Information security in general practice
Information backup
Last revised: 21 Apr 2023
The physical protection of backup media is important. All of your practice’s backup media should be securely stored with carefully controlled access. A record of who has taken any backups offsite should be kept, and the most recent backup should be maintained. Lost or stolen data can lead to identity theft and breaches of patient privacy.
If your main backup is to NAS, an air-conditioned room will keep it and other hardware from overheating.
For general practice accreditation, it is recommended that your backups are stored offsite as this is essential to recovering your information in the case of a natural disaster. Your offsite storage location should also include copies of the software you might need to install to re-establish and restore operational systems.
Ensure you have offsite copies of:
It is important to be aware of the physical environment in which backup media is stored (i.e. a cupboard or a safe). The storage location/s you choose should be hazard-free to ensure your media does not become damaged.
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