Homecare: free support to protect information

No Time Like The Present: How Homecare providers are free tailored support to prote using the DSPT

Are you a homecare service struggling to find time to complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT)? If so, you're not alone Managing multiple care and administrative tasks is daunting, and completing your DSPT might not be at the top of your to-do list. However, keeping clients’ staff and funders’ information safe is a legal, regulatory and contractual requirement. The DSPT can help you to meet those requirements – and provide evidence that you do. More homecare providers are using the toolkit, but there’s still a long way to go While there’s been a 30 per cent increase in homecare services completing the DSPT, 80% of care homes with nursing are already compliant

We hear that some homecare providers believe the DSPT isn't really for them, or that it takes too long to complete The reality is, the DSPT is the official self-assessment tool specifically designed for all CQC-registered social care providers – including homecare It should be completed at least once a year The deadline for 2022/23 is 30 June 2023, so you still have time And there is free, fully-funded support available from the Better Security, Better Care programme to help you work through the toolkit

The DSPT can actually save you time Yes, you do need to set aside time to complete it, but because it brings together all the issues you need to consider into one comprehensive self-assessment, you don’t need to do a lot of research yourself. And if you find that there are gaps in your policies or procedures, you can access templates to adapt to your organisation – you don’t have to start from scratch.

If you have multiple services and they all follow the same policies, you can just complete one DSPT for all sites The DSPT can also help you to avoid the fall-out from a cyber-attack or data breach, which can be very time consuming. You could lose access to data such as staff rosters, banking or care plans for months.

And why not use some of our time? As one of the Better Security, Better Care local support partners, we can provide you with free support to guide you through the DSPT self-assessment. Completing the DSPT can seem overwhelming, but it's important to view it as the final checklist for ensuring you have all the necessary data protection safeguards in place This will allow you to reassure your clients, their families, and your employees that their information is safe

Nick Griffiths, Lead Quality, Compliance & Development Manager at Bluebird Care Franchises, found that completing the DSPT centrally actually freed up staff time, and gave him peace of mind that all franchisees were doing everything they could to protect both staff and clients’ data He also found that working through the DSPT allowed him to take a ‘helicopter view’ of all their policies and identify any gaps

If you're worried by the thought of starting the DSPT, Nick has some tips He recommends breaking it down into bite-sized pieces For him, dedicating half an hour a day over the course of a week, and filling in the mandatory sections first, helped to break it down and make the process more manageable

As one of the local partners of Better Security, Better Care, the official support programme on the DSPT - we offer free, professional support from a friendly face, supporting your journey, answering any questions you might have, and helping you to fill in the gaps in your policies, procedures or practices

Don't miss out on the benefits of completing the DSPT By demonstrating that you are meeting minimum GDPR requirements, one step at a time, you can improve your data security and compliance with every DSPT question answered. Remember, free tailored, personal advice is available to help you on your journey.