Digital record systems: achieving good outcomes for people using adult social care services

The following will help you to keep good quality records securely and share them appropriately.

Professional Records Standards Body (PRSB) sets out standards for good quality care records. This includes the 'About me' standard, which captures most important details that a person wants to share with professionals in health and social care and is a cornerstone of personalised care.

These standards are endorsed by reputable national organisations and professional bodies. PRSB standards are increasingly mandated in England for implementation in systems by dates specified in Information Standards Notices (ISNs). The What Good Looks Like framework requires all integrated care systems develop shared care records in line with PRSB standards.

Data protection legislation (including UK GDPR) requirements provides guides and standards for using and sharing personal information.

Data Security and Protection Toolkit is an annual online self-assessment for health and care organisations to support data and cyber security. The Better Security, Better Care programme provides free one-to-one advice on the DSPT and information security to support providers to meet minimum data and cyber security standards.

Accessible Information Standard sets out standards for all NHS and publicly funded services to make sure information and communication is accessible for people with communication needs because of disability, impairment or sensory loss. 

Digital Care Hub works in partnership with the Digitising Social Care Programme and the Better Security, Better Care Programme, to provide advice and support to the adult social care sector on technology and data protection.

Digitising Social Care - Assured Supplier List was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care and is managed by the Digitising Social Care programme. The list includes suppliers that provide digital social care record systems that meet the requirements set out by the Digitising Social Care programme. The ambitions for digitising adult social care are set out in the government white paper People at the Heart of Care: adult social care reform.

The National Cyber Security Centre is the UK's independent authority on cyber security. It provides guidance on cyber security risks and how to manage them.

Adult Social Care Digital Skills Framework is published by the Digitising Social Care programme to support the development of digital skills across the adult social care workforce. This is a free resource for providers to help with planning staff training, or for individual staff for their personal development.

Digital working in adult social care: What Good Looks like. This is guidance for care providers and local authorities for digital working in adult social care.

The Information Commissioner's Office is the UK's independent body set up to uphold information rights. It provides guidance and resources on meeting UK data protection requirements.

The Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care (2021) sets out what people working with, or in, NHS organisations in England need to do to manage records correctly.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigates complaints about local authorities and adult social care providers. The ombudsman has published guidance based on lessons learned from complaints investigations on Good record keeping - guidance for providers.