Staff creating, or otherwise processing records, are appropriately trained and supported.
In line with the Keeper of the Records of Scotland’s (The Keeper) obligations under the Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011 (the Act), the following guidance is issued regarding the skills required by an authority’s records manager and the training offered to all staff creating or otherwise managing records.
As part of a robust plan, the Keeper would expect to see that the individual responsible for the day-to-day implementation and operation of the RMP has the relevant skills and training to carry out the task to a reasonable standard. The Keeper will welcome proof that a public authority recognises that records management is a separate function from general office duties and will require specific resources applied in the form of training. S/he or she will also expect that the individual or individuals named in Element 2 (Responsibility – Records Manager) have access to the latest thinking in the field.
The Keeper would expect to be assured that a continuing personal development programme is available to the records manager, and be provided with evidence that a records management ‘learning stream’ is offered to relevant staff members.
The Keeper would expect that individuals carrying out records management in a public authority should have this task as a specific formal ‘objective’.
That said, it is understood that it will not always be practical for a public authority to appoint a qualified records manager to carry out this function, and also that it may be necessary for the individual to carry out a records management function alongside other duties.
The Keeper will also expect an authority to explain what records management training has been made available to other staff in the organisation. This might be in the form of access to relevant training modules. The authority might also require a level of competence to be proved before access to certain record-keeping systems is permitted. In many cases, authorities might require staff to undergo mandatory training, perhaps renewed annually, in key areas such as information security.
Evidence
Potential evidence that an authority considers records management as a specific business activity requiring specific skills might include a copy of the records manager’s annual objectives, a job vacancy description, or a statement, perhaps included as part of the records management policy (Element 3), that senior officers in the authority appreciate the specific skills required to operate an efficient records management system. This should be accompanied by an agreement that resources will be allocated to maintaining an appropriate level of competence for the records manager
It is likely that all staff will receive training on information security and data protection. This should be reported, and broad details of any training modules that can be shared with the Keeper provided.
This Element is also where an authority can explain how their records management procedures are advertised to staff. Suitable evidence might include, for example, e-mails, newsletters, or presentations.
Other suitable evidence under this Element might be an overview of a training programme, an attendance log, or a screen-shot of an e-learning portal showing information governance topics. The Keeper would particularly commend a records management component of the corporate induction syllabus.
The Keeper would also expect a general ‘training’ statement in the Records Management Policy (Element 3).
