Category: FAQs

Who do I contact for support with signing the agreement?

Please contact us on fhft.icsinformationgovernance@nhs.net

Who do I contact for support with understanding the agreement?

Please contact us on fhft.icsinformationgovernance@nhs.net

How do I find out who else is a member of the agreement?

The Members Register (Schedule E) provides a list of all signatories to the agreement.

Our Caldicott Guardian has left the organisation and is not in a position to sign the documentation. How can we get it signed?

Near the bottom of the email sent to your former Caldicott Guardian there is a "delegate" link.

Your former Caldicott Guardian can use the "delegate" link to forward the document to an alternative member of staff for approval.

For anti-fraud reasons, it is preferable to use the "delegate" link rather than simply forwarding the email to the second person.

Our Caldicott Guardian is not in a position to sign the documentation. How can we get it signed?

Near the bottom of the email sent to your Caldicott Guardian there is a "delegate" link.

Your Caldicott Guardian can use the "delegate" link to forward the document to an alternative member of staff for approval.

For anti-fraud reasons, it is preferable to use the "delegate" link rather than simply forwarding the email to the second person.

What if individuals names and/or the organisations identity have changed?

For anti-fraud reasons you cannot change agreement documents directly. Please see "Our Caldicott Guardian has left the organisation and is not in a position to sign the documentation. How can we get it signed?"

For anything else, we requested details of any changes before the documents when out for signature. However, if the name of your organisation as a legal entity is incorrect or if the registered address is incorrect then corrections will need to be made.

If the details are not simply the name of the Caldicott Guardian, please decline the documents and send us an email (the details are at the bottom of the original request for signature). Please provide full details for what needs to change.

There are one or more errors in our details in the documents sent through for signature. How do we change them?

For anti-fraud reasons you cannot change agreement documents directly. Please see "Our Caldicott Guardian has left the organisation and is not in a position to sign the documentation. How can we get it signed?"

For anything else, we requested details of any changes before the documents when out for signature. However, if the name of your organisation as a legal entity is incorrect or if the registered address is incorrect then corrections will need to be made.

If the details are not simply the name of the Caldicott Guardian, please decline the documents and send us an email (the details are at the bottom of the original request for signature). Please provide full details for what needs to change.

We've signed our copy of the documents. So why do we keep getting reminders?

It is most likely because the final step of the signing process was missed or because you skipped one of the required signatures.

When signing you will have the option to sign with mouse, touchpad or touch screen. You can also type in your signature or upload a previously scanned signature image.

Don’t forget to select the “click to sign” button in your browser or the “tap to sign” button on your smartphone to finalise the signing process.

Why can't I sign my copy of the agreement?

For anti-fraud reasons, only the Caldicott Guardian's copy of the agreement can be signed.

See also "Our Caldicott Guardian is not in a position to sign the documentation. How can we get it signed?"

How do I know my signature was received?

You will have received an email from Adobe Sign with PDF copies of your signed documents.

Please also see "We've signed our copy of the documents. So why do we keep getting reminders?".

If the problem persists, please also feel free to contact us using fhft.icsinformationgovernance@nhs.net

I can’t see/open the document. What do I need to do?

Please try copying the signature URL to a different browser. To do this, Right-Click and Copy Hyperlink on the signature link in the email and then paste the URL into the different browser.

If the problem persists, please also feel free to contact us using fhft.icsinformationgovernance@nhs.net

Can we sign paper copies of the agreements?

Yes. The Caldicott Guardian's document can be downloaded with all the necessary fields pre-populated and then printed.

The printed document can be signed, scanned and uploaded instead of providing an electronic signature.

When signing you will have the option to sign with mouse, touchpad or touch screen. You can also type in your signature or upload a previously scanned signature image. Don’t forget to select the “click to sign” button in your browser or the “tap to sign".

Why do we need to sign these documents again?

Because the framework has been updated to incorporate and offer better legal certainty the revised agreement terms need to be approved for the better legal certainty to apply.

It would have been more complicated and would have required more input from you to transfer the documents across unchanged.

We have already signed these documents. Why do we need to sign them again?

Because the framework has been updated to incorporate and offer better legal certainty the revised agreement terms need to be approved for the better legal certainty to apply.

It would have been more complicated and would have required more input from you to transfer the documents across unchanged.

What happens if we don't sign the latest documents?

Your current sharing arrangements will apply until their respective end dates.

Your organisation and your data subjects will not be able to benefit from the sharing arrangements that require the additional IG features and capabilities.

Can we withdraw our approval?

Yes. As part of the framework your organisation as data controller can withdraw at any time.

Please see section 30 of the master agreement for more details.

Please also feel free to contact us using fhft.icsinformationgovernance@nhs.net

Can we terminate our membership?

Yes. As part of the framework your organisation as data controller can terminate membership at any time.

Please see section 30 of the master agreement for more details.

Please also feel free to contact us using fhft.icsinformationgovernance@nhs.net

Can I decline or refuse to sign?

Yes. As part of the signature dialogue you can decline instead of signing.

Your current sharing arrangements will apply until their respective end dates.

Your organisation and your data subjects will not be able to benefit from the sharing arrangements that require the additional IG features and capabilities.

Why don't the organisation name and my personal details appear in my copy of the agreement?

The full details only appear in the Caldicott Guardian's copy of the document.

For anti-fraud reasons, only the Caldicott Guardian's copy of the agreement can be signed.

See also "Our Caldicott Guardian is not in a position to sign the documentation. How can we get it signed?"

Why have the direct care and secondary uses sharing been combined into a single agreement?

IG Steering Group took the decision to combine the two frameworks after consulting with a range of different types of members.

Direct care and other (secondary) uses processing and sharing specifications are still defined separately within the framework.

See Schedule C for both direct care and other uses processing and sharing arrangements and Schedule D for other (including secondary) uses.

Have the sharing documents changed a lot and do we have to check all the fine details of these documents?

The data flow requirements (Schedule K processing and sharing specifications) have changed only as far as is necessary to record the revised framework requirements.

These additional requirements include: Lead Controller details; Indemnity applicability; Data Processor details; representation of user organisations as classes of organisation rather than by naming every organisation.

Have the master agreement documents changed a lot and do we have to check all the fine details of these documents?

The master agreement itself has changed somewhat and there are several new annexes and attached schedules.

The additional Annexes are: The role of the IG Steering Group; the role of Lead Controllers; the requirements for notifications, issues, breaches and reporting.

The additional Schedules are: Risk Sharing and Indemnity; Register of Shared Information Assets. The Provision of Care and Secondary Uses frameworks have been combined into a single agreement.

Who should I consult when deciding what data to process and share?

Consultation is generally covered by each organisation in a manner that is compatible with the organisations relationship with its data subjects.

Follow the links on www.regisa.uk (here and here) to find the advice and policy section covering communications and engagement.

Please also feel free to contact us using fhft.icsinformationgovernance@nhs.net