Capital Document Solutions recently installed an enterprise wide content management system for the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to improve their records management. SEPA’s Records Manager highlighted a number of critical areas to ensure compliance under the Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011.
It’s the first new public records legislation in Scotland for over 70 years. It makes provision about the management of records by certain authorities.
“The Act will raise the profile of records management across the public sector in Scotland. It will introduce improvements and efficiencies in public record keeping. As well as increasing business efficiency, good records management helps authorities meet their statutory obligations. Therefore, they can respond better to their users’ needs. It will help authorities to better monitor public services, maintain accurate records of the circumstances and experiences of individuals, and safeguard the records of vulnerable people.” (National Archives of Scotland)
Are you aware?
- Records created by a public authority whilst carrying out their business are included. So are records created by or on behalf of a contractor in carrying out the authority’s functions and by charitable organisations where they are contracted out to carry out a public function.
- Authorities must create records management plans and have these “agreed” with the Keeper? This may require a senior person be responsible. It may also involve a level of training to ensure understanding.
- Guidance has been given to authorities about the form and content of records management plans. These will be reviewed not earlier than 5 years after the date of last review. However, at any time the Keeper may carry out a records management review to check compliance.
With an ever increasing number of local government departments suffering from high profile cases (and also fines) from the Information Commissioner’s Office, the subject of compliant record keeping has never been higher and these changes just add to the responsibility to ensure the proper management of information.
How Laserfiche and Capital Can Help
The unique Transparent Records Management function within Laserfiche allows us to design a bespoke solution for your records management challenges. Our dedicated Laserfiche support team will configure Laserfiche to mimic the workflow of your current document process. Automating this process increases efficiencies and also minimises lost documents.
Laserfiche provides a framework for reinforcing information governance.
Laserfiche Records Management Edition balances flexibility and control with transparent records management, supports comprehensive risk management and reinforces governance, risk and also compliance standards.
Further examples can be found in a strategy paper from the Centre for Digital Government – Streamlining the Business of Government (How Document-Driven Processes Produce Business Value for the Public Sector)
One third of all 3,143 United States counties use Laserfiche.
Records Management: Take advantage of records management processes to create online, off-site backups of documents that would be critical for disaster recovery, compliance or records requests across various public sector agencies and departments.
Find out more
Finally, Capital will be holding a series of informal, free “Lunch and Learn” seminars at our offices this May.
Need to find a way to meet the legislation and improve your organisation’s business processes and/or efficiency?
Then contact Ian Howe – ihowe@capital-solutions.co.uk, our EDM Solutions Manager.
Posted in Document Management Solutions, Laserfiche