Data Protection Act

Our Ref: F10/2798/LG

Dear Ms Griffiths

Information Request

Thank you for your email of 5 March 2010 in which you request
information in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

We will consider your request and you will normally receive the
information you seek within the 20 working day limit set by the FOIA.

The FOIA lists a number of exemptions that may prevent the release of
part, or all, of the information that you have requested. We will make
an assessment of the requested information and if it is subject to an
exemption you will be informed of this, together with details of your
right of appeal.

Your request has been allocated to Louise Gormley. If you have any
queries concerning your request you can contact Ms Gormley on 0161 923
6311 or at [email address].

Yours sincerely

Elaine Hodgson
Temporary Information Access Team Administrator
0161 923 6316
[email address]

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Dear Ms Griffiths

Thank you for your information request below, which I am currently
processing.

In order to complete your request, please can you clarify question 4 for
me please?

Kind regards

Louise Gormley
Information Access Officer
Registration Directorate

Direct Line: 0161 923 6311
Email: [email address]
Website: www.gmc-uk.org
Address: Information Access Team
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW

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I will not be back in the office until Tuesday 6th April 2010. In my
absence, if your enquiry is urgent, please contact the Information Access
Team on 0161 923 6316. Alternatively I will deal with your email on my
return.

Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the sender of this email, this
communication may contain privileged or confidential information which is
exempt from disclosure under UK law. This email and its attachments may
not be used or disclosed except for the purpose for which it has been
sent.

If you are not the addressee or have received this email in error, please
do not read, print, re-transmit, store or act in reliance on it or any
attachments. Instead, please email the sender and then immediately delete
it.

General Medical Council

3 Hardman Street, Manchester, M3 3AW

Regents Place, 350 Euston Road, London, NW1 3JN

The Tun, 4 Jacksons Entry, Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AE

Regus House, Falcon Drive, Cardiff Bay, CF10 4RU

9th Floor, Bedford House, 16-22 Bedford Street, Belfast, BT2 7FD

The GMC is a charity registered in England and Wales (1089278) and
Scotland (SC037750)

Our reference: F10/2798/LG

Dear Ms Griffiths

Than you for your email dated 5 March 2010, in which you request
information about our DPA procedures.

Please find below responses to each of your requests:

1. How many requests do you get under the DPA each year?

In 2009 we received 345 requests.

2. How do you verify the authenticity of DPA requests?

The majority of our DPA requests are from individuals who we have
exchanged long running correspondence with and are known to us, for
example a doctor or complaintant who have been through our Fitness to
Practise procedures. We reserve the right to request original
identification documents (such as a passport/national identity card)
from a requestor if are unable to authenticate his or her identity.

3. Do you conduct regular DPA audits / have an auditing policy?

We have an auditing policy about the conduct of internal audit work
across the activities of the GMC; I attach for you a copy of our
internal Audit Charter. We also hold ISO 270001 certification, and in
addition to the annual BSI audits, we conduct our own internal audits to
ensure that we comply with the standard.

4. Do you maintain data on errors in information covered by the DPA?
a. If so, please provide data for the past 5 years.

We have no record of any erroneous data. All data collection is subject
to the GMC's DPA policy and as such must be accurate and up to date.

I hope the above information is useful.

If I can be of any further assistance please let me know.

Kind regards
Louise Gormley
Information Access Officer
Registration Directorate

Direct Line: 0161 923 6311
Email: [email address]
Website: www.gmc-uk.org
Address: Information Access Team
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW

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