DATA PROTECTION ACT WORKSHOP

Overview

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires organisations to protect customer and employee privacy (The government's information commissioner claims that more than 10,000 firms are breaking the Data Protection Act).

All businesses hold information about individuals, whether paper based or in electronic format. As a result of legislation, there are very strict rules governing how this data should be dealt with. Anybody who has access to any personal information on any other living individual (both facts and opinions) has to comply with the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 and should therefore be made aware of their duties as a result.

This workshop explains the rules governing all personal information and data, explains what to do when somebody requests access to their information and establishes guidelines on how to handle the information you hold.

The principles protect us all as individuals but following the principles also makes sound business sense.

Audience

This overview is relevant for all company directors, executives, senior managers and data controllers (those who decide how and why data is processed).

Workshop Objectives

This workshop covers practical and theoretical issues relating to Data Protection. The objectives of the workshop are to provide attendees with:

• An introduction to the Data Protection Act 1998
• To identify and understand the eight enforceable principles of good practice
• Who is responsible?
• An understanding of the requirements of the Act, the impacts on a business and the penalties for non-compliance
• A basis for reviewing internal business processes and identifying information held by the business on individuals
• A basis for developing an action plan for compliance with the Act
• A basis for developing a Data Protection Policy
• Dealing with access requests to held data

Prerequisites

Delegates should be familiar with the data currently held on individuals by the business and the business requirements for holding such data.

Course Contents

• Introduction

  • Personal introductions
  • Background to the organisation
  • Introduction to the terminology
• The Data Protection Act 1998
  • Notification – registration with the Commissioner
  • An outline of the 8 enforceable principles
  • The responsibilities of both organisation and staff - when and under what circumstances can information be released
  • Legal obligations and penalties
• Internal Review
  • Review of internal business processes
  • Identification of information held by the business on individuals
• Action Planning
• Development of an action plan to improve internal processes and procedures
• Documentation
• Identification and development of appropriate documentation to support the business processes
• Q & A session
• Close

Course Materials

Enliten IT will provide each delegate with relevant handouts and other useful reference materials as applicable.

Click here to download a PDF version of the Data Protection Act course outline.

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