is Information Governance?
Information Governance is the framework of standards for health services that requires personal
information to be stored and managed securely, legally and accurately.
It is about finding the right balance between extracting value from information and reducing the
potential risk of that information.
The following looks at how to ensure your organisation meets the expected standards for handling
personal information.

3. Information Governance Toolkit (IGT)
The first step to having an Information Governance policy is to access the Information Governance
Toolkit (IGT) at www.igt.hscic.gov.uk
The IGT is an online system that allows NHS organisations to carry out a self-assessment in line with
the Department of Health Information Governance policies and standards.
The requirements in the toolkit vary depending on the type of organisation, however all
organisations must generally carry out assessments against standards for:
• Management structures and responsibilities
• Confidentiality and data protection
• Information security

4. Submitting your evidence
The evidence of meeting standards needs to be submitted in the first instance and on an annual
basis thereafter.
Failing to complete a IGT submission could result in a breach of data security.
Information Governance demands high ethical and quality standards when it comes to handling
personal data, so your organisation needs to show continued compliance with the IGT.
This should initially involve carrying out an Information Governance audit which provides at least a
Level 2 compliance rating, considered satisfactory.

5. Your audit for compliance
An audit for compliance would ideally cover the following areas:
• Handling personal information
• Transfer of personal information
• IT access procedures
• Mobile working
• New processes and procedures
• IG training completeness
• Freedom of Information or subject access request procedures
• Data collection and validation

6. Resources and support
Meeting the required standards means looking at procedures, controls and structures within the
current organisation setup.
This may take up a lot of your time outside of the normal work routine, so consider:
• Support and training on many of the issues to ensure all areas are covered.
• Studying the codes of practice for handling information, including Records Management and
Information Security Management.
• Reading guidance on the standards and regulations, such as on the Information Governance
Alliance (IGA) website https://digital.nhs.uk/information-governance-alliance

7. Remember the purpose
It is advisable never to lose sight of the purpose for carrying out these assessments and why it is
important.
The ultimate goal for your team of health care professionals should be to maintain confidence that
the public can depend on their personal data being handled securely.
It is also important to only use personal information as absolutely necessary to improve the quality
of everyday health care.