What is information sharing and why is it important?
There is a strong emphasis on the need to share information across organisational and professional boundaries, in order to ensure effective coordination and integration of services. The issue formed an important part of both the Laming and Bichard enquiries*. However, much of the information that needs to be shared involves personal details about service users and their needs and the Government has also emphasised the importance of security and confidentiality in relation to personal information. An updated guidance document was released in late 2008 called Information Sharing Guidance for practitioners and managers.The guidance is for practitioners who provide services to children, young people and adults, who have to make decisions about sharing personal information on a case-by-case basis. It is also for managers and advisors who support these practitioners in their decision making and for others with responsibility for information governance.
The 7 Golden rules for information sharing are:
Remember that the DPA is not a barrier to sharing information
Be open and honest with the person or family
Seek advice if you are in any doubt
Share with consent where appropriate
Consider safety and well-being
Necessarily, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure
Keep a record of your decision and reasons
As the guidance acknowledges, this is a highly complex area requiring a delicate balance between the imperative to share information and the requirements of confidentiality, privacy and data protection. While there is a slightly greater focus on children, the guidance covers adults as well. It is for "for practitioners who provide services to children, young people and adults, who have to make decisions about sharing personal information on a case-by-case basis. It is also for managers and advisors who support these practitioners in their decision making and for others with responsibility for information governance. Find the Information Sharing Fact sheet by the DCSF.
The Caldicott report recommended that organisations should draw up and implement agreements in order 'to protect service user and patient confidentiality as well as facilitate the transfer of information freely between organisations on a need to know basis for justifiable purposes'.
Health and social care organisations in Leeds have recognised the need to provide a clear framework to help facilitate the sharing of information and you can find more information about the inter-agency steering group and the Information Sharing Protocol. This Information Sharing Protocol page has the Protocol documents and a template for an Information Sharing Agreement. You can also find copies of Data Access Agreement Templates for access to ESCR for both organisations and individual staff members.
If you are involved in or wanting to undertake a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and you require further guidance then you can contact the CAF duty team on 0113 247 6830 and visit the CAF toolkit which has a section on Information sharing.
*The Laming enquiry looked at the death of Victoria Climbie and the failure to capture and share information about her between the agencies concerned. The Bichard report - into the Soham case - criticised the agencies involved for failing to share information about the person eventually found guilty of the murder of two school children. In both enquiries uncertainty about information retention and sharing were raised.
