The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies from 25 May 2018, and introduces a new set of rules relating to the collection, storage and processing of personal data. Martin Bonney, senior director at Epiq, discusses the reasons why healthcare organisations should prepare for the Regulation in order to remain compliant.
Organisations within the healthcare sector handle sensitive information including patients’ medical histories and medication needs. However, safeguarding this information remains a challenge. Indeed healthcare organisations counted more than twice as many data breaches worldwide as any other sector in the first half of 2016.1
In fact, according to data from the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK health sector accounts for nearly half of all data breaches at 43%.2 With the introduction of new legislation to regulate data protection in the European Union, data breaches may soon result in significant legal and financial consequences for healthcare organisations
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into full effect on 25 May 2018, introducing a single set of rules across the European Union (EU). It applies equally across all member states. It repeals the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC (“Directive”). The Directive was implemented into member state laws by domestic legislation and thus perceived not to be consistent across the EU.
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