The difficulty of getting lies removed from your files

[ABH]

t remains the case that documentation is being accessed by local authorities that are considering fostering placements that refers to my constituent, and it contains statements and comments about her that are untrue and unfounded and are clearly contradicted by the outcome of the third-stage review. I hope the Minister shares my concern that it is not fair or just to my constituent for that to continue. How can we ensure that those records are cleansed of statements that should not be there? How can we ensure that the records that relate to this case are purely factual?

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id ... %22#g303.1

[Ann]

This makes interesting reading and has parallels for most readers of this forum. You complain about a council, in an act of vengeance they put lies on your file and spread them around the system, after 7 years and the involvement of all the regulators and watchdogs the lies remain on file. Although they have managed to secure an apology for the complainant not one regulator or watchdog, including the LGO, has managed to get the council to remove the lies.

[shc]

This is standard stuff.. and happens all the time.. It is where a lot of the problems come from..

.. and originate from the fact that the Council's records are the Council's records..

To change the record the Council has to admit to negligence.. as the records are created through delegated powers.. and the Cllrs won't change the record as to do so would make the negligence claim automatic.. and the costs would be added to the Council Tax..

[Ann]

Agreed it happens all the time but this is the first time I have heard of it being brought up by an MP in a Westminster hall debate and therein lies the difference making it not so standard stuff after all.

[shc]

agreed the issue does appear to be coming into radar contact.

Apparently it is also a consistent theme of respondents to the Law Commission Consultation on administrative redress.. they are hoping to have a precis of the results of their consultation available early in 2010.. and there have been numerous complaints on the issue to both CLG, CLG select committee and Council's on the issue... amazing how there are no records..

[shc]

http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_sto ... government

Give access to social care records
Friday, October 23, 2009

The National Information Governance Board has instructed all local authorities to provide patients with secure, online access to social care records.

Publishing the Social Care Record Guarantee, it said councils must provide a similar service to the NHS's plan to put primary healthcare records online. But records must hide material that "might be considered to cause you serious harm or distress", as well as confidential information about other people.

The guarantee said councils will use records on patients "in ways that respect your rights and promote your health and well being". It also covered good practice, saying care providers should discuss and agree what they plan to record; give patients copies of letters and documents; show patients what they have recorded; ask permission to share data; and inform patients when and with whom their data has been shared.

"Sharing information between health and social care is key to achieving better outcomes for people who use services and the delivery of seamless care," said David Behan, the government's director general of social care. "The purpose of the guarantee is to explain as simply as possible how local authorities should be handling personal information. I ask every director of social care to ensure that their organisations are upholding the commitments in the guarantee and to make people who use services aware of it."

The guarantee, which will be reviewed and updated annually, is supported by the Association of Directors of Adult Services, the Association of Directors of Children's Services, the Local Government Association, the UK Council of Caldicott Guardians, Cafcass, the Information Commissioner's Office, 11 Million (previously known as the Children's Commissioner) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The governance board is an independent body advising the Health Secretary.

[ABH]

The governance board is an independent body advising the Health Secretary.

The governance board is another unnecessary government Quango.