GDPR

1. GDPR WORKING GROUP AND IAHIP DATA
The priority of the working group has been focused on ensuring that IAHIP, like many midsized organizations with decades of data and a considerable liability if unaddressed, was fully prepared and protected. To that end, the group has focused on the following tasks to prepare IAHIP for GDPR

i. A voluntary working group was formed in 2017 to examine the tasks needed to prepare for GDPR and ensure that your representative body is ready and has the appropriate policies and  appropriate safeguards for its data in place.
ii. Attended GDPR conference to inform the staff and board of the legal changes and the threats posed by the new legislation to IAHIP.
iii. Invited and secured the collaboration of ICP in order to share and reduce costs.
iv. Undertook a Gap Analysis project involving representatives from admin, the board and each committee to identify the steps required for compliance and produced a working plan.
v. Updated the company’s IT infrastructure in line with the requirements for compliance.
vi. Updated the company’s procedures, storage and security of paper based data.

2. GDPR AND MEMBER SUPPORTS
Our umbrella organisation ICP held an extensive GDPR briefing. A large number of IAHIP members attended the ICP Registrants’ Day (12/05/2018) which included an extensive GDPR presentation that answered many of the questions currently facing psychotherapists. The presentation is available here.
The working group is currently preparing guidelines to assist members in private practice. It is hoped to develop the following:

• A suggested template that may be added to member’s client contracts, to their website and/or displayed in the practice to state the therapist’s policies on data protection and storage.
• Practical guidelines for the storage and protection of data (electronic and paper based).