A patient's medical record contains sensitive information that every NHS organisation should strive to protect. Even if the information is no longer in use, the document disposal must protect the confidentiality of the patients.

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A breach in security can expose your clients to identity theft and blackmail, among other dangers. That is why you need reliable and confidential document shredding services that will ensure the privacy protection of every patient. When searching for a shredding service, here are a few key features to watch out for before hiring an expert:

1) Certification

Government agencies take privacy laws seriously, and they regularly audit NHS and private healthcare facilities to ensure compliance with data protection and confidentiality laws. Therefore, the shredding service you use should provide a certificate of destruction that will prove your vigilance in maintaining information security. CAS gives you peace of mind with double shredding services and provides the necessary paperwork to prove that the shredding service complied with privacy laws.

2) Company Hiring Policies

The Data Protection Act 2018 demands that all employees handling confidential information undergo vetting to safeguard the security of the documents. Shredding services must conduct thorough background checks, from criminal history to credit and reference checks, on their staff before employment. At CAS, all the employees handling confidential documents are approved by Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). CAS is fully compliant with data protection policies, including the EU’s GDPR (incorporated into the Data Protection Act 2018).

3) Secure Chain of Custody

The data destruction process must be secure. That is why you need a document shredding service with a secure and traceable chain of custody. Investigate the steps involved in document shredding from the time you hand over the documents to the time of destruction. A longer chain of custody puts your documents at risk of a security breach.

4) Data Security Compliance

The shredding company you choose should understand the relevant legislation in your industry and know the laws that govern data security. For instance, data protection laws for financial records may differ from medical records, and the company should be aware of the best practices. CAS provides shredding services for both medical records and financial records. Apart from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) registration, we adhere to the GDPR principles, the Data Protection Act, and NHS best practices for document retention schedules.

5) Flexible Service Options

When choosing a shredding service, consider the services they offer. For instance, do they offer both on-site and off-site shredding? If you prefer on-site shredding, CAS will shred the documents in a secure truck within your facility instead of transporting them to an off-site plant. However, you can also use our off-site shredding services. With GPS tracking and onboard CCTV on each vehicle, we ensure that the documents are safe during transport.

Our shredding services also extend to magnetic tapes, hard drives, optical media and external storage devices. CAS is compliant with the WEEE directive, which guides the environmentally safe destruction or disposal of electronic equipment.

Find Out More

At CAS, we provide confidential document shredding services that are tailored to your facility’s needs. You can schedule a weekly shredding service or a one-time engagement, and we recycle all paper storage boxes as part of the disposal service. Please get in touch today for an evaluation of your needs and a free quote.

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