Flying Start: privacy notice

Flying Start: individual level data transfer to the Welsh Government

This notice informs individuals in receipt of Flying Start services about the processing of their personal data by the Welsh Government and the uses to which their data will be put by the Welsh Government. The Welsh Government are the data controller for the uses set out in this notice.

Some of the information the local authority collects in providing their services will be transferred to the Welsh Government on an annual basis. This is so that the Welsh Government can carry out research and statistical analysis to improve the Flying Start support provided to people in Wales.

What personal data do we hold and where do we get this information?

Personal data is defined under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) as ‘any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified by reference to an identifier’.
The following is a summary of the personal data that local authorities will transfer to the Welsh Government in the Flying Start dataset:

• personal information including name, address including postcode, date of birth, NHS number where available
• the unique reference number
   

What is the lawful basis for using your data?

The lawful basis for processing information in this data collection exercise is our public task; that is, exercising our official authority to undertake the core role and functions of the Welsh Government. 

How secure is your personal data?

The Flying Start dataset will only be transferred through secure methods, with access limited to those working on the project.

The Welsh Government becomes responsible for this data once it has been transferred to them, although local authorities will retain responsibility for any data they continue to hold on their own systems. The transferred data are stored in a secure database with access limited to approved Welsh Government users and locations.

How long do we keep your personal data?

Personal data will be retained by the Welsh Government for 1 year for data linking and matching purposes. The anonymised data will be retained as long as it remains useful for research and statistical purposes, and because historical data can be very useful in this context, this is likely to be a considerable number of years. As an example the Welsh Government currently holds detailed Looked After Children data that dates back to 2002.

The Flying Start dataset will be used by Welsh Government as follows:

• to monitor progress towards national outcomes, including the publication of official statistics
• to monitor local authority performance and funding
• to develop and evaluate policy
• to identify and assist development of good practice
• to support research relating to the well-being of individuals.

This may include linking or combining the information with other data about individuals in Wales.

The Welsh Government will only use the identifiable aspects of the data to support the statistical and research processes required for any of the uses set out above, but will neither use the identifiable aspects of the data nor process the data in such a way as to:

• take action or support measures or decisions with respect to an individual or their families
• cause any damage or distress to individuals or their families
• identify any individuals in any reports.

Results from analyses carried out using the data will be made available in statistical or research publications released via the Welsh Government Statistics and Research website and also via data placed on the StatsWales website. 

External users such as the local authorities and the wider public will be able to use this published information for their own purposes, such as performance measurement and management; to improve practice and to hold government to account.

Data linking research

Data linking is the process of bringing together person-level records from different sources.

Linking information to other records:

• reduces demands on people to take part in surveys
• greatly reduces the cost of collecting information
• allows different types of information to be more readily available, and so allows research to be carried out more quickly
• allows better use to be made of already existing information.

Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) will have access to a part of the personal data for a period of six months, to allow data linking with SAIL databank. The SAIL Databank is a databank of anonymised data about the population of Wales, which is internationally recognised for the robust secure storage and use of anonymised person-based data for research to improve health, well-being and services.

Names, addresses and postcodes are not included in the linked data. The information is used for research purposes only.

Personal identifiable information will be deleted within a year of being transferred to the Welsh Government. This would provide enough time to perform any anonymisation and data linking that is required for evaluation.

Wider data sharing of the dataset transferred to the Welsh Government

The Welsh Government have appointed Alma Economics to access the anonymised data once included in SAIL for the purposes of evaluating the Flying Start programme. Alma Economics will not have access to the personal data transferred within the dataset to Welsh Government.

The contact for this evaluation at Alma Economics is Christina Olympiou

Telephone: 020 8133 3192

Email: christina.olympiou@almaeconomics.com

Individual rights

Under GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to the personal information you provide as part of this evaluation. You have the right to:

• Access a copy of your own data;
• Require us to rectify inaccuracies in that data;
• To object to or restrict processing (in certain circumstances);
• For your data to be ‘erased’ (in certain circumstances); and
• To lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection.

The contact details for the Information Commissioner’s Office are: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Phone: 0303 123 1113. Website: www.ico.gov.uk

Further Information

If you have any further questions about how the data provided as part of this study will be used by the Welsh Government or wish to exercise your rights using the General Data Protection Regulation, please contact:

Hannah Davies (Education, Culture and Welsh Language, Welsh Government)
Telephone: 0300 025 0508
Email: cfcresearchandevidenceteam@gov.wales

The Welsh Government’s Data Protection Officer can be contacted at: 
Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ
Email: DataProtectionOfficer@gov.wales