Newsletter: March 2026
Dear Caldicott Guardians,
Welcome to the spring edition of the UKCGC bulletin. This issue brings together practical updates, guidance, and training opportunities to support you in your vital role.
As UKCGC Chair, one of the highlights of my week continues to be the case discussions arising from enquiries Caldicott Guardians send to us for a view on. I often think of these as the ‘fun’ part of the role – as each enquiry brings something novel or unexpected, and I always come away having learned something new. If you, too, enjoy examining real-world information sharing dilemmas, you may appreciate the UKCGC’s monthly breakfast club. This is a separate forum where we discuss and analyse cases and scenarios for lively, thoughtful discussion. I find these sessions exceptionally valuable and certainly learn more than I contribute! Read on for information about how to join us.
Inside this edition, you will also find:
• Caldicott Guardian survey findings – further analysis from last year’s UKCGC survey
• New guidance published – read the latest guidance published by both the National Data Guardian (NDG) and NHS England
• National Data Guardian’s annual report - insights into current priorities on confidentiality, data use and maintaining public trust
As ever, thank you for your continued dedication to supporting the ethical and lawful use of confidential information within your organisations.
Wishing you a positive start to 2026 and every success in the months ahead.
Dr George Fernie
Chair, UK Caldicott Guardian Council
Guidance and resources
A number of new and updated guidance documents have been published by NHS England in recent months.
NEW NDG guidance on using confidential patient information (CPI) in reflective practice
This guidance helps patients and service users understand how their information may be used for reflective practice and why this practice is essential for ensuring safe, high-quality care. Read the guidance.
NEW guidance on communicating with patients
This guidance covers information governance (IG) topics you need to think about when sending or receiving messages about health and care services by text, email or other types of messaging. Read the guidance.
NEW guidance for information sharing between private healthcare services and NHS England
This guidance is about NHS England requesting information from private health and care organisations and services to meet its legal obligations. Read the guidance.
UPDATED guidance on Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) claims
This guidance provides advice on information sharing with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) to support claims from those who have been impacted. Read the guidance.
UPDATED guidance on the use of AI-enabled ambient scribing products
This guidance outlines key considerations for NHS technology leaders implementing ambient scribing products across health and care settings in England. Read the guidance.
NEW guidance for personal health budget holders
Guidance for patients and service users on what they need to know. Read the guidance.
NEW guidance for Controller and Processor professionals
This guidance is designed to help information governance (IG) professionals identify whether health and care organisations are acting as a controller, joint controller or a processor for processing personal data. Read the guidance.
NHS England’s IG newsletter
NHS England's online IG newsletter keeps IG professionals up to date with IG developments, new guidance and free training opportunities and events. To sign up, complete this form.
Events & training
New e-Learning: Handling freedom of information requests
NHS England has published a new Handling freedom of information requests training course on e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH). Feel free to share this with colleagues who may benefit from this course.
NEW UKCGC event for ICB Caldicott Guardians and their deputies
Do you perform Caldicott Guardian duties in an ICB? On Wednesday 29 April 2026 (16:00–17:00), Dr George Fernie and Helen Dyer will be holding an engagement session specifically for you. In a trusted, Chatham House Rule space, we will explore common challenges, build supportive networks, and help shape how the UKCGC can best support you.
This invitation is strictly for Caldicott Guardians and those in supporting roles in ICBs. Email england.ukcgcsecretariat@nhs.net if you are interested in attending.
Breakfast club – virtual (08:00–09:00)
Join us for our free monthly breakfast clubs, where you will have the opportunity to keep up-to-date with the latest Caldicott Guardian developments, network with fellow Caldicott Guardians, and problem-solve any queries you may be dealing with.
To book contact Helen Dyer: helen.dyer10@nhs.net
Evening classes – virtual (17:30–18:30)
We have released new dates for our free UKCGC evening teaching sessions covering real-world scenarios. View full list of sessions and book your free place via Eventbrite.
Online Caldicott Guardian Learning Network
The next free session from the Digital Care Hub for Caldicott Guardians from both local authorities and care provider organisations is scheduled for Thursday 12 June at 12.00. Caldicott Guardian Learning Network - Digital Care Hub
Free UKCGC annual Online Conference
Join us for free on Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 09:00 for the UK Caldicott Guardian Council’s flagship online event, covering national updates, best practice insights, and a keynote from the National Data Guardian, Dr Nicola Byrne.
Book your free place via Eventbrite
NEW NDG insights on public communication about data use
The National Data Guardian’s latest report, Can communications create reasonable expectations about uses of health and care data? Insights from co-design and public testing, explores how clear, co-designed communications can help the public understand uses of their confidential information beyond individual care.
Policy & legislation updates
NDG annual report
The National Data Guardian’s Office has published its progress report, offering insight into how progress through 24/25 is influencing current work on data use, confidentiality, and public trust.
Share your experience of information sharing with victims of crime
Do you have any experience of sharing information with victims of crime about perpetrators? You may also have supported a Responsible Clinician with a decision. If so, we would love to hear from you.
The Victims and Courts Bill, currently in the House of Lords, aims to improve the experience of victims within the criminal justice system by updating the Victim Contact Scheme and providing a new route for victims to request information. The UKCGC hope to work with the Ministry of Justice to support Caldicott Guardians to promote lawful, ethical and appropriate information sharing through forthcoming national implementation guidance.
If you have some experience of the challenges in this space, how frequently issues are raised to you, or an anonymous case study you are able to share, please contact us. You can read more about this on page 7 of this fact sheet.
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – update
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill has had its third reading in the House of Lords and is now in its final stages before royal assent. Of interest to Caldicott Guardians will be a statutory duty to share information to safeguard children and a single unique multiagency identification number. We are currently engaging with the Department for Education about the development of implementation guidance.
Case studies and Q&As
Caldicott Guardians may wish to review the recent judgement about releasing too much information in response to a request:
GP surgery reprimanded after excessive medical history of terminally ill patient sent to insurer
UKCGC operational updates
Further analysis from our 2025 Caldicott Guardian survey
In summer 2025, we asked Caldicott Guardians across the UK to share their experiences of the role and their priorities, and to tell us how the UKCGC could better support them. More than 1,100 responded, reflecting a diverse range of sectors, organisation types and experience. Our analysis of the responses has helped us to identify key insights that will inform our future work to support Caldicott Guardians across the UK.
Find out more about what the insights have shown and what we will do next.
Contact & feedback
Thank you for your continued hard work and commitment to leading the lawful, ethical, and appropriate use of confidential information in health and social care.
Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey and share your thoughts on this issue of the UKCGC quarterly bulletin. We will use the feedback we receive to help us develop and improve future bulletins, tailored to your needs and interest.