STOP, THINK, CHECK, SEND when using email. The Information Governance Team is reminding colleagues to exercise caution when sending emails…
It is important to remember:
STOP
– Once you have created your content and entered the email recipient(s) STOP and carry out the following CHECKS:
THINK
- Are all recipients necessary?
- Should BCC be used to protect 3rd party email addresses/bulk emails?
- Is the “Reply All” function necessary?
CHECK
- Is the content appropriate/relevant?
- Are the addresses to recipients correct?
- Have you classified the email to apply appropriate security?
SEND
- Only send once the above checks have been carried out.
If you do not follow this method, this may result in a breach of personal data. This may cause harm or distress to individuals. It can also result in the Council being reprimanded from the Information Commissioner’s Officer (ICO) who is the governing body for data protection ensuring organisations adhere to their data protection obligations.
We are all working in extremely busy environments therefore it is even more important to STOP and ASSESS before clicking SEND when using email.
As a North Ayrshire Council employee, it is our responsibility to take care of and maintain the security and confidentiality of the information we use in our roles.
When handling personal information, treat it as you would with your own. Double check content and recipients prior to sending to make sure the information stays in safe hands.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter,
The Information Governance Team
Follow the S.A.A.S steps to ensure you are exercising caution before clicking the send button…
- STOP – Follow these steps before you click send
- ASSESS – Are recipients correct? Relevant? Is ‘Reply All’ necessary?
- ADD – Type in the content then add the Classification > Public, Official or Official Protect
- SEND – Only once all of the above checks have been made should you send the email. Remember to be mindful of your recipients as there are lots of people with the same/similar names.