Resources » Latest Blogs
May 24, 2023

Digital social care records ensure data is captured at the point of care and can be shared between care settings, but have you completed the Data Security Protection Toolkit (DSPT)?

Data Security Protection Toolkit: Everything you need to know 

As national policy moves towards digital systems and wider information sharing, care providers must know how to protect and safely share the data they hold. 

What is the Data Security Protection Toolkit?

The Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) is a helpful online annual self-assessment for health and care organisations. 

As a care provider, the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (covering both paper and digital records) shows you how to keep people’s information safe, protect your business from a data breach or a cyber-attack, and help to reassure everyone that you take data security seriously.

All organisations must complete the assessment in order to access NHS patient data and systems, and all CQC-registered care providers should complete the DSPT at least once a year. 

Why do care providers have to complete the DSPT?

Care providers store and share important and often sensitive information, including data about the people they support, their families and carers, staff, partners and funders. To share and store that information (on paper or digitally), all care providers must have systems in place to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and information breaches. 

All organisations that process health and/or care data should complete the DSPT. If you don't, your business and reputation could be at risk, and you could be breaking the data protection law. 

The Data Security and Protection Toolkit helps you to check your data, cyber security, policies, procedures and practices. Furthermore, it demonstrates that you have good systems in place that lower the risk of a data breach and the risk of a fine if a breach occurs, as you will be able to show the Information Commissioner's Office the steps you were taking to reduce and manage risks. 

What measures does Person Centred Software take to ensure good data and cyber security?

Person Centred Software is committed to delivering a high standard of data security to help ensure personal records and sensitive information held in the Digital Social Care Record System are kept secure and protected on a robust platform.

Person Centred Software is NHS DSP-T certified, which verifies we use the Data Security and Protection Toolkit provided by the NHS to ensure we are handling personal patient information correctly and demonstrating good data security measures are in place. All staff at Person Centred Software also undergo yearly NHS Digital Data Security Awareness training to ensure that everyone in the organisation understands the importance of Data Security, that confidential data is stored and handled appropriately and that everyone understands their obligations to ensure sensitive information is safe and to avoid data breaches. 
 
How to complete the DSPT?

You may feel confident completing the DSPT yourself - but if you need help, you can access free support from the Better Security, Better Care programme, where teams of Local Support Partners across England provide direct support and advice.

The Better Security, Better Care programme covers paper and digital records and focuses on helping care providers to complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit. 

Please click here for more information on the Data Security and Protection Toolkit.

 

May 24, 2023

Other Blogs