Origo Cornwall Ltd

Confidentiality Policy

SEPTEMBER 2007

Reviewed September 2008

REVIEWED SEPTEMBER 2009

To be reviewed September 2010

INTRODUCTION

All employees and volunteers are required to abide by Origo Cornwall Ltd (Origo hereafter)’s Confidentiality Policy.

You must keep all information (regarding service users of Origo) given to you or created by you during your employment or volunteer work with Origo confidential at all times while you are an employee or a volunteer and after your employment or volunteer work ends.

Information of a personal and private nature will be treated sensitively and remain confidential within Origo .  This means that the information will not be given to anyone outside the Origowithout the permission of those to whom it relates.  All notes, records of meetings relating to service users of Origo etc. will be kept on files, marked “Private and Confidential”, which will be securely stored.  The files will only be accessed by those members of Origo’s staff authorised to do so.

Origo workers may discuss information regarding clients within supervision. However this will be in relation to issues that the worker may need support with. In supervision the client will be referred to on written record by initials. These supervision notes will be kept in a locked cabinet and destroyed at the time of personnel records being destroyed see Data Protection Policy.

No information gathered for monitoring or evaluation of our work will identify individual cases.

1 PROCEDURE

1.1        PERSONAL AND PRIVATE INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES SHOULD BE TREATED SENSITIVELY AND ONLY SHARED ON A “NEED TO KNOW” BASIS WITHIN THE ORGANISATION.

1.2        FILES CONTAINING PERSONAL INFORMATION SHOULD BE MARKED “PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL” AND SHOULD NOT BE LEFT OPEN AND UNATTENDED IN THE OFFICE AND SHOULD BE PUT AWAY SECURELY OVERNIGHT.

1.3        PERSONAL INFORMATION SHOULD NOT BE STORED ON DISC. WHERE POSSIBLE ALL CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED FROM LAPTOPS TO MAIN COMPUTER OR SERVER

1.4        UNLESS THERE ARE EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, INFORMATION SHOULD ONLY BE SHARED WITH OUTSIDE AGENCIES WITH THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL(S) CONCERNED.

1.5        IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES THERE MAY BE A NEED TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH OUTSIDE AGENCIES, BUT ONLY WITH THE PRIOR PERMISSION OF THE PEOPLE CONCERNED. IF THIS IS LIKELY, THOSE CONCERNED SHOULD BE ADVISED AT THE OUTSET. SEE 1.6 BELOW - PROCEDURE FOR BREAKING CONFIDENTIALITY.

1.6        ONLY IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING, SHOULD CONFIDENTIALITY BE BROKEN:

·      a threat to life

·      physical, sexual, financial or other abuse to or by another person (adult or child)

·      a health and safety risk to other people in the workplace

·      a disclosure required by law or a court order.

2       PROCEDURE FOR BREAKING CONFIDENTIALITY

Because breaking confidentiality is a serious matter, the following procedure should ideally be followed prior to disclosure.

If, in any discussion, information is being given which the Origo employee/volunteer believes may have to be shared with other Agencies:-

they should stop the conversation; 

explain that such information and any further detail that might be forthcoming, could require them to pass it on to outside agencies;  

proceed if the informant gives permission  under those conditions, confirming that they had given their consent, should further action be needed.

if permission is refused, terminate the conversation and refer the person to the Line Manager or to the Chair.

maintain written records of the process and the decisions taken throughout.

3       AGREEMENT

I have read the above Policy and agree to abide by it.

                                    Signed: .......................................................

                                    Date:    ........................................................

A signed copy of this document will be given to the employee/volunteer.