<p> What do you need to know about the Information Governance Alliance?</p><p>Established in July 2014, the Information Governance Alliance (IGA) is a group of national health and care organisations that are working together to provide a consistent approach to information governance. </p><p>The IGA's core members include Department of Health, NHS England, Health and Social Care Information Centre and Public Health England. Their vision is to help improve the quality of health and care services, including people's experience of using those services, by improving information governance.</p><p>A core team of people, including IG experts, will work together under the umbrella of the IGA. The Group wants to act as an authoritative advice and guidance service and help to signpost people to other relevant sources of information, where required.</p><p>The IGA aims to improve information governance in health and care by:  Providing a single authoritative source of information and guidance;  Providing support to front line staff, managers and their organisations to help them handle personal information confidently and in the best interests of people who use their services;  Developing the capacity and capability of the information governance profession by providing expert advice and a knowledge-sharing network. </p><p>The IGA has a work programme, outlining their priorities for 2014/15. The focus is to establish the IGA, increasing its profile and supporting front line staff, IG professionals and organisations. </p><p>The IGA will develop standards for specific subjects, better tools for the handling of personal information, and working to improve the confidence of staff in handling and sharing information. With approval, the IGA logo can be used on health and care information governance documents to show that they have been reviewed and approved by member organisations as meeting certain standards and current policy.</p><p>The Information Governance Toolkit (IGT) will still deliver guidance on IG requirements. The IGT knowledge base contains an extensive library of guidance, but the IGA will review and update IGT materials as necessary. </p><p>The IGA has identified key health and care information governance documents. You can access these documents here. </p><p>The Information Governance Alliance is in its infancy, but it is the future of safeguarding personal information. It will provide support and allow organisations to appropriately handle data in accordance with the latest information governance principles. For help with your healthcare Information Governance requirements - http://www.wordsworthreading.co.uk/information- governance.php</p>