1. FUNCTION
1.1 To ensure that all employees are aware of the process for dealing with confidential waste.
2. LOCATION
2.1 This procedure is applicable to all employees, contractors and volunteers working within NHS Fife.
3. RESPONSIBILITY
3.1 It is the responsibility of all staff to comply with this procedure and all related policies.
3.2 It is the responsibility of Line Managers to ensure that all staff are aware of and adhere to the contents of this procedure.
4. OPERATIONAL SYSTEM
4.1 When a document has been identified as holding confidential or sensitive information and is no longer required, it should be destroyed in a secure manner. In order to ensure that records are completely destroyed and rendered illegible, a secure method of destruction should be used.
4.1.1 Records can be shredded locally where shredders are available and the resultant paper can be disposed of through the domestic waste stream.
4.1.2 Acute Services provide grey bags for confidential waste which are collected by the portering service. The bags are securely stored until the contents can be shredded by the approved contractors.
4.1.3 The Transport Department provides and collects recycled bags for confidential waste for sites within the Community. The bags are securely stored until the contents can be shredded by the approved contractors.
4.1.4 Approved contractors may carry out the shredding either on site or off site as agreed and provide certificates to ensure that the records have been securely destroyed. It is the responsibility of NHS Fife to satisfy itself that the methods used throughout the process provide adequate safeguards against accidental loss, or disclosure of their contents.
5. RISK MANAGEMENT
5.1 This procedure must be reviewed every three years.
6. RELATED DOCUMENTS
6.1GP/R4 Management, Retention, Storage and Destruction of all Business and Administrative Information and Records.
7. REFERENCES
7.1 PublicRecords (Scotland) Act 2011
7.2 Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
7.3 Code of Practice on Records Management issued under Section 61(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
7.4 Data Protection Act 1998
7.5 Scottish Executive Health Department Curricular HDL (2006) 28 (The Management, Retention and Disposal of Administrative Records