Data Protection

The Company/Centre will retain awarding bodies test and training materials, learner training files, learner details and information in a secure location with restricted, controlled access.
They will meet the Companies/Centres commitment to its and its awarding bodies to the Data Protection Act 1998. The focus of the Act is on protecting personal data, which is information from which an individual can be identified. This includes data that is stored as hard copies and/or on computer systems, including emails.
With regard to information gathered, the Company is not required to register with the Information Commissioner’s office as information gathered / retained in relation to learners attending for training and assessment purposes only, is forwarded on to the awarding body, who then decide how the information is processed. All other information obtained in relation to Company employees also exempts the organisation from registering with the Information Commissioner. A copy of the main parts of the courses and assessments will be kept for 7 years in line with NHSS and awarding bodies requirements.

What the Company will and won’t do:

The centre determines the purposes for which, and the manner in which, personal data is to be processed. This procedure outlines how the company/centre in practice complies with the principles of the Act.

• The Company/Centre collects the minimum amount of personal data which is processed fairly and lawfully in accordance with the rights of data subjects under the DPA. This includes obtaining the consent from that individual who is made aware as to the purpose(s) of the data collection by oral or written means. In the case of data deemed to be sensitive (e.g. gender, ethnic origin, special need).
• The Company/Centre must request and process certain data for equal opportunities purposes including The Company/Centre obtains data only for specified and lawful purposes, and shall further process data in any manner compatible with those purposes for which it was obtained and for which the individual has agreed.
• The Company/Centre keeps under review the data that is collected and the purposes for which this data is collected.
• The Company/Centre collects data that it is adequate, relevant and of appropriate quantity and not excessive in relation to the purposes for which it is processed.
• Where it is deemed necessary to collect other information this is held securely, used only for the specified purpose that it is collected and for the minimum period required.(7 years)
• Achievement data is retained for the purposes of reporting to the awarding bodies as required.
• The Company/Centre makes every effort to ensure that data held is accurate and kept up to date with regularly reviews and cleansing of databases. These exercises involve contacting data subjects to review the accuracy of the information held.
• In order to ensure that personal data processed for any purpose or purposes is kept for no longer than is necessary, The Company/Centre keeps under review the length of time data is kept for, ensuring that any data that is stored is for a specific purpose and does not keep data beyond the time deemed necessary or ‘just in case’. Regular archiving of data that needs to be retained for a specified period takes place.
• When data is no longer required to be held it is shredded and/or deleted.
• The Company/Centre ensures that learners are aware of the purposes of processing data supplied by