Published on October 21st 2020 by Katie Thorn

Keeping Data Safe – update on the Data Security and Protection Toolkit

Edit 25 August 2021: This news article is from October 2020 and may now contain information which is out of date. We recommend looking at our more recent articles or at the Data Security and Protection Toolkit page.

Poor data and cyber security practices can expose social care providers to the risk of giving unauthorised access to personal data and can leave IT systems and devices vulnerable to attack from cyber criminals. In turn, this can lead to reputational damage, potential financial penalties and serious disruption to the service offered to those in their care.

Care providers can help to protect their IT systems and safeguard personal data by using NHS Digital’s self-assessment tool for data and cyber security. The Data Security & Protection Toolkit (DSPT) has been specifically redesigned to meet the needs of adult social care providers. Lots of helpful guidance to accompany the launch is available on our website.

 The DSPT will help care providers to demonstrate to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), local councils and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) that they meet relevant requirements. It will also give care providers access to shared care records and other services, including NHSmail, enabling them to be part of a joined-up care network with the interests of the people they support and care for at the centre.

Support available to help with completing the DSPT

Across the country, CCGs and local councils are already supporting adult social care providers with the DSPT. Their efforts are set to be supplemented by a national programme offering additional support across England. The programme will launch this month and will be called Better Security, Better Care.

Better Security, Better Care will include:

National Support – starting October 2020

• National webinar programme starting in mid October, eLearning and guidance;
• ‘Train the trainer’ activities for those providing local support, including materials targeted at the least digitally mature providers;
• Commissioner workshops and follow up support for commissioners;
• National helpdesk and knowledge base
• Direct support to larger national providers including those covered by CQC National Oversight Scheme will be provided by Digital Social Care

Local Support – starting December 2020 or January 2021

• Local interactive online workshops
• 1:1 support for care providers who are the least digitally mature
• Facilitation of peer support between one care provider and another
• Sharing of information and awareness of national webinars, guidance and resources.

The Better Security, Better Care programme will be delivered by care associations or other similar local care sector organisations, working closely with their local councils and CCGs. The overall aim is that, by October 2021, all CQC registered adult social care services in England will have completed the DSPT or be well on the way to doing so. Services that are not CQC registered, such as day services, will also be able to take up some of the support.

What Care Providers need to do

• You should have already registered on the DSPT portal. If you haven’t done so do so now. This will ensure that you receive important information such as how to access support. You can find guidance to help you register at: digitalsocialcare.co.uk/latest-guidance/registering-for-the-data-security-and-protection-toolkit/
• Work towards completing the DSPT by the next deadline of 30 June 2021 for care homes or 31 October 2021 for other CQC registered care services.
• If you operate more than one CQC registered service, show your stakeholders that you have completed the toolkit for all services by publishing the DSPT for each of your CQC locations, not just for your HQ.
• If you operate more than one CQC registered service, show your stakeholders that you have completed the toolkit for all services by publishing the DSPT for each of your CQC registered services, not just for your HQ. There is guidance on how to do this in the resource section below.
• You can help to refine the support on offer by responding to a short survey which can be found here

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