Data Protection
Data protection consultant
Rarely do data protection problems start with a major incident. Often, they start in small routine tasks, such as a request that never gets logged or a retention rule your system can’t support. Our data protection consultants here at CA can show you exactly where those weak spots sit and what you need to change.
Preparing your company for audit and external reviews
We help you work out what regulators will check and whether your current controls would stand up to their scrutiny. Our data protection consultants can work alongside your internal personnel to look at:
- Your data request logs
- How you record consent
- Issues from past audits that may be surfacing
- Whether your system supports your retention rules
Running assessments
Our data protection consultants can run assessments to see if there are points in your processes that are introducing unnecessary exposure, such as:
- Automated decisions that are running without routine checks
- Forms that may be collecting more personal data than is needed
- Situations where you might be treating consent as implied rather than confirmed
- Processes that rely on staff members who don’t have the time to carry them out consistently
Reviewing your documents
Does your organisation still use privacy notices or consent forms that haven’t been updated in years? We can look for:
- Any wording/language a regulator could challenge or question
- References to systems or roles that no longer exist
- Instructions your staff can’t follow because they don’t reflect the current workflow
Mapping out risks
It’s hard to control data you can’t see. As your data protection consultant, we can work with your team to map where personal data enters your systems, where it’s stored, how it’s accessed, and where it goes next. We also trace the informal paths that don’t appear in official diagrams:
- Older systems that are still in use but no longer have clear ownership
- Spreadsheets that now act as informal data stores between teams
- Third-party tools that were introduced without a documented basis
- Automations created years ago that continue running without oversight
Embedding compliance
Policies will not reduce risk unless your people actually follow them. We can help you build data protection practices into your daily operations by:
- Updating access controls so they reflect current roles
- Adjusting approval steps so decisions move smoothly
- Improving file-handling habits so storage is consistent
- Tweaking systems to reduce avoidable errors
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of audits do you support?
We support a range of sector-specific audits, including NHS DSPT, FCA reviews, CQC inspections, Ofsted/ISI reviews, and internal commercial audits. We also help organisations prepare for M&A due diligence involving data protection concerns.
Can you support a specific audit or regulator?
Yes. We regularly support organisations preparing for sector-specific audits and internal reviews, tailoring our work to the regulator involved.
Do you work with small organisations as well as large ones?
Yes. Data protection applies regardless of size.
Will this disrupt day-to-day operations?
No. We work alongside your teams and schedule reviews to minimise disruption, focusing on evidence and documentation that already exists wherever possible.