Jim Whitaker says:
> I would invite list members to consider the added risk of having a policy
> for staff which said "you may not use email to send personal data (unless
> both have an appropriate secure service email which patients won't
> generally) except where you hold correspondence from them saying they
> don't
> mind if you take that risk with this bit of data."
>
> I'm currently Information Governance Manager for a Trust and I would not
> contemplate such a policy; it is difficult enough operating a simple ban!
>
> Some individuals take such exception to **any** loss of personal data,
> however minor, that frankly the risk is not worth running.
I understand the practical difficulties Jim faces, but I think it's not a
very customer-friendly approach.
Some people may get upset at any loss of personal data at all, and of course
we have to take account of their concerns, too, but I would be happier with
a policy which says 'sometimes we get it wrong in one direction, and
sometimes in the other, and we're prepared to justify that on the grounds of
caring for our Data Subjects to the best of our ability', rather than the
approach which smacks of 'computer says no'.
People who get upset at a 'trivial' loss of data which results in no actual
harm can make a fuss, but have no real comeback (as members of this group
can demonstrate), while someone who failed to get information they were
entitled to because their main way of communicating was deemed unacceptable
(which was the basis of the original story) may well have a claim under the
Disability Discrimination Act.
Paul Ticher
0116 273 8191
22 Stoughton Drive North, Leicester LE5 5UB
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