The process of backing up a care home’s data is often an afterthought and can be pushed towards the bottom of a to-do list, but it’s something that must be integrated within a care home’s routine in order to prepare for any unforeseeable losses. Records can be destroyed in numerous ways, and sometimes they are completely unavoidable.

One of the most common causes of data loss is due to hardware or system malfunctions. It can be caused by several factors, including electrical faults, physical damage and water damage, and often results in permanent loss.

Viruses and malware are other possible cause of data loss. As well as slowing down the speed of your computer or tablet, it can spread rapidly and cause either partial of complete damage to your healthcare records. Installing a reliable antivirus is advised on all your devices, but it’s best to also back up files just to be extra safe!

Natural disasters, such as fires, floods and earthquakes, are both unpredictable and uncontrollable, and can lead to the loss of data. Cloud storage is an effective method of preparing for damage/loss by natural disasters or burglary, but if you also have backups on external hardware, such as a USB memory stick, it’s recommended that the hardware is kept at a different (but equally secure) site to where the original records are kept.

If a healthcare provider were to lose their records, the consequences would be disastrous. For example, carers would no longer have access to each resident’s care plan, which in turn will have a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of the residents.