A client has asked to see the information my organisation holds on her, do I have to agree?
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, a data subject (anyone who can be identified by personal information you hold on them) has the right to see most of the data you hold on them. There are some exceptions, for example you do not have to give access to any confidential reference you have sent, and if any of the material identifies another individual, this may not have to be passed on. A request by a data subject to see the information held on that person must be made in writing. Many organisations have developed a “Subject Access Request Form” to make sure that a standard procedure is followed every time. Once a request has been made, it must be processed within 40 days. It is possible to charge a fee for dealing with a subject access request, up to 10 per request. It is wise to develop a Data Protection policy within your organisation which gives a framework for dealing with issues such as these. Contact CVS Fife for further asistance.
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- A client has asked to see the information my organisation holds on her, do I have to agree?
