RM Magazine - autumn 2012 - The Royal Marsden

Hospital news
Q&A
information governance
The Royal Marsden handles a large amount of sensitive data, so it is vital that we manage
that information effectively. Here, we explain our policy on this significant area of activity
Dr Shelley
Dolan
What is information
governance
it refers to the way in which we
manage information, particularly
‘personal information’ such
as patient and staff data.
How does it apply to
The Royal Marsden
as an nHS organisation,
we have a huge responsibility
due to the sensitive nature and
enormous volume of information
we process every day in order
to provide the best possible
healthcare service.
Why is it important
The loss of personal and/or
sensitive information can have
a profound impact on the person
it relates to. The Royal marsden
recognises the importance of
this and has measures in place
to ensure this does not happen.
How does the Trust protect
its patient and staff data
The Trust has a wide range of
measures in place to mitigate
any risk to our personal
information, such as staff
training and our policies and
procedures. another measure is
the appointment of the following
key roles and responsibilities:
David
Probert
Dr Shelley Dolan,
Caldicott Guardian
Since 1997, all nHS Trusts have
had to appoint a Caldicott
guardian. The main purpose of
this role is to act as a champion
for all patient data within the
Trust, and ensure patient data is
always managed on a justified
and strict ‘need-to-know’ basis.
Our Chief nurse and Caldicott
guardian, Dr Shelley Dolan, has
adopted a proactive approach to
this role and is always happy to
personally review and represent
any patient concerns.
David Probert, Senior
Information Risk Officer
The role of Senior information
Risk Officer (SiRO) was created
to ensure that any identified risk
to personal data is reduced in a
way that provides patients and
Staff do all they can
to protect personal
data, which is very
reassuring to me
syma dawson, information governance
manager, the royal marsden
Syma
Dawson
staff the assurance they deserve.
The Royal marsden’s SiRO is
Chief Operating Officer David
Probert. David is significantly
involved in the information
governance process and places
a high importance on its function.
He said: “all staff working at
The Royal marsden have a duty
to ensure the information that
we use to look after patients is
protected and that confidentiality
is maintained at all times.”
Syma Dawson, Information
Governance Manager
The information governance
(ig) manager at The Royal
marsden has a responsibility
to ensure the Trust complies
with its legal and national
requirements, such as the Data
Protection act 1998 and Freedom
of information act 2000. They
must also monitor and submit
compliance against national
ig standards and audits. Syma
Dawson, ig manager at
The Royal marsden, works hard
to exceed standards and raise
awareness as much as possible.
She said: “information
governance has a high priority
in the Trust, and staff do all they
can to protect personal data,
which is very reassuring to me.”
Thumbs up for
switchboard service
A new customer service
survey has highlighted that
most callers using The Royal
Marsden switchboard believe
it provides a good service.
The Trust carried out an
audit in preparation for the
forthcoming assessment
with the government’s
Customer Service Excellence
(CSE) Standard.
Ninety-two per cent
of respondents said the
switchboard answered the
telephone within a minute,
and 96 per cent felt that
the switchboard acted
on their requests.
The Trust obtained its
compliance with the CSE
Standard in 2008, and the
Trust’s Customer Service
Excellence Steering Group –
which includes patients,
front-line staff (clinical and
non-clinical), managers
and members of the Quality
Assurance team – is now
gathering information to
support the new external
assessment later this year.
George Absi, Quality
Improvement Auditor, said:
“The steering group has been
assessing the experiences of
callers to The Royal Marsden
by distributing customer
experience surveys at six
reception areas across the
Chelsea and Sutton sites
over a three-week period,
enabling the Trust to gain
valuable feedback.
“We have been delighted
with the feedback we have
received. We will look to
maintain our high standards
of customer service and
improve where we can.”
For more information, visit
www.customerservice
excellence.uk.com
10 RM magazine