A new law governing data protection will come into force on the 25th May 2018, and Mark Smith from CVS Bedfordshire got in touch to tell us what it is, how it may affect you – our providers, and what we should all be doing in preparation for it. The new law is called the General Data Protection Regulation – or GDPR if you prefer something a little snappier.
Thank you to Mark for taking the time to pass on all of this vital information. He’s pointed out all of the bits that are important to you and your work as The Culture Challenge providers. Please take some time to read this article, familiarise yourself with the links, and follow out any of the steps you need to take to ensure you’re up to speed with the new GDPR law – there’ll be – urgh – fines if you’re not.
The GDPR is a new law governing how businesses use and handle data. The law is changing because the current law we have in place (the 1995 Data Protection Directive isn’t up to the job anymore. Because the amount of digital information we create has sky rocketed since the halcyon – more simplistic, more innocent, more musically inspirational – days of the 1990s, we need a law that can handle the amount of data we now create. It’s time to let the 90s go…
The new guide to the GDPR can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Website and it’s your starting point to finding out everything you could possibly wish to know about it. Because the GDPR will change how you handle the information you hold about your customers, you really need to get to grips with it. There will be a new regime of fines for those who aren’t. Yikes.
The new GDPR info that’s available goes into some serious depth, but some particular areas of interest and relevance to you are –
Preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation – a downloadable guide that gives you details on ’12 steps to take now’
Capacity, The Public Services Lab, has produced the ‘GDPR Health Check’ – an assessment tool you can use to see if you/your organisation is ready for the new law
0303 123 1113 – The dedicated phone line for small organisations (and charities) that’s aimed at helping you prepare for the new laws. It’s been set up by the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office)
This blog – ‘Data Protection and GDPR – Five Things for Trustees to Know’ is helpful if you’re getting up to speed with what GDPR means for you and your organisation.
So, ok, there’s quite a bit of info to take in. But grab a cuppa, hunt down the last chocolate digestive, and spend a bit of time getting your head around things. Then, once you’ve made sure you’ll be on the right side of the law when the new regulations come in, you can sit back, relax, and spend time doing what you really love doing – being creative with The Culture Challenge!