Confidentiality Guidelines
For Volunteers
In order to provide quality care for clients Carers Trust East Midlands will need to
have access to a wide range of data about their clients. Much of this information is
personal and sensitive. Carers Trust East Midlands will safeguard the rights and
best interests of all those on whom they hold data, including volunteers, by keeping
secure, accurate and up-to-date records.
Volunteers may have access to information on clients whilst in the course of their
volunteering role. This may include information written in care plans and risk
assessments, details given to you directly by clients and information gathered from
conversations you may have. All volunteers within Carers Trust East Midlands have
a duty of confidentiality to clients. They will treat all information with respect and in
the best interests of the individual to whom it relates and will maintain confidentiality
when handling it.
Personal information held about clients will only be disclosed to Carers Trust East
Midlands volunteers who require access to the information in order to carry out their
duties.
Individuals have the right to privacy and dignity. Any information needs to be handled
in such a way as to cause as little intrusion as possible into this right. Clients need to
feel able to share information, confident that it will be handled with confidentiality and
respect and used only in relation to the purpose for which it was intended.
Carers Trust East Midlands comply with:
 National Minimum Standards for Domiciliary Care Agencies and the
Domiciliary Care Agencies Regulations (2002) in Wales
 Health and Social Care Act (2008) in England
 Data Protection Act (1998)
 Department of Health Guidance on Confidentiality.
Sensitive personal data about an individual includes:
 racial or ethnic origin
 political opinions
 religious or other beliefs of a similar nature
 membership of trade unions
 physical or mental health conditions
 sexual life
 the committing of any offence or criminal records
Protection of sensitive data can apply to any individual and includes the following,
though the list is not exhaustive:
 carers, family members and those with care needs
 employees
 volunteers
 trustees
 donors
 supporters
 people from other organisations
 members of Carers Trust East Midlands organisations
Under the Data Protection Act (1998) when you hold personal / sensitive data, you
are:
 only allowed to use it for the purpose(s) for which it was originally obtained
 required to take good care of it to maintain confidentiality
 required to use it ‘fairly’ and ‘lawfully’
 required to keep records no longer than necessary
 will be committing an offence if you:
o gain access to personal / sensitive data you are not authorised to look at
o disclose information ‘knowingly or recklessly’ to people who are not
authorised to see it
o sell personal / sensitive data you are not entitled to
Volunteers need to be aware that confidentiality can be breached through:
 gossiping about clients
 passing information on to others who do not have a ‘need to know’
 sharing any information outside of Carers Trust East Midlands
 making any disclosure without the express permission of your line manager
 not disposing of paper material securely, e.g. by shredding
 leaving computer screens open or sensitive material lying around the office or
other premises in open view
 posting or discussing any information gained through your volunteering on
social media
 engaging in any communications through social media or email unless
specifically authorised through your line manager
Your line manager is required to ensure that there is a staff member available at all
times when you are volunteering who has the authority to deal with any
confidentiality issues you encounter in the course of your work. You need to make
sure you know who to contact in such circumstances and that you have all their
necessary contact details.
Volunteers will appreciate that failure to observe confidentiality may place others at
risk. It may also severely damage the reputation of Carers Trust East Midlands and
Carers Trust. Inappropriate breaches of confidentiality will be dealt with through the
Procedure for dealing with inappropriate behaviour by volunteers.
Carers Trust East Midlands will only break the general rule of confidentiality in
circumstances that justify taking action in the best interests of the client or any other
person, for example, to protect a client or any other person from grave danger. Only
a designated manager can make the decision to break confidentiality and any
queries should be referred to your line manager. You should refer the matter to your
line manager as soon as possible after you become aware of the issue.
In signing the Volunteer’s Agreement you agree to abide by these confidentiality and
data protection rules and any other guidance provided by your line manager.