Approaching Standards Guide – Data Security and Protection Toolkit

March 4th 2021

This guide has been designed to help adult social care providers with achieving ‘approaching standards’ on the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT).

There are also ‘Big Picture Guides’ for social care providers which include more detail and background on the DSPT. The DSPT should be completed every year. It is an online self-assessment tool for demonstrating compliance with the ten data security standards for health and social care organisations. The Data Security Meta Standard provides more

information on what the ten data security standards are and why they are important. The DSPT will help evidence your compliance with data protection legislation (General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018) as well as CQC Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs).

It is recommended that social care providers complete the DSPT to Standards Met. However, if this is not achievable by 30th June 2023, you are able to publish at Approaching Standards. To complete Approaching Standards you just need to complete the evidence items marked as ‘Mandatory’. You will then be asked to complete an action plan on how you will complete the remaining items over the next year. The action plan is auto-generated.