Data Protection Assistant

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust; North East; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization seeks a team member for their Information Governance Team. You will process requests for personal information while ensuring compliance with GDPR and other regulations. Candidates should have knowledge of data protection laws and experience in handling sensitive information. This full-time role, contracted for 18 months at Band 3, offers a salary range of £24,937 to £26,598 annually. The position is based at Lanchester Road Hospital in Durham.

Qualifications

• Experience of handling sensitive, confidential, personal information.
• Providing information to members of the public and all levels of staff.
• Experience within a large, complex organisation.

Responsibilities

• Process access to personal information legally and timely per GDPR.
• Respond to access queries using knowledge of Data Protection laws.
• Handle upset individuals assertively yet empathetically.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Ability to maintain confidentiality

Ability to provide information on complex non-routine queries

Ability to use Microsoft Office

Education

Educated to NVQ level 3

ITQ / ECDL qualification or equivalent

Job description

Job summary

To work in a busy team processing requests for personal information following strict legal deadlines.

Working for the Information Governance Team the successful candidate will work with a small team of staff facilitating access to personal information (patient information and staff information).

You will need knowledge of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 with regard to Subject Access, either gained through practical application of the law or formal training. Your knowledge of Subject Access and its practical application will be tested at interview.

You must have an understanding of the confidentiality issues associated with handling personal, confidential and special information and be able to maintain confidentiality. The ability to work under the pressure of constant deadlines while still maintaining accuracy and attention to detail is essential.

You will be educated to NVQ level 3, Experience of processing requests for personal information is desirable.

Main duties of the job

To ensure that access to personal information of living and deceased individuals is processed in a legal, timely and consistent way according to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Data Protection Act 2018, Access to Health Records Act 1990 and common law duty of confidentiality.

Respond to queries from patients, staff and external organisations with regard to access to personal information using your knowledge of the Data Protection Act 2018, GDPR and Access to Health Records Act 1990. Escalate complex queries to supervisor or senior manager.

Answer service user queries on access to their health records. Contact is usually by telephone or letter but a very limited amount of face‑to‑face contact may be required, for example if an individual wants to personally collect copies of their records. Sometimes you will have to talk with individuals who are upset or angry. You will have to be able to cope with these individuals in an assertive but empathetic manner.

About us

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We’re committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

We won’t rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification which outlines the main duties and responsibilities of the role.

You must have the Right to Work in the UK in order to be successfully appointed to this role. Please note, this role does not meet the required eligibility criteria for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa and therefore the Trust is unable to offer sponsorship for this particular role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to NVQ level 3
• ITQ / ECDL qualification or equivalent

Desirable

• ISEB Foundation Certificate in Data Protection

Experience

Essential

• Experience of handling sensitive, confidential, personal information
• Providing information to members of the public
• Providing information to all levels of staff
• Working within a large, complex organisation
• Experience of clinical systems such as patient administration systems, outpatient clinic systems

Desirable

• Interrogating bespoke IT systems;
• Working with confidential patient information;

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge and understanding of the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation;
• Knowledge and understanding of the common law duty of confidentiality and NHS code of Practice on Confidentiality
• Knowledge and understanding of information governance topics including : Records Management, Information Security, Confidentiality and Data Quality

Desirable

• Knowledge of the Access to Health Records Act 1990;
• Knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act and how it relates to the disclosure of personal information

Skills

Essential

• Ability to provide information on complex non-routine queries
• Excellent communication skills; written and verbal
• Ability to follow policies and procedures
• Ability to use Microsoft Office software; Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Ability to maintain confidentiality

Desirable

• Ability to learn and use a range of bespoke IT systems

Details

Date posted

03 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

18 months

Working pattern

Full‑time

Reference number

346-CORP-103-25-A

Job locations

Lanchester Road Hospital

Lanchester Road

Durham

DH1 5RD