Appendix II Retention schedule: Corporate governance

This appendix sets out the retention period for different types of corporate governance records relating to health and care. Where indicated, Appendix III should also be referred to. This sets out further detail relating to the management of specific types and formats of records.

Board meetings

Record type	Board meetings*
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	Up to 20 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	A local decision can be made on how long to retain the minutes of board meetings, and associated papers linked to the board meeting, but this must not exceed 20 years, and will be required to be transferred to the local PoD or the National Archive for National Bodies.

Board meetings: closed boards

Record type	Board meetings: closed boards*
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	Up to 20 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	Although these may still contain confidential or sensitive material, they are still a public record and must be transferred at 20 years, and any FOI exemptions noted, or indications that the duty of confidentiality applies.

Chief executive records

Record type	Chief executive records*
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	Up to 20 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	This may include emails and correspondence where they are not already included in board papers

Committees: major, listed in Scheme of delegation or report direct into the board, including major projects

Record type	Committees: major, listed in Scheme of delegation or report direct into the board, including major projects*
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	Up to 20 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD

Committees: minor, not listed in scheme of delegation

Record type	Committees: minor, not listed in scheme of delegation*
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	6 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	Includes minor meetings, projects, and departmental business meetings. These may have local historical value required transfer consideration.

Corporate records of health and care organisations and providers that pre-date the NHS, July 1948

Record type	Corporate records of health and care organisations and providers that pre-date the NHS, July 1948
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	-
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	Contact your local PoD to arrange review and transfer. Records not selected by the PoD must be securely destroyed. An example might be the minutes of the hospital board from 1932, or midwifery diaries dated Dec 1922.

Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs)

Record type	Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs)
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	6 years
Disposal action	Review and destroy if no longer required
Notes	Should be kept for the life of the activity to which it relates, plus six years after that activity ends. If the DPIA was one -off, then 6 years from completion

Destruction certificates or record of information held on destroyed physical media

Record type	Destruction certificates or record of information held on destroyed physical media
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	Up to 20 years
Disposal action	Review and dispose of if no longer required
Notes	Where a record is listed for potential transfer to PoD have been destroyed without adequate appraisal, consideration should be given to a selection of these as an indicator of what has not been preserved

Electronic metadata destruction stubs

Record type	Electronic metadata destruction stubs
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	-
Disposal action	-
Notes	Refer to destruction certificates

Incidents: serious

Record type	Incidents: serious
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	Up to 20 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	Retention begins from the date of the Incident; not when the incident was reported

Incidents: not serious

Record type	Incidents: not serious
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	10 years
Disposal action	Review and destroy if no longer required
Notes	Retention begins from the date of the Incident; not when the incident was reported

Incidents: serious incidents requiring investigation

Record type	Incidents: serious incidents requiring investigation
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	Up to 20 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	These include independent investigations into incidents. These may have permanent retention value so consult with the local PoD. If they are not required, then destroy.

Non-clinical QA records

Record type	Non-clinical QA records
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	12 years
Disposal action	Review and destroy if no longer required
Notes	Retention begins from the end of the year to which the assurance relates

Patient advice and liaison service (PALS) records

Record type	Patient advice and liaison service (PALS) records
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	10 years
Disposal action	Review and destroy if no longer required
Notes	Retention begins from the close of the financial year to which the record relates

Patient surveys: individual returns and analysis

Record type	Patient surveys: individual returns and analysis
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	1 year after return
Disposal action	Review and destroy if no longer required
Notes	May be required again if analysis is reviewed

Patient surveys: final report

Record type	Patient surveys: final report
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	10 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	Organisations may want to keep final reports for longer than the raw data and analysis, for trend analysis over time. This period can be extended, provided there is justification and organisational approval

Policies, strategies and operating procedures, including business plans

Record type	Policies, strategies and operating procedures, including business plans*
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	Life of organisation plus 6 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	Retention begins from when the document is approved, until superseded. If the retention period reaches 20 years from the date of approval, then consider transfer to PoD

Quarterly reviews from NHS trusts

Record type	Quarterly reviews from NHS trusts
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	6 years
Disposal action	Review and destroy if no longer required
Notes	Retention period in accordance with the Limitation Act 1980

Risk registers

Record type	Risk registers
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	6 years
Disposal action	Review and destroy if no longer required
Notes	Retention period in accordance with the Limitation Act and corporate awareness of risks

Staff surveys: individual returns and analysis

Record type	Staff surveys: individual returns and analysis
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	1 year after return
Disposal action	Review and destroy if no longer required
Notes	Forms are anonymous so do not contain PID unless provided in free text boxes. May be required again if analysis is reviewed

Staff surveys: final report

Record type	Staff surveys: final report
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	10 years
Disposal action	Review and consider transfer to PoD
Notes	Organisations may want to keep final reports for longer than the raw data and analysis, for trend analysis over time. This period can be extended, provided there is justification and organisational approval

Trust submission forms

Record type	Trust submission forms
Category	Corporate governance
Retention period	6 years
Disposal action	Review and destroy if no longer required
Notes	Retention period in accordance with the Limitation Act 1980