Caldicott Guardian
Encyclopedia
The December 1997 Caldicott Report
(named for its author Dame Fiona Caldicott
) identified weaknesses in the way parts of NHS
handled confidential patient data. The report made several recommendations, one of which was the appointment of Caldicott guardians, members of staff with a responsibility to ensure patient data is kept secure:
It is now a requirement for every NHS organisation to have a Caldicott guardian. The Guardians are responsible for ensuring that their organisation adheres to the Caldicott principles.
Caldicott Report
A review was commissioned in 1997 by the Chief Medical Officer of England "owing to increasing concern about the ways in which patient information is being used in the NHS in England and Wales and the need to ensure that confidentiality is not undermined...
(named for its author Dame Fiona Caldicott
Fiona Caldicott
Dame Fiona Caldicott, DBE, FRCPsych, FRCP, FRCPI, FRCGP, FMedSci, is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist and, previously, Principal of Somerville College, Oxford....
) identified weaknesses in the way parts of NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
handled confidential patient data. The report made several recommendations, one of which was the appointment of Caldicott guardians, members of staff with a responsibility to ensure patient data is kept secure:
Recommendation 3: A senior person should be nominated in each NHS organisation, including the Department of HealthDepartment of Health (United Kingdom)The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
and associated agencies, to act as a "guardian". The "guardian" should normally be a senior health professional or be closely supported by such a person. The NHS IM&T Security Manual (Section 18.4) requires each organisation to designate a senior medical officer to oversee all procedures affecting access to person-identifiable health data. This role and that of the "guardian" may be combined, providing there is no conflict of interest. The Department of Health should take the development of this role forward in partnership with interested parties.
It is now a requirement for every NHS organisation to have a Caldicott guardian. The Guardians are responsible for ensuring that their organisation adheres to the Caldicott principles.