26/02/10
By Andrew Holt
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into the National Bullying Helpline.
The inquiry comes in response to increasing public concern about the charity, including over 160 complaints made to the Commission this week.
Concerns have been raised about the protection of confidential information held by the charity as a result of the operation of the charity's confidential helpline for victims of bullying.
The Commission has a statutory responsibility to promote public trust and confidence in charities, and is aware of the potential impact on other charities that run confidential helplines.
The focus of the inquiry is to ensure the trustees continue to protect this confidential and sensitive information.
As a temporary and protective measure, the Commission has made an order preventing the transmission or disclosure of information, including details about the nature and source of the confidential calls it has received, without the permission of the Commission.
In addition, the inquiry will cover other issues within our remit, relating to the charity's policies and procedures on data protection and confidentiality of information gathered during the course of its work, and issues surrounding referrals understood to have been made by the charity to a business connected with one of its trustees.
The Commission notes it is aware that the trustees have suspended the operation of the helpline and indicated they are independently considering the future of the charity.
It is also important to give an assurance to the public and the charity's beneficiaries of the protection of sensitive information.
The Commission's inquiry relates to the proper discharge of the duties and responsibilities of the trustees of the charity.
Any issue relating to the possible breach of data protection and privacy law including the public disclosure or use of personal data is a matter for the Information Commissioner's Office.
At the conclusion of the investigation, a statement of results of the inquiry will be published.
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