What is a relevant filing system?

This is a file or system which has a structure or index that enables us to retrieve specific information about an identifiable individual. As a general rule if it is possible to go straight to the piece of information you are looking for then it is a relevant filing system. To decide whether or not a file is a ‘relevant filing system’ ask, ‘Am I able to go straight to a particular piece of information about this person?’.

It is not a 'relevant filing system' if the information is: not in a filing system; in a general file labelled with the name of the individual, unless that file has an index or is internally sub-divided; in a file where all papers are filed in date order with no structure or index.

Minutes of committee meetings are not 'relevant filing systems' unless they are indexed and the index includes an entry for Dr X.

It is a 'relevant filing system' if the information is filed in a file with an index, contents list or other means of finding pieces of information. A file about a specific aspect of our interaction with Dr X is a 'relevant filing system', for example a file called 'Dr X's leave' or 'Dr X's research' or 'Meeting about Dr X'. A general file about a particular subject, such as the payment of expenses, is a 'relevant filing system' if it has a sub section dedicated to Dr X or if the papers in the file are kept in alphabetical order so that you can go straight to a set of papers about Dr X.

What is personal data?

The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336