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If you lead or manage frontline services

These tools help people who run, manage or lead an agency’s frontline offices or manage a small, local service to apply the Data Protection and Use Policy (DPUP) in their work.

What you do

You have a role in creating your team’s culture, processes and operating practices around how service users’ data and information is viewed and respected.

You may:

  • be in a position of influence or leadership for people who work at the frontline
  • take part in making decisions about what data or personal information is collected from service users, how that happens and how it’s used
  • be involved in negotiating contracts or partnership agreements — if so, the guidance on funding, contracting or partnering will also be helpful.

If you work in funding, contracting or partnering

Apply DPUP to your role

Depending on what you do in your role, these tools can help you apply DPUP in your work.

Understand how DPUP relates to managing the frontline

This 2-page DPUP summary outlines how you can be a role-model to create a culture where the information people share is cared for in a respectful, trusted and transparent way.

Principles in action

Using DPUP involves engaging with the 5 Principles. These are examples of how you might apply the Principles when your role involves managing, directing or governing frontline staff.

He Tāngata

Focus on improving people’s lives — individuals, families, whānau, iwi and communities.

This Principle is upheld when you:

  • are clear about why and how the information your agency collects and uses from or about service users will benefit this person, family or whānau or community
  • understand the connection between your agency’s work, the information it collects and what's done with it (including why and how it is shared with others, if this happens)
  • work with funding agencies to agree what information they need, why they need it and how it will be used to benefit those it is about
  • make sure your agency has easy-to-understand information for service users that explains what and why information about them is needed and what is done with it
  • are clear about the outcomes your agency needs to achieve for service users and stakeholders, and know what information will help you recognise if you are achieving those outcomes.

He Tāngata Principle

Manaakitanga

Respect and uphold the mana and dignity of the people, whānau, communities or groups who share their data and information.

This Principle is upheld when you:

  • include service users in your service evaluation
  • include service users when designing and testing data and information collection to learn if they see it as a legitimate and respectful thing to do
  • share your experiences with funding agencies when they ask for input to design new or changing services
  • have joint referral or assessments with other agencies to avoid service users having to provide the same information repeatedly.

Manaakitanga Principle

Mana Whakahaere

Empower people’s choices and enable access to and oversight of their data and information.

This Principle is upheld when you:

  • make sure your agency has easy-to-understand information for service users that explains their data and information rights
  • develop ways for service users to access, request correction of, and have copies of their information, and proactively enable frontline staff to provide service users with copies of key forms / data entry screens
  • provide staff with guidance about specific responsibilities for vulnerable groups you work with and how to uphold their data and personal information rights, for example, children, or people with dementia
  • equip staff to ensure service users understand what information might be collected about them and why, and can understand and act on choices they have about this.

Mana Whakahaere Principle

Kaitiakitanga

Act as a steward in a way that people understand and trust.

This Principle is upheld when you:

  • recognise the trust that people place in you, which comes with an obligation to care for and respect the information they have shared
  • match the policies, procedures, training and processes in your organisation to the obligations of your profession or the nature of your work — for example, the Oranga Tamariki Information Sharing Guidance, Family Violence Information Sharing Guidance, Privacy Act 2020, and so on
  • regularly review how you keep data and information secure and make sure your staff have the tools they need to work safely with people's information
  • identify and develop relationships with people or organisations who may be interested in non-personal insights (based on people's information) you can offer, which could benefit their services or users.

Kaitiakitanga Principle

Mahitahitanga

Work as equals to create and share valuable knowledge.

This Principle is upheld when you:

  • have training, policies and support processes to help staff navigate information sharing issues specific to your context
  • work with other agencies or community groups to share data and information that can improve understanding of those communities
  • involve your organisation in research projects that are about the kinds of people and communities you work with
  • agree with other agencies you work closely with on what information you share, why and how — for example, through Memorandum of Understandings, agreements and joined-up referral and assessment forms.

Mahitahitanga Principle

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