RE: Re: Data protection?

[Guest guest]

Hi , sorry to ask you as NIMH officer again: what is the recommended time

to keep patient records?

I have heard that we have to keep records up to seven years: what is the NIMH

recommendation?

Thanks, Marilena.

To: ukherbal-list

From: laura.stannard@...

Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:27:37 +0000

Subject: Re: Data protection?

Hi Helen

If I can now step back into just being herbalist and not NIMH VP

for the following commentBelow info is on the ICO website.Basically it

means you or I have to do all we can to make sure we keep personal data

safe. e.g lock your patient records away. As long as we do all we can we

are complying with the Act.

The cynic in me agrees with - a means of making money. (That is

not an official NIMH line but most definitely me speaking, but I'm no

different to anyone else and have to comply - no different to having to

have car insurance or MOT).

best wishes

What is the Data Protection Act?

The Data Protection Act applies to personal information and ensures that

it is handled properly...

Personal information is information about you. It can be your name,

address or telephone number. It can be the type of job you do, the

things you buy and the place you went to school.

The Act works in two ways. Firstly, it helps to protect your interests

by obliging organisations to manage the information they hold in a

proper way. It states that anyone who processes personal information

must comply with eight principles, which make sure that it is:

* fairly and lawfully processed;

* processed for limited purposes;

* adequate, relevant and not excessive;

* accurate and up to date;

* not kept for longer than is necessary;

* processed in line with your rights;

* secure; and

* not transferred to other countries without adequate protection.