June 1st 2026
If the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) has been sitting quietly on your to-do list, consider this your friendly reminder. The deadline to complete or republish your DSPT for 2025/26 is Tuesday 30 June 2026.
Whether you are completing the DSPT for the first time or updating a toolkit you’ve completed before, there is still time to get it done. And importantly, you do not have to do it on your own.
Through Better Security, Better Care, we provide free support to adult social care providers across England. Working with our network of 32 local support organisations, we offer practical guidance, templates, training, webinars and one-to-one support to help you complete the DSPT and strengthen your data protection and cyber security arrangements.
Why the DSPT matters
The DSPT is much more than an annual form to complete.
It helps providers keep information safe, reduce cyber risks and build good data protection practices into everyday work. It can help you identify gaps, strengthen policies and procedures, improve staff awareness and prepare for incidents before they happen.
The DSPT is recognised by the Department of Health and Social Care, the NHS and the Care Quality Commission. It can help demonstrate good practice to commissioners, regulators and partners, and support access to services such as GP Connect and NHS.net Connect.
If you completed the DSPT for 2024/25, remember that it needs to be reviewed and republished. An out-of-date toolkit can no longer be used as evidence of your organisation’s current data protection and cyber security arrangements.
Some DSPT priorities
Review your business continuity plan
If a cyber incident, power outage or supplier failure affected your service tomorrow, could you continue to operate safely?
Many providers have a business continuity plan, but it may not have been reviewed recently. The DSPT is a good opportunity to make sure it still reflects how your organisation works today.
We offer free business continuity guidance, templates and practical resources to help.
Check staff training is up to date
Cyber security is everyone’s responsibility.
Do staff know how to spot phishing emails, report incidents and share information safely?
Our free elearning for care workers and data protection leads has been designed to support DSPT requirements while helping staff build practical knowledge and confidence.
Review your policies and procedures
If you have introduced new systems, changed suppliers or updated services, make sure your policies reflect those changes. The DSPT should reflect how your organisation operates today, not how it worked a year or two ago.
We can help
Whether you are completing the DSPT for the first time, reviewing and republishing, or simply unsure where to start, support is available.
Our local support organisations work directly with providers and understand the realities of delivering care services. They can answer questions, explain requirements and help you identify priorities.
If you are part of a larger care group – such as those within CQC’s Market Oversight scheme – we have a dedicated team for you.
We offer:
- direct support from 32 local support organisations – find yours
- guidance on answering all questions to reach Standards Met
- free elearning for care workers and data protection leads
- webinars: next sessions are Complete the DSPT for the first time – 9 June; Review and republish your DSPT – 23 June. Or watch pre-recorded sessions and access slides.
- policy templates and resources
- business continuity guidance and templates
- dedicated support for large care groups.
Get started today
The 30 June deadline is getting closer, but there is still time to make progress.
If the DSPT has been sitting on your to-do list for a while, a good first step is simply to log in and see where you are. Then contact our local support organisation for support.
Whether you are starting from scratch or putting the finishing touches to your submission, we are here to help.
Visit our DSPT pages for full details.
View all News