Information sharing

Under the right circumstances and for the right reasons, data sharing across and between organisations can play a crucial role in keeping people safe. It can also provide a better, more coordinated and efficient service to customers.

We share information within the statutory framework of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulations. This is in accordance with the Information Commissioner’s Office's (ICO) Data Sharing Code of Practice and West Sussex County Council's (WSCC) Data Sharing Policy.

We record systematic data sharing in an Information Sharing Protocol (ISP) or Agreement (ISA). This provides a framework for the lawful, secure and confidential sharing of information between participating partner agencies or organisations.

For some services that we provide our partners include:

• emergency services - the police, ambulance and fire and rescue services
• health organisations - clinical commissioning groups, hospitals and GPs
• local authorities - county, district and borough councils
• partnership organisations - charities and voluntary organisations.

Key agreements with partners

WSCC has the following key agreements with partners:

• East Surrey and Sussex overarching information sharing protocol - provides a framework for improved data sharing between health and social care services across the East Surrey and Sussex Sustainability and Transformation Partnership to provide or improve the services they need.
• PAN Sussex complaints protocol for NHS trusts, NHS clinical commissioning groups and social services departments - provides a framework for collaboration in handling complaints about social care.
• Sussex Resilience Forum information sharing guidance - provides a protocol for sharing with local authorities, health, response services and utilities providers.
• Sussex-wide overarching Information Sharing Protocol - provides an agreed framework for improving data sharing across local public services.
• West Sussex information sharing agreement for safeguarding partners and agencies, children and young people - facilitates data sharing between partner agencies, relevant people and bodies with responsibility for delivering services for children and young people from pre-birth to aged 18 and their families or carers, to provide and improve services.
• Information sharing agreement for children from pre-birth to aged 19 (25 for those with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) in West Sussex - facilitates data sharing between partner agencies delivering services to children and young people to ensure early intervention, improve integrated working and promote welfare.
• Electoral register data sharing agreement - WSCC data sharing with elections officers in district councils to transfer or check accuracy of data.
• East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (ESFRS) and West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (WSFRS) data sharing agreement (Joint Control Centre) - covers data sharing through the centre to provide excellent services to the public, dynamic mobilisation and operational efficiencies.
• WSCC and Department for Transport (DFT) - covers DFT processing of Blue Badge data using new digital services that provide online services and central records.
• Proactive Care + - sharing between partner organisations to ensure that patients receive seamless, coordinated, high quality support and the type and level of support most appropriate to their needs.
• Blue Badge enforcement - WSCC administers and enforces the Blue Badge Scheme in West Sussex and delegates to Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) the investigation of misuse, requiring data sharing in accordance with this framework.
• Provision of residential and domiciliary care - healthcare is provided by a team of care providers from different organisations and this agreement provides a framework for sharing data to ensure quality of care and effective safeguarding.
• WSCC social care team access to Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WSHFT) patient data - to provide a framework for data sharing for coordinated health and social care.
• Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) - enhances data sharing arrangements relating specifically to domestic violence to increase the safety of all victims, including children. Also to enable the protection of vulnerable people and reduce crime and disorder locally.
• Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) - to ensure appropriate and effective data sharing is critical to MAPPA safeguarding function where an individual is assessed as posing a serious risk of harm.
• Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and WSCC's adult social care services and Learning Disability Community Teams - to support partnership working between the NHS and WSCC teams.

Enquiries

For enquiries please email: dataprotection@westsussex.gov.uk.