The client
Locala Health and Wellbeing are a leading provider of community health and care services across West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. As an independent not-for-profit social enterprise, they have the flexibility to tailor services to meet the needs of their communities, with all financial surplus re-invested into supporting patient care and community initiatives through Social Value programmes.
Locala supports people at every stage of life, delivering services such as health visiting, district nursing, sexual health, school nursing, physiotherapy, dental care, podiatry and end of life care. Their colleagues are committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective care, supporting people closer to home.
What did they need?
In 2024, Locala Health and Wellbeing sought DPAS’s services to provide interim Data Protection Officer services. Due to the temporary absence of internal expertise, Locala were looking for a service to provide additional capacity and expertise, alongside offering support and advice to the wider internal team.
Locala is a complex organisation, processing large quantities of sensitive data, in particular that of children, and health data. Additionally, Locala works in a multi-faceted way, partnering with local authorities, and additional service providers to support their service users. As a result, they needed:
- A flexible delivery model to facilitate a fast-paced environment.
- Comprehensive and practical advice in a timely manner.
- A trusted provider who could deliver consistent results across multiple disciplines.
How did we help?
DPAS acted swiftly to support Locala, immediately establishing strong and collaborative working relationships with key stakeholders. From the outset, we prioritised clear and consistent communication, setting out defined processes to ensure Locala could contact us with ease and confidence. This proactive approach enabled timely access to advice and support, fostering a strong sense of trust and reliability.
To further enhance coordination, Locala were assigned both a dedicated Data Protection Officer and a deputy. This ensured continuity of support, with a knowledgeable point of contact always available to respond to queries, provide guidance, and oversee ongoing work streams. This approach not only maintained momentum but also allowed us to build familiarity with Locala’s style of working and priorities.
We also utilised our dedicated help desk system to centralise communication and streamline the management of support requests. This gave selected stakeholders full visibility of the advice being provided, promoting transparency and allowing Locala to track progress in real time.
As part of our commitment to support, Locala were given access to our 24-hour breach helpline. This provided peace of mind that, in the event of a serious incident, expert advice would be available on demand.
Our responsive, structured, and transparent approach laid the foundations for a strong and trusted partnership, ensuring Locala received the timely, expert support they needed throughout the interim service.
The result
Our collaborative and responsive approach meant that Locala had clear, consistent access to expert advice and support throughout the defined engagement period. With strong communication channels, transparent service delivery, and dedicated consultants in place, Locala were able to confidently navigate data protection challenges during the absence of their internal DPO. This ensured continuity of support for staff, reduced the risk of non-compliance, and prevented a backlog of unresolved queries.
Key outcomes included:
- Fast, responsive advice and support when it was needed most.
- On-demand access to specialist expertise.
- Clear oversight of ongoing matters and advice provided.
- Effective handling of staff queries, preventing support delays.
What the client had to say
“DPAS provided a highly professional and responsive interim DPO service during a critical period for Locala. Their team quickly understood the complexities of our organisation, offering clear, practical advice and reliable support. With dedicated consultants and a structured helpdesk system, we had continuous access to expert guidance and full visibility of ongoing matters. Their flexible approach and consistent communication gave us confidence and peace of mind throughout the engagement.”
— Jane McMaster, Litigation & IG Manager, Locala Health and Wellbeing
