Given recent media reports, branch members (and indeed some MPs!) might be interested in attending one of the upcoming one day courses on privacy and data protection run by Capita Learning & Development.
It’s for the MP as the employer to make sure everyone is knowledgeable about data protection and privacy laws to protect themselves and constituents’ information, but the reality of busy offices and caseloads means that often this training gets missed.
Full details of the course are available here. It looks quite comprehensive:
Participants will be able to:
- Explain the role and function of data protection and related privacy legislation
- List the key requirements of data protection and related privacy laws
- Identify where and how data protection and privacy requirements affect the way you work
- Collect and use personal data in compliance with the law
- Recognise and manage risks to the personal data you handle in your work
- Recognise and respond appropriately to a range of situations involving the transfer and/or sharing of personal data.
Participants will, by the end of the workshop, have developed the following tools and aids to help them in ensuring workplace compliance with DPA and other relevant laws:
- A process for identifying and ensuring legally compliant processing of different types of personal data request
- Guidelines for the collection and use of personal data in relation to recruitment, canvassing and marketing activities
- A defined e-mail policy and guidelines for e-mail good practice
- A defined policy and rules for safeguarding personal data and keeping it secure
- A legal compliance risk assessment and workplace action plan.
The next London session is scheduled for 18 January 2012 and you can sign up by calling Kerry Smith on 0870 400 1025 to request a booking form. The courses are paid for centrally by the House. If enough people request an earlier session they would consider putting one on sooner.
The House’s HR Department has said that if over half a dozen or so staff in one city/region are interested in attending they will try to put on a regional course so that staff don’t have to travel to London.
If you are interested in this could you email lauren.edwards@unitepsbranch.org with your name and which area in the country you work in and we can see if numbers are sufficient to suggest a regional session.
We’ve already had some Bristol and Greater Manchester based staff express an interest, so if a session in Bristol or Greater Manchester would be convenient for you to attend, please let Lauren know.