Services

Information Governance

Within a healthcare context, Information Governance (IG) is concerned with the way NHS Organisations process or handle information. It covers personal information, i.e., that information relating to patients/service users, employees and corporate information, e.g. patient records, financial and accounting records.

The central basis for representing the key principles for the effective use and management of information consider that information must be held securely and confidentially. It must be obtained fairly and efficiently and recorded accurately and reliably. It should be used effectively and ethically with due legal regard paid when appropriately sharing information.

The Information Governance Lifecycle

The IG assurance process has been developed to make sure that a comprehensive IG submission is made via the Toolkit and to indicate that the practice is adhering to professionally resilient Information Governance principals.

A typical approach would include:-

• Obtain organisation IG details and current IG evidence status
• Where required, customise generic templates with client information ready for DSP toolkit submission
• Gain approval from Board/ Senior Management / Partners and submit evidence
• Obtain IG Statement of compliance
• Monitor IG action plan and report on progress to senior Practice management
• Prepare for next annual submission of Practice IG Toolkit