Newsletter: Summer 2026
Chair’s welcome
Dear Caldicott Guardians,
Welcome to the summer edition of the UKCGC bulletin, where I would like to begin by highlighting the UKCGC first virtual annual conference, taking place on 6 October 2026. If you have not yet signed up for the event, please do so. It is free to attend and promises a full day’s opportunity in which to participate as well as the chance to network with fellow Caldicott Guardians from across the UK.
In this edition, you will find:
· Nottingham Inquiry – read the key learnings from the Rule 9 request received by the UKCGC, along with the recommendations made.
· UKCGC Podcast – listen to UKCGC’s first ever podcast, exploring the history of the UKCGC and the eight Caldicott Principles in practice.
· New guidance – read the latest guidance published by the NHS England IG team.
You will also find details of upcoming learning opportunities, policy and legislative developments, and case studies.
Thank you for your continued leadership in promoting the lawful, ethical and appropriate use of confidential information. Your work remains invaluable to maintaining public trust and supporting safe, effective care.
Wishing you a positive and successful summer ahead.
Dr George Fernie
Chair, UK Caldicott Guardian Council
Guidance and resources
Watch UKCGC’s first podcast
Watch or listen to the UKCGC’s first ever podcast, where Dr George Fernie and Helen Dyer explore the eight Caldicott Principles and their history.
Watch the podcast on our YouTube channel.
We’d love to hear your thoughts. If you have any comments, feedback, or ideas for future podcasts, or want to get involved yourself, please email england.ukcgcsecretariat@nhs.net.
New UKCGC resource: Who to speak to if you have a concern or complaint about how health and social care data has been handled
The UKCGC has produced a new guide to help members of the public understand who to contact if they have concerns about how their health or social care data has been handled. The resource provides practical signposting to support individuals in raising concerns through the appropriate channels. It also offers a useful overview of the Caldicott Guardian role and clarifies the UKCGC's remit in supporting, rather than overseeing, Caldicott Guardians. Read the full guidance.
New and updated IG guidance from NHS England
Note that the Information Governance Portal has been refreshed.
· Updated SAR guidance update to incorporate DUAA considerations
· Updated guidance on using AI-enabled ambient scribing products in health and care settings
· AI enabled ambient scribing products template DSPA
· New guidance on Microsoft 365 Copilot
· Updated universal IG templates and list of laws
· New guidance on stopping unlawful access to records
Sign up for NHS England’s IG key messages webinar/newsletter
If you have not already, consider signing up to NHS England's Key Messages Webinars & IG newsletters. They contain incredibly helpful information and updates that would benefit Caldicott Guardians and enable you to stay up-to-date with latest developments.
NHS England launches campaign on inappropriate access
NHS England has launched a national campaign and toolkit to tackle inappropriate access to patient records, alongside new guidance for NHS organisations on preventing, monitoring, investigating and reporting unauthorised access. In a related press release, NHS Chief Executive Sir Jim Mackey reminded NHS leaders that accessing records without a legitimate reason is unlawful and may result in dismissal, regulatory action or criminal prosecution. Caldicott Guardians may wish to consider how the new guidance aligns with local approaches to prevention, monitoring and incident management.
Intentional inappropriate access is an issue many Caldicott Guardians encounter and can be challenging to detect, investigate and address. Recent high-profile incidents have highlighted the difficulty of managing such cases consistently, particularly where they overlap with disciplinary processes. National bodies, including the NDG, ICO and NHS England, are exploring what further support may be needed to promote greater consistency in how these breaches are handled. To ensure the Caldicott Guardian perspective is reflected in these discussions, we are working with the NDG to host a cross-sector focus group later this month. We will share the findings on our UKCGC News page.
Events & learning
Free UKCGC annual online conference – 6 October 2026
Join us on Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 09:00 for the UKCGC’s flagship online conference with a special optional open session of the UKCGC Breakfast Club from 08:00
This full‑day virtual event will bring together Caldicott Guardians from across health and social care for national updates, best‑practice insights, and a keynote from the National Data Guardian, Dr Nicola Byrne.
The conference will run as an all‑day drop‑in, allowing you to select the sessions most relevant to your role, interests and organisational context. A detailed agenda will be shared in the next bulletin.
Secure your free place via Eventbrite
Other opportunities
UKCGC 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.
View full list of sessions and sign up to be a member for free
UKCGC evening classes – virtual (17:30–18:30)
Join our free, one-hour monthly evening classes to build expertise in specific areas and connect with peers. Upcoming sessions include:
Trustworthiness: Checklist, Audit and Appraisal
Wednesday 29 July 2026
Information sharing: Legal Frameworks
Tuesday 25 August 2026
Trustworthiness: Appropriate records access by employees in social care
Monday 28 September 2026
View full list of sessions and book your free place via Eventbrite.
Five new IG learning modules
NHS England's IG portal now has easy, free access to five IG learning modules:
· Handling freedom of information requests
· Becoming an information asset owner
· Managing subject access requests
· Information sharing for frontline staff working in health care
· Information sharing for staff working in adult social care
Policy & legislation updates
Victims and Courts Act 2026
The Victims and Courts Bill completed its passage through Parliament and became the Victims and Courts Act 2026 on 29 April, marking a significant step toward strengthening the experience of victims within the criminal justice system. The Act does not create new powers for health or social care organisations to disclose patient information. Instead, it increases the number of situations where justice agencies and victim communication schemes may request information, and it raises expectations among victims that information will flow more smoothly.
What does this mean for Caldicott Guardians?
For Caldicott Guardians, the main impact is a likely increase in complex, cross-agency information sharing decisions, especially where offender health information intersects with victim rights.
Practical suggestions for Caldicott Guardians:
· Review and update DPIAs and information‑sharing agreements with justice partners.
· Brief IG teams and frontline staff on the Act’s implications in terms of information requests.
· Develop clear internal guidance on handling requests associated with victim support schemes.
· Strengthen decision‑making frameworks for balancing confidentiality with public protection.
· Ensure transparency with patients/offenders where appropriate (Caldicott principle 8).
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduces several important changes, including a statutory duty to share information to safeguard children. The statutory Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance will continue to apply. However, the Department for Education’s existing information‑sharing guidance will be replaced by new guidance; a public consultation is now open on the draft statutory guidance that will support implementation of the new duty, including a proposed data‑sharing agreement template.
The information‑sharing duty will come into force on 30 September 2026.
Case studies and Q&As
Should an employer be vicariously liable when data is accessed unlawfully?
DAC Beachcroft has published an article outlining the circumstances in which an employer may, or may not, be held responsible for an employee’s unlawful access to personal data, and the key legal principles that determine liability. Caldicott Guardians may wish to assure themselves that appropriate training is provided to every employee on the circumstances in which they are permitted to access the records of individuals as part of their implementation of Caldicott Principle 5.
New case law: DSG Retail Ltd v Information Commissioner
DSG Retail Limited v The Information Commissioner
This case demonstrates that if you pseudonymise, encrypt, or otherwise remove identifying data points, then your duty to keep such data safe against loss, destruction or damage persists, and to ensure no unlawful or unauthorised processing occurs, irrespective of whether any other third party could identify the individual(s) to whom the data relate. The common law duty of confidence persists for pseudonymised data. Caldicott Guardians may wish to review DPIAs from the context of Caldicott principle 3 where the use of pseudonymised data has previously been used to minimise the use of confidential information.
Don't forget: If you are pondering a question involving the application of the Caldicott Principles, or a decision about information sharing or disclosure, you can reach out to us here: england.ukcgcsecretariat@nhs.net
UKCGC operational updates
Nottingham Inquiry
The UKCGC was served with a Rule 9 request as an organisation identified as holding information relevant to the Nottingham Inquiry. As a result, Dr George Fernie provided a written witness statement.
In his statement, Dr Fernie responded to a series of detailed questions using the Caldicott Principles, relevant regulatory guidance, and applicable case law from across jurisdictions. He also offered several recommendations for strengthening Caldicott practice nationally.
Key reflections for Caldicott Guardians:
· Greater use of Caldicott Guardians in Trusts: Dr Fernie emphasised that Caldicott Guardians should be more routinely involved when organisations are considering public interest disclosures, ensuring expert advice is available at the point decisions are made.
· Strengthening professional development: He recommended that Caldicott Guardians continue to address their educational needs through ongoing CPD and ensure this is reflected in appraisal processes.
· Improving multi‑agency understanding: The Inquiry highlighted the importance of improving knowledge and confidence around lawful, ethical and appropriate information sharing, particularly in complex multi‑agency contexts. Better shared understanding supports confidentiality, maintains public trust, and helps ensure information is shared appropriately for the benefit of patients and the wider public.
UKCGC Council member news
· We have now finished our round of UKCGC 1:1 meetings with Council members, which help inform our priorities and strategy for the year ahead, ensuring the Council continues to meet the needs of Caldicott Guardians.
· We have welcomed a new member of Council: Mark Speller. Mark has worked as an NHS GP in East Kent since 2009 and became a Caldicott Guardian in 2016. He completed Clinical Safety Officer training in April 2026 with a view to helping progress safe digital innovation in Primary Care. We are delighted to welcome him to the Council and look forward to the valuable contributions he will bring.
· If you are interested in supporting the work of UKCGC or perhaps exploring the role of a member, you can observe a UKCGC meeting by emailing england.ukcgcsecretariat@nhs.net.
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 edition 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 interests.