The Health and Care Information Governance Panel (HCIGP) has unveiled an online portal for guidance on information governance in the health and social care sector.
It is aimed at helping staff in care organisations and IG professionals make appropriate decisions about information management and sharing amid a complex range of advice on the issue.
The panel, which consists of organisations including the National Data Guardian (NDG), the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and NHS Digital, said the move reflects the positive impact of clear guidance during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The portal, which is within the NHSX website, is intended as one stop shop for guidance that will be amended as circumstances change.
National Data Guardian Dame Fiona Caldicott and Ian Hulme, ICO director of regulatory assurance, have stated in a blogpost that they hope the move will provide more clarity and consistency on the issue.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen good examples of information sharing to support the efforts to tackle the pandemic,” they said. “Our organisations have worked with others to achieve this, with messages from both the ICO and from the NDG making clear that information governance is not a barrier and that appropriate data sharing can take place.
“The need for such a co-ordinated approach from key organisations with a remit around the use of health and care was behind the formation of the Health and Care Information Governance Panel.”
The HCIGP has invited feedback on the design of the portal and any gaps in the guidance.
Image from iStock, Violet Kaipa
