Data is becoming ever more important in how the local public sector operates. Information sharing between different organisations and services is vital to better join up support and provide more a more holistic response to people’s needs. The use of AI systems further pushes the need for access to accurate data. The Government have made improving how the public sector uses data a key target. They have commissioned a National Data Library, there is a new Data Use and Access Bill coming through. There is new focus across all government departments on harnessing the power of data.
While more data led approaches can revolutionise how we support the needs of those we support, it must also be managed properly. There is a difficult balance of enabling better information sharing and recording, whilst maintaining peoples right to privacy. It is in this space that Information Governance and Data Protection roles are more important then ever. However, the pace of technological change and innovation and the increasing sophistication of data use in this digital age, means the task of regulating how data is used and protecting peoples individual rights is extremely challenging.
To ensure that this balance is met data protection must be a central part of innovation and development, not an afterthought. Collaboration on and shared understanding of data protection is vitally important in such a diverse and everchanging sector. It cannot simply be the role of those within data protection and information governance to manage. Cyber security professionals and systems are needed to ensure that data is protected from online threat actors. Contract management is a central tool to ensure that providers and systems are using data properly and have adequate technical systems in place to protect that data. Senior leaders need to better understand the risks and the importance of protecting peoples data.
To better support our members to adapt, learn and innovate in this space we at iNetwork are launching our new Information Governance series of events. Our first session launches on the 20th May looks at management of subject access requests and FOI’s. This will be supported by the ICO and BLS Stay Compliant. This session aims to share the do’s and dont’s around management of these requests to help members understand where they can improve their own systems. To launch the new series this session is open to none iNetwork members and is FREE to attend for anyone in the public sector. Find out more and register here.
The second and third sessions will only be for iNetwork members. The second session on the 26th June will focus on data sharing. This session will be supported by Cabinet Office who will share the new developments around the digital economy act and also the National Data Library. GMCA will share their work on standardising their data sharing processes. We will also share some of the work on our own SAVVI project, which has been making huge strides in the fields of data standards and interoperability. Find out more and register for a ticket here.
The third session will look at the management of digital records and the transition from paper records to digital. This session is still in development and more details will be shared when it is finalised. Please keep an eye on the iNetwork Eventbrite for further events and contact the team if you would like any more info.