This article enquires whether risks to privacy are greater in some policy sectors than others. First it shows how the Labour Government's policy agenda is producing stronger imperatives towards data sharing than was the case under previous administrations in three fields of public policy and services, and then examines the safeguards introduced in these fields. The authors then compare the settlements emerging from differing practices within each of these policy sectors, before briefly assessing which, if any, principles of data protection seem to be most at risk and in which policy contexts. Four strategies for the governance of data sharing and privacy are recapitulated namely, seeking to make the two commitments consistent or even mutually reinforcing; mitigating the tensions with safeguards such as detailed guidelines; allowing privacy to take precedence over integration; and allowing data sharing to take precedence over privacy. Argue that the UK government has increasingly sought to pursue the second strategy and that the vertical dimension is, in practice, much more important in defining the settlement between data sharing and privacy than is the horizontal dimension. This strategy is, however, potentially unstable and may not be sustainable. The conclusion proposes a radical recasting of the way in which the idea of a 'balance' between privacy and data-sharing imperatives is conceived.
This article enquires whether risks to privacy are greater in some policy sectors than others. First it shows how the Labour Government's policy agenda is producing stronger imperatives towards data sharing than was the case under previous administrations in three fields of public policy and services, and then examines the safeguards introduced in these fields. The authors then compare the settlements emerging from differing practices within each of these policy sectors, before briefly assessing which, if any, principles of data protection seem to be most at risk and in which policy contexts. Four strategies for the governance of data sharing and privacy are recapitulated namely, seeking to make the two commitments consistent or even mutually reinforcing; mitigating the tensions with safeguards such as detailed guidelines; allowing privacy to take precedence over integration; and allowing data sharing to take precedence over privacy. Argue that the UK government has increasingly sought to pursue the second strategy and that the vertical dimension is, in practice, much more important in defining the settlement between data sharing and privacy than is the horizontal dimension. This strategy is, however, potentially unstable and may not be sustainable. The conclusion proposes a radical recasting of the way in which the idea of a 'balance' between privacy and data-sharing imperatives is conceived.
Subject terms:
NHS, privacy, social policy, access to information, case studies, central government, data protection;
Policy and Politics, 25(4), October 1997, pp.409-419.
Publisher:
Policy Press
... of home as a place of privacy and self identity is illustrated as is the rich and varied lives of these respondents both inside and outside their homes. Argues that local authorities as the lead agencies in community care should help to foster such independence and that this requires them to develop a broad vision of community care which covers issues such as transport, leisure and household
This article begins by looking at past policy assumptions about the importance of home and independence to older people. The second half of the article looks at present day assumptions on this issue as addressed by the 1990 National Health Service and Community Care Act and compares this to what older people themselves have to say. By drawing on research on older households the importance of home as a place of privacy and self identity is illustrated as is the rich and varied lives of these respondents both inside and outside their homes. Argues that local authorities as the lead agencies in community care should help to foster such independence and that this requires them to develop a broad vision of community care which covers issues such as transport, leisure and household maintenance.
Subject terms:
independence, local authorities, older people, policy, privacy, social policy, community care;
... for cooperative work among politicians and officials in Danish local government; the political consequences of information and communication technologies in UK local government; democracy and virtual communication in Amsterdam; political parties in the digital era; information technology, openness of government and democracy; information superhighways and the privacy debate; and democracy and datacoupling.
Detailed exploration of the relationship between information and democracy. Includes a literature review and sections on: informatization and views of democracy; channeling democratic influences through bureaucracies; laying down the infrastructure for innovations in teledemocracy - the case of Scotland; community information systems; public administration and information; computer based tools for cooperative work among politicians and officials in Danish local government; the political consequences of information and communication technologies in UK local government; democracy and virtual communication in Amsterdam; political parties in the digital era; information technology, openness of government and democracy; information superhighways and the privacy debate; and democracy and datacoupling.
Subject terms:
information technology, literature reviews, local government, politics, privacy, social policy, central government;
... equipment and systems reliability, misuse of equipment, and monitoring and response; sourcing equipment, UK telecare market, interoperability, and impact of personal budgets; and installation. Post-installation the key issues are: privacy; social isolation and wellbeing; and fairness in the allocation of resources. The main aim of the report is to ensure that commissioners and providers of telecare
This report explores the ethical issues surrounding the commissioning and provision of telecare. There are many definitions of telecare but the one used here originates from the Department of Health; “Equipment provided to support the individual in their home and tailored to meet their needs. It can be as simple as the basic community alarm service, able to respond in an emergency and provide regular contact by telephone”. The issues, and means of addressing them in practice, were identified through work by the Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities. They are discussed in two main sections; pre- and post-installation. Pre-installation these are: coordination of assessment and review of needs; consent, risk, protection, and freedom; risks associated with telecare, perception of telecare, equipment and systems reliability, misuse of equipment, and monitoring and response; sourcing equipment, UK telecare market, interoperability, and impact of personal budgets; and installation. Post-installation the key issues are: privacy; social isolation and wellbeing; and fairness in the allocation of resources. The main aim of the report is to ensure that commissioners and providers of telecare address these issues when developing their procedures and protocols. It is aimed at social care commissioners, social care providers, telecare manufacturers, telecare providers and policy makers. By setting out what to expect from telecare, it may also be of interest to people arranging telecare for their own, or a family member’s, support needs.
Subject terms:
privacy, social policy, social care provision, telecare, assessment, assistive technology, commissioning, ethics, health care;
British Journal of Social Work, 43(4), 2013, pp.759-774.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Children who spend time in public care, such as children's homes and/or foster care will have a child-care or case file to record and collate data concerning their care. This article outlines and analyses the differing policy and practice regimes for former children in care who wish to accessing their case records in the UK and Australia, two countries that have seen significant developments in this area of work in recent decades. It also identifies future research needs, policy priorities and practice improvements in both countries.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Children who spend time in public care, such as children's homes and/or foster care will have a child-care or case file to record and collate data concerning their care. This article outlines and analyses the differing policy and practice regimes for former children in care who wish to accessing their case records in the UK and Australia, two countries that have seen significant developments in this area of work in recent decades. It also identifies future research needs, policy priorities and practice improvements in both countries.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
privacy, access to information, comparative studies, social policy, case records, residential child care, foster care, data protection, law, looked after children;
Disability and Society, 15(7), December 2000, pp.991-999.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Moving from a medical to a social model of individual disability is a political process of change with implications for understanding of and relationship to borders between individual, social life and political participation. This process has echoes in the conceptual experience of change through movement for women's liberation and gay liberation. Conceptualisation of a public/private divide has been identified in both these movements, and can also be used productively to further the use of a social model of disability. In this way, public change in status and participation can be linked to private defeat of barriers to public and political participation. This article identifies some uses of conceptualising public and private as a way of locating service provision within a social model of disability.
Moving from a medical to a social model of individual disability is a political process of change with implications for understanding of and relationship to borders between individual, social life and political participation. This process has echoes in the conceptual experience of change through movement for women's liberation and gay liberation. Conceptualisation of a public/private divide has been identified in both these movements, and can also be used productively to further the use of a social model of disability. In this way, public change in status and participation can be linked to private defeat of barriers to public and political participation. This article identifies some uses of conceptualising public and private as a way of locating service provision within a social model of disability.
Subject terms:
physical disabilities, privacy, rights, social model, social policy, social work methods, social work theories, attitudes, ethics;
Social Policy and Administration, 37(5), October 2003, pp.68-482.
Publisher:
Wiley
In exploring the implications of information and communication technologies (ICTs), it has suggested the need for a new category of rights—virtual rights. To explore this claim, the authors consider how developments in information management and processing differentially impact on citizens. Using examples from the public and private sectors we explore the dangers posed by the emergent surveillance society and agree these may require new rights. The state has by no means been an exemplar and, moreover, that many of the “surveilling” practices employed by commercial organizations might be used by the state to pursue socially just ends. We argue against a criticalist perspective that narrowly focuses on the dangers posed by new ICTs. Indeed, from a realist perspective the authors argue that a positive cybercriticalism that seeks to tackle exclusion by harnessing and constraining the surveillance qualities of ICTs is a pressing policy priority.
In exploring the implications of information and communication technologies (ICTs), it has suggested the need for a new category of rights—virtual rights. To explore this claim, the authors consider how developments in information management and processing differentially impact on citizens. Using examples from the public and private sectors we explore the dangers posed by the emergent surveillance society and agree these may require new rights. The state has by no means been an exemplar and, moreover, that many of the “surveilling” practices employed by commercial organizations might be used by the state to pursue socially just ends. We argue against a criticalist perspective that narrowly focuses on the dangers posed by new ICTs. Indeed, from a realist perspective the authors argue that a positive cybercriticalism that seeks to tackle exclusion by harnessing and constraining the surveillance qualities of ICTs is a pressing policy priority.
Subject terms:
information management, information technology, knowledge management, mass media, privacy, rights, social policy, social care provision, systems approach, central government, confidentiality;