DATA PROTECTION & FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

What is the difference between Data Protection & Freedom of Information? The Data Protection Act allows you to access personal information that is held about you. The Freedom of Information Act gives you the rights to see official information held by public authorities.

DATA PROTECTION The Data Protection Act allows you to see information held about you, sets out rules to make sure that this information is handled properly and allows you to get it corrected if it is wrong. Responsibility is placed on organisations that hold your personal information to comply with eight principles, which make sure that personal information is: 1. Fairly and lawfully processed 2. Processed for limited purposes 3. Adequate, relevant and not excessive 4. Accurate and up to date 5. Not kept for longer than is necessary 6. Processed in line with your rights 7. Secure 8. Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection.

DATA PROTECTION WITHIN PROTOCOL Protocol complies with the Data Protection Act which regulates personal and sensitive personal data stored on computers and held in manual records. They will hold personal information relating to you for the purpose of the administration and management of your employment and/or the company’s business. If colleagues receive an external request for personal information about themselves, colleagues or customers, this should be referred to their People Manager. You are entitled to have access to the personal information we hold about you on our system and manual files.

DATA PROTECTION WITHIN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS During learning and assessment visits our learners and their employers need to demonstrate the same principles of Data Protection, when gathering evidence for qualifications as they do in their own environments. A1.1 performance criteria states that an A1 candidate must be able to show that they know how to protect confidentiality and agree arrangements to deal with sensitive issues. When planning assessment it must be ensured that any product evidence available containing confidential company information or customer and employee personal details must be left in natural habitat and its location referred to within the portfolio. Assessors must also gain authorisation from the placement that this evidence can be referred to as an Internal Verifier or External Verifier may wish to contact the placement or learner to confirm its validity and the learners competence. Inclusion of personal or company details within a portfolio can result in a tariff being applied by an External Verifier and affect the relationship we hold with the placement. If colleagues are under any doubt as to what can or cannot be included they must gain advice before planning to gather this within the evidence.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION The Freedom of Information Act deals with access to official information, while parallel regulations deal with environmental information. The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to obtain information held by public authorities unless there are good reasons to keep it confidential. This act applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Separate legislation applies to Scottish public authorities. The Act recognises that there will be valid reasons why some kinds of information may be withheld, such as if its release would prejudice national security or damage commercial interests.

IDENTITY FRAUD Listed below are some tips to help stop your information from falling into the wrong hands:  Store in a safe place any documents carrying your personal details, such as your passport, driving licence, bank statements and utility bills  Shred or destroy personal documents you are throwing away such as bills, receipts, bank or credit card statements and other documents that show your name, address or other personal details.  If you have to post personal documents, ask the post office for advice on the more secure method.  Limit the number of documents you carry around that contain your personal details. If possible, don’t leave personal documents in your vehicle.  Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for unfamiliar transactions.

IDENTITY FRAUD  Use different passwords and PINs for different accounts and take extra care when using public computers to access your personal information.  Regularly get a copy of your personal credit file to check for any suspicious credit applications. For more information on how to do this, refer to  Always think about who you are giving your information to. Be cautious about providing any personal details to unsolicited callers by phone, fax, post, or in person, unless you are sure the person is who they say they are. If you are suspicious, ring the organisation back on an advertised number or visit their website.  Even if you know who is asking for your information, think twice before you answer their questions. If it’s not clear why they need the information, ask them or just move on to the next question.

IDENTITY FRAUD  Ensure your home computer is protected before you go online – buying a good anti-virus, firewall and anti-spam software package will protect your computer against viruses and any spyware software, which can be used to obtain your personal information.  Do not click on links to go to a website unless you can be confident it is genuine.  If you use a central or communal postal delivery point, such as in a block of flats, make sure you have a lockable postbox and collect your post as soon as possible. If your mail regularly fails to arrive, report this to Royal Mail.  If you move house, redirect all your mail and inform your bank, utility companies and other organisations of your new address.