'Information Champions' - Data Protection

UoB has recently established a network of ‘Information Champions’ across the University to encourage good practice relating to data protection. 

As part of this network, Ian Hamley and Louise Rudge are the BBS ‘champions’ – acting as the School’s main contacts regarding data protection queries, promoting best practice, raising awareness, and providing a point of contact for Legal Services.

In our role as ‘champion’, we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the importance of being mindful of the Data Protection Act when handling personal information.  For example:

• double check you have chosen the correct recipient and attachment before sending emails
• only disclose data you are authorised to disclose
• do not store or transfer personal data on an unencrypted device
• always lock your computer if left unattended
• store paper documents in locked cabinets
• securely destroy/delete data when no longer required

We would also like to direct your attention to UoB’s new data protection ‘toolkits’. These have been designed to be easily navigable on-line.

The first of these – the ‘Data Protection Toolkit’ - is aimed at anyone whose routine work involves handling personal information and so is generalist in content.  With a Higher Education-centric focus, it covers the basics of data protection - collecting and handling personal data, records management, storing and transferring personal data – in addition to Freedom of Information and Subject Access requests.

The second - the ‘Human Research and Data Protection Toolkit’ - provides tailored advice for those dealing with research data.

We’ll update you periodically regarding data protection in future newsletters. For further information and/or queries, our contact details are:

• Ian Hamley, Operations Manager – Room 122A, University House – I.Hamley@bham.ac.uk
• Louise Rudge, Deputy Operations Manager – Room 122, University House, L.Rudge@bham.ac.uk