Course Overview

 

Patients share some of the most private information of their lives with us. The Caldicott Guardian makes sure that trust is respected in every decision. 

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This practical training covers the origins and purpose of the Caldicott Guardian role, the key responsibilities of the Guardian and how the 8 Caldicott Principles guide everyday decisions about confidentiality and sharing.

 

​Through real-world case studies, delegates will work through common dilemmas, including mental capacity and consent, requests for unredacted records from solicitors, Subject Access Requests, safeguarding and emergency disclosures. The course also looks at how Caldicott Guardians work with SIROs, DPOs and IG teams on new systems and AI tools. 

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The session is interactive, with discussion prompts and practical takeaways that delegates can apply in their organisation straight away. 

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Spotlight: Unauthorised Access to Patient Records 

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Unauthorised access to patient records is now firmly on the national agenda. In July 2026, NHS England issued new guidance on preventing and monitoring unlawful access. In September 2026, it wrote to trust leaders setting out a zero-tolerance approach: staff suspected of accessing records without a legitimate reason should be suspended immediately, have their system access removed and, where registered, be referred to their professional regulator. 

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This follows a series of high-profile cases in which staff viewed the records of victims of serious incidents. Accessing a record out of curiosity, for personal reasons or even to look at your own or a family member's notes is unlawful, can be a criminal offence and will in almost all cases amount to gross misconduct. 

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In this session, delegates will discuss how organisations can respond in a way that is firm, fair and effective:

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• What the new national expectations mean for local policies, HR processes and staff communications 

• How the Caldicott Principles, especially need-to-know access and awareness of responsibilities, apply to record access 

• Preventing inappropriate access through role-based access, training and a culture where staff understand the boundaries 

• Detecting it through audit trails, monitoring and alerting tools 

• Responding when access is suspected: investigation, breach assessment, informing patients and working with the SIRO, DPO and HR 

• Balancing zero tolerance with fair process, proportionality and support for staff ​

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Who Should Attend?
 

This programme is ideal for:

• New and existing Caldicott Guardians and their deputies 

• Senior Information Risk Owners (SIROs) 

• Data Protection Officers and Information Governance Leads 

• Clinical leads and senior clinicians 

• Safeguarding leads 

• Practice managers and senior managers in health and social care 

 

Key Benefits

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✔ Understand the Caldicott Guardian role and the 8 Caldicott Principles in depth 

✔ Make confident, well-documented decisions on confidentiality and sharing 

✔ Get up to date on NHS England's 2026 expectations on unauthorised access 

✔ Learn from real-world case studies and practical scenarios 

✔ Strengthen collaboration with your SIRO, DPO and IG team 

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Ethical. Practical. Confident. 

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​Join Caldicott Guardians and information governance professionals from across health and social care who are protecting patient trust and enabling safe information sharing.