2. Welcome
In this part of the webinar we will explore in detail how the Data Protection Act
applies to us all in Civil Defence.
When working through this section think of situations where you may:
collect and manage personnel information about fellow volunteers and /or
members of the public
how you record and store this information in a secure way
how long you keep this information for
and are you retaining the information for longer than is necessary
3. What is Data Protection
Think about the different information we provide about ourselves to groups such as public
bodies, banks, insurance companies and medical professionals so as to access their services or
meet certain entry conditions. Often this information is private and personal to ourselves and we
would not like to be available for any random person to see.
• We have just seen in the video My Data Your Business how organisations are expected to
follow the eight rules.
• Civil Defence are likewise required to follow the 8 rules of the Data Protection Acts in all
aspects of it activities at national and local level.
• When personal information is given to an organisation such as Civil Defence or its volunteers,
we all have a duty to keep this information private and secure from unauthorised access.
5. The Eight Rules of Data Protection
Lets remind ourselves of the eight rules of data protection which apply to the
Civil Defence. They are to
• Obtain and process the information fairly
• Keep it only for one or more specified and
lawful purposes
• Process it only in ways compatible with the
purposes for which it was given to you initially
• Keep it safe and secure
• Keep it accurate and up-to-date
• Ensure that it is adequate, relevant and not excessive
• Retain it no longer than is necessary for the specified purpose or purposes
• Give a copy of his/her personal data on request.
6. When does Data Protection Apply in Civil Defence?…….
When information about one or more persons is collected and:
• held on a computer;
• held on paper or other manual form as part
of a filing system; and
• made up of photographs and/or audio visual recordings
which may identity one or more individuals.
Data Protection in the Civil Defence
7. I am a volunteer………
How is this relevant to me?
• If you collect information in your role as a
member of the Civil Defence, you are
required to comply with the 8 rules of the
Data Protection Act.
• The extent to which the eight rules of
Data Protection apply will vary from situation
to situation however an awareness of each
will ensure you avoid accidentally breaching
one or more of the 8 Rules.
8. Data Protection in the Civil Defence
Lets look at some examples where we collect data in the Civil Defence….
Lets explore each of the above a little further………..
Members take photo’s / videos of
events for training , social and
promotional use.
9. Civil Defence College retains personal data on service and student training, it is
required to comply with all 8 rules of the Data Protection Acts. It complies with these
requirements by using the following tools:
• Volunteer Register
• Secure on-site storage
• PHECC Clinical Record Management Guidelines Policy
10. • Collect and store information on volunteers such as service records and contact
details
• Record activities undertaken by volunteers within their respective Civil Defence area
• Responsible for ensuring the Volunteer Register contains information about members
which is accurate, up-to-date and necessary for the management of Civil Defence at a
local and national level.
11. • Collect basic information on training participants
and overall performance during and after training
• Ensure training records are accurate and relevant
• Retain training records in a secure manner
• Submits training records to the CDO for inclusion
on the Volunteer Register.
12. The Civil Defence College adhere to the PHECC Clinical Record Management
Guidelines.
If you are involved in the Casualty Service the following applies to you…….
PHECC state: “Accurate recording and knowledge of the whereabouts of all records is
essential if the information they contain is to be located quickly and
efficiently.
One of the main reasons why records get misplaced or lost is because the
destination is not recorded. The quality of records maintained by pre-hospital
emergency care practitioners and responders is a reflection of the quality of care
provided by them to their patients. Pre-hospital emergency care practitioners and
responders are legally accountable for the standard of practice which they deliver
and to which they contribute. Good practice in record management is an integral
part of quality pre-hospital care.”
13. Types of reports covered in the PHECC Clinical Record Management
guidelines include:
The following is a summary of the report types:
• Patient Care Report – paper copy (PCR)
•Ambulance Care Report(ACR)
• Cardiac First Response Report (CFR Report)
• Other images/photographs
Ref: Clinical Record Management Guidelines – PHECC (Nass, 2010) p3
(Download a copy from HERE )
14. PHECC further state…..
• All reports are confidential patient information and must
be treated as such.
• Practitioners and responders should ensure that patient
reports cannot be viewed or accessed inappropriately.
15. In practice: There’s an emergency……..
• The Data Protection Office stated that ‘If patient details are urgently needed to
prevent injury or other damage to the health of a person, then you may disclose
the details. Section 8(d) of the Act makes special provision for such disclosures’.
However; ‘if the reason for the disclosure is not urgent, then you will need to
obtain consent in advance’ from the patient.
What if I need to disclose
patient data, and I don't
have the time to obtain
consent?
The principle of “need to
know” applies in this case
16. Legal considerations for Clinical Records
Patient care can come under scrutiny where any unexpected outcome arises. It is important
therefore to ensure you make a record of all interventions with a patient. The CFRR, PCR & ACR
forms are there to give you an opportunity to record your appraisal and treatment of a patient.
These records maybe called upon at a later date. It is therefore important you recognise that:
• All patient reports are legal documents.
• There is no limit to the range of records that may be required to aid the
legal process.
• Healthcare records should be retained as long as there is a possibility of legal
action being taken by the patient or on behalf of the patient.
• Remember to always submit your CFRR, PCR or ACR to your CDO. Your CDO will
in turn lodge the documentation by hand with the Civil Defence College for
storage and subsequent retrieval on request.
17. • Record and collect information about their activities so as to prevent / report an
incident with a volunteer or member of the public
• Record information to ensure that the Food Safety Authority of Ireland is satisfied
that the Welfare Service is complying with food handling, preparation and storage
requirements.
• That members of the Welfare Service have received the required training.
18. Some points to consider:
• Not everyone is comfortable to have their image / recording used
• It is best to avoid using a persons image / recording without their
consent
• When the subject is a child (under 18) parental consent must be sought
• Before circulating /publishing an image check back with the person /
parent to confirm they are happy with the context in which it will be
portrayed
• A person may request their image/ recording be removed. Do so if asked
• The internet is a powerful and positive communication tool. It is also
largely unregulated in how users interact with content. Reflect on what
message the content is projecting, can be taken out of context & what
control do you have over how the material is used once it is published?
19. • Obtain and process the information fairly
• Keep it only for one or more specified and lawful purposes
• Process it only in ways compatible with the purposes for which it was given to you
initially
• Keep it safe and secure
• Keep it accurate and up-to-date
• Ensure that it is adequate, relevant and not excessive
• Retain it no longer than is necessary for the specified purpose or purposes
• Give a copy of his/her personal data to any individual, on request.
20. • We have looked at the 8 rules of Data Protection
• Considered how these rules might apply in a number of Civil Defence services
• Importance of sensitivity to fellow volunteers and members of the public
• The importance of record accuracy and retention
• Using the PHECC record management guidelines for CFRR, PCR & ACR
• Legal considerations
• Imagery, its context and acceptable usage
Lets now move to the next web page.
