LSO Briefing #59
Useful information from the LSO on their opening hours over Christmas, information on NHS mail, DSPT Certificates and the Data Security and Protection Toolkit.
Local Support Organisations Briefing #59
16th December 2022
Digital Social Care Festive Period Opening Hours:
Mon 19th – Friday 23rd December - 9-5pm
Monday 26th December – Closed for Bank Holiday
Tuesday 27th December – Closed for Bank Holiday
Wednesday 28th – Friday 30th December – 9-5pm
Monday 2nd January – Closed for Bank Holiday
Tuesday 3rd January on – 9-5pm
Christmas Support
Exeter Helpdesk is open normally Monday - Friday apart from the Bank Holidays over Christmas.
NHSmail and hospital discharge
We have heard that some NHS Trusts are requiring care providers to have NHSmail in place in order to share hospital discharge information. NHS England are concerned that this will cause delays to discharge.
We wanted to clarify that the national policy is that mail containing health and care information sent to and from health and social care organisations must meet the Secure Email Standard (DCB1596). There are two routes that care providers can take to ensure their email meets the secure email standard (DCB1596):
NHSmailSecure email accreditation
For each option, they must first complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit to at least ‘approaching standards’.
You can direct care providers to further information about secure email here https://www.digitalsocialcare.co.uk/sharing-care-records-via-email/
Comms Update
Support with the Data Security and Protection Toolkit: Tell us what you think
We’re trying to improve the support available to complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit. You should have received an email from the DSPT Team at NHS Digital, inviting you to share your experiences of using support, and how it could be improved. It would be great if your organisation could complete the survey by 13 January. It will really help to ensure we are on the right tracks and giving you the help you need to complete the DSPT every year. Just select the survey which reflects your current DSPT position:
Just choose the survey which reflects your organisation's current use of the DSPT:
1. Registered with the DSPT, but never completed. (Includes organisations currently working on their first DSPT submission.)
2. Completed the DSPT before the current assessment year 2022/23. (Includes organisations who completed the DSPT in 2021/22 and before)
3. Published the DSPT for 2022/23
Not sure which year you completed the DSPT? Check here.
NEW – DSPT Certificates
Care providers can now access a DSPT Certificate if they have reached Standards Met or Standards Exceeded in 2021/22 or 2022/23. Head offices can access the Certificate by going to Previous Publications. Please share this good news with your contacts. Here’s some copy which you may wish to use:
New – DSPT Certificates now available
Care providers who reach Standards Met or Standards Exceeded can download the certificate which includes the standard they have reached, the year of their DSPT and the date they published. Certificates are available for the most recent year of publication, and only for 2021/22 or 2022/23. The DSPT certificate is a quick and visual way to demonstrate your DSPT status.
Here are some tips on how to make the most of it:
Print your certificate and display it on your premises.Upload it to your website.Share it with people seeking care.Use it as evidence where relevant for CQC, commissioners, NHS partners, bids, data suppliers etc.
Head offices can access the certificate within the Previous Publications section of their DSPT account. If you're DSPT covers multiple sites, you will need to download and share the certificate with them.
Better Security, Better Care have also published a short guide on how to access and use your DSPT certificate.