1.1 Identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling of information in health and social care.
EFFECTIVE HANDLING OF INFORMATION IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE SETTINGS
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Unit Reference Number |
L/618/5294 |
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Unit Title |
Effective Handling of Information in Health and Social Care Settings |
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Unit Level |
3 |
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Number of Credits |
10 |
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Guided Learning Hours (GLH) |
20 |
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Total Qualification Time |
100 |
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Mandatory / Optional |
Mandatory |
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Unit Grading Structure |
Pass / Fail |
Unit Aims
The aim of this unit is to consider issues of confidentiality and ethical practice relating to the completion, storage and use of information. The unit also covers the knowledge and skills needed to implement and promote good practice in recording, sharing, storing and accessing information.
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Learning Outcomes – the learner will: |
Assessment Criteria – the learner can: |
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1. Understand handling of information practice requirements in health and social care settings |
1.1 Identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling of information in health and social care. 1.2 Explain the legal requirements and codes of practice for handling of information in health and social care. |
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2. Understand good practice in handling of information. |
2.1 Describe how manual and electronic information storage systems are securely maintained. 2.2 Describe practices that ensure security when storing and accessing information. 2.3 Explain the importance of maintaining records that are up to date, complete, accurate and legible. |
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3. Understand practices relating to confidentiality. |
3.1 Explain the meaning of the term confidentiality. 3.2 Discuss how to maintain and promote confidentiality in day-to-day communication. 3.3 Describe the potential tension between maintaining an individual’s confidentiality and disclosing information. |
Guidance:
You will summarise your findings in a portfolio of evidence to include a guidance document and a briefing report.
The portfolio of evidence you produce should contain the proof that you have attained, and can apply, the knowledge, skills and behaviours defined in the required standard.
Scenario:
Following a very lengthy and detailed inspection, the health and social care setting you work at has been asked to review their approaches to the handling and storage of information, with a specific focus on personal and confidential information.
Task 1 of 1 - Presentation and Report (ACs 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3)
Instructions:
You are required to develop a presentation and supporting report to be used for staff training.
Your presentation and notes should:
- Identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling of information in health and social care.
- Explain the legal requirements and codes of practice for handling of information in health and social care.
- Describe how manual and electronic information storage systems are securely maintained.
- Describe practices that ensure security when storing and accessing information.
- Explain the importance of maintaining records that are up to date, complete, accurate and legible.
- Explain the meaning of the term confidentiality.
- Discuss how to maintain and promote confidentiality in day-to-day communication.
- Describe the potential tension between maintaining an individual’s confidentiality and disclosing information.
Delivery and Submission:
1x Presentation file and speaker notes (500 words) and accompanying report – (1500 words) excluding diagrams, references, and appendices.
Evidence to be submitted:
- Presentation file and speaker notes – 500 words
- Accompanying Report – 1500 words
How to Approach This Presentation and Report
This task is based on a health and social care setting that has been asked, after an inspection, to review how it handles personal and confidential information.
The submission has two parts:
| Required work | What the brief asks for |
|---|---|
| Presentation + speaker notes | Staff-training presentation covering AC 1.1–3.3, with 500 words of speaker notes |
| Supporting report | 1,500 words developing the issues covered in the presentation |
The inspection scenario should be used throughout. The work should not read like a general list of information-handling rules.
Example Presentation Slide – AC 1.1
Legislation and Codes for Handling Information
- Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR
- Freedom of Information Act 2000
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Common law duty of confidentiality
- Care Act 2014
- Caldicott Principles
- Records Management Code of Practice 2021
Speaker notes
Following the inspection, the setting must check whether personal and confidential information is being handled in line with UK law and health and social care guidance. The Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR apply to personal data, including information about a person`s health. Health data needs extra protection because it is classed as special category data (ICO, 2026).
Confidential information must also be protected during everyday care. The Caldicott Principles state that access should be limited to people who need the information and that only the minimum information required should be used (National Data Guardian, 2020).
These requirements are relevant to the inspection because they affect who can see service-user records, how those records are stored and when information can be shared.
What Should Be Developed in the Report?
The report should go further than the presentation.
For example, if the presentation identifies restricted access to confidential records, the report can explain how this would work in the inspected setting: paper files could be kept in locked storage, while electronic records could use individual staff accounts, passwords and access permissions.
This allows the presentation to give staff the main points while the report explains how those points should work in practice.
References
Information Commissioner`s Office (ICO). What is special category data?
National Data Guardian (2020). The Eight Caldicott Principles.
NHS England. Records Management Code of Practice 2021.
OTHM Qualifications. Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Health and Social Care Specification.
What This L/618/5294 Case Study Is Really Asking You to Do
The key detail in this assignment is the inspection. The setting has been inspected and must now improve how it handles personal and confidential information. Your work should therefore explain what could be wrong in the setting, why it is a problem, and what should change.
Do not write eight separate textbook answers with no link to the case study.
Use the Inspection Scenario Across the Assessment Criteria
| Assessment criterion | What to focus on |
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| AC 1.1 | Identify the laws and codes that control how service-user information is handled. |
| AC 1.2 | Explain what those rules mean for staff working in the inspected setting. |
| AC 2.1 | Show how paper files and electronic records should be stored securely. |
| AC 2.2 | Explain how staff should safely access, use and share information. |
| AC 2.3 | Show why records must be clear, correct, complete and kept up to date. |
| AC 3.1 | Explain what confidentiality means when handling service-user information. |
| AC 3.2 | Apply confidentiality to calls, emails, handovers, meetings and conversations. |
| AC 3.3 | Explain when confidential information may need to be shared because of safeguarding or serious risk. |
A Simple Way to Apply the Case Study
Imagine the inspection found these three problems:
- paper care records were left where other people could see them;
- several staff members were using the same login for electronic records;
- staff discussed a service user`s information where visitors could hear them.
These problems can be used throughout the assignment.
For AC 1.1 and 1.2, explain which laws and professional rules have been breached.
For AC 2.1 and 2.2, explain how locked storage, individual logins, access controls and safer working practices would reduce the risk.
For AC 2.3, explain why every record must show clearly what happened, when it happened and who made the entry.
For AC 3.1–3.3, explain how confidentiality should normally be protected, but also why information may sometimes need to be shared when there is a safeguarding concern or serious risk of harm.
One Mistake to Avoid
Do not only list legislation such as the Data Protection Act 2018, UK GDPR or Human Rights Act 1998.
The assessor needs to see how those rules affect the setting in the case study.
For example:
Weak:
“The Data Protection Act 2018 protects personal information.”
Stronger:
“The setting should restrict access to service-user records because health and care information must not be available to staff who do not need it for their role.”
That small difference turns a general answer into one that is clearly written for Effective Handling of Information in Health and Social Care Settings – L/618/5294.
This is one example of how an OTHM brief can combine several assessment criteria within one submission. Our OTHM Assignment Help page covers how we work with other OTHM units and their individual assessment requirements.
