Health Service Executive - West

Does your organisation use the PPS Number at present?

Yes

If so, for what purpose(s)?

In the application of the following Schemes:

• Blind Welfare Allowance
• Domiciliary Care Allowance
• Dental Schemes
• Drug Payment Scheme
• European Health Insurance Cards
• Medical Cards/GP Visit Cards
• Home Help Service/Home Support Service
• Immunisation Services
• Inpatient Services
• Institutional Assistances Services
• Long-Term Illness Scheme
• Maternity Cash Grant
• Mobility Allowance
• Motorised Transport Scheme
• Fair Deal
• Ophthalmic & Aural Services
• Outpatient Services
• Primary Medical Certificate
• In-patient Services Mental Health
• National Cancer Screening Programme
• Oncology Drugs Management
• Bowel Cancer Screening
• Diabetic Screening
• Cervical Smear Screening

Does your organisation exchange the PPS number with any other body? If so please name the relevant bodies and the purpose(s) of the exchange?

Yes.

Department of Social Protection for the purposes of administration of schemes, Revenue Commissioner for the purposes of calculation of taxes and deductions General Registers Office for the purpose of registration of births, deaths and marriages.

Does your organisation have any other plans involving the use of the PPS number?

Not at present.

There are Eight Rules of Data Protection which govern the processing of personal data set out as follows:

• obtain and process the information fairly
• keep it only for one or more specified, explicit and lawful purposes
• process it only in ways compatible with the purposes for which it was given to you initially
• keep it safe and secure
• keep it accurate, complete and up-to-date
• ensure that it is adequate, relevant and not excessive
• retain it no longer than is necessary for the specified purpose or purposes
• give a copy of his/her personal data to an individual, on request

Have you measures in place to ensure that the Public Service Identity data you hold /collect, whether held in electronic or written format, is secure and that it is accessible and processed, only in connection with the purpose for which it has been provided?

Measures are in place throughout the HSE West to ensure that the Public Service Identity data we hold/collect in electronic or written format is safe and secure and that it is only accessible on a need to know basis and that it is processed in connection for the purpose for which it has been provided.

All staff are made aware of the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003 through Data Protection Awareness training which is provided both at induction stage and on an on-going basis. A recent alert has issued within the HSE with regard to the usage of PPSNs. All staff are required to comply with the eight principles of Data Protection and have recently been circulated with a Data Protection Guide which they must read and confirm that they understand what is required of them as an employee to ensure compliance with Data Protection Legislation. Regular audits and reviews are conducted throughout HSE West in relation to all aspects of compliance with DP Legislation.