A practical way of dealing with the access issue is the use of wallets with tamper proof seals. The department seals the file into a wallet which is placed in the records centre. The wallet could be identified by an anonymous random code known only to the department and retrieved in this way. The records centre retrieves at wallet level and returns it to the department which breaks the seal and reseals before the wallet is returned to the records centre.
This method has been successfully used by major law firms and others which have outsourced the storage of their client files to third parties. We used it in Barclays for documentation provided by customers as security for loans. The wallets are relatively inexpensive and it creates a very secure environment, if that's what the users are concerned about. Probably more secure than the office and equipment in which they are currently held...
Peter Emmerson
Peter Emmerson
Director
Emmerson Consulting Limited
47a Salisbury Road
Harpenden
Hertfordshire AL5 5AR
Phone 01582 769842
Fax 01582 761740
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-----Original Message-----
From: Jackson, Bruce [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2001 12:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Occupational Health Records
Occupational Health Records - RM Issues(with some archival overtones)
> Does anyone manage, or have you been approached to manage, occupational
> health records?
>
> Lancashire County Council's central personnel has asked Lancashire Record
> Office's Records Management Service to manage their occupational health
> records.
>
> The RMS already holds many sensitive and confidential files on behalf of
> Personnel, Social Services etc., and has service level agreements set up
> for the use of the service by outside bodies such as Coroners' Offices,
> Citizens Advice Bureaux and the Fire Service across the county, as well as
> an Adoption Agency.
>
> The problem we currently face is that the Manager of the occupational
> health team supplying the County Council with this service is concerned
> that legislation requires these records to be held under 'lock and key'
> and to only be accessed by their own medical personnel.
>
> We haven't been supplied with details of this legislation yet and would
> argue that our Record Centre is the equivalent to 'lock and key'. Any
> files requested would only be retrieved by RM staff and would be delivered
> direct to the Occupational Health Unit, all of which can be covered in a
> formal contract. However, I note that Berkshire's Social Services
> Department Handbook, produced in 1997, also indicates that records were to
> be retained only by the Occupational Support Office and to only be dealt
> with by their staff.
>
> Has anyone had any experience in this area please?
>
> Rachel Moffat
> Senior Archivist (Records Management)
Lancashire Record Office
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