Confidentiality

Question 1

what are the three scenarios for lawful disclosure

Answer 1

• when patients give their consent
• when it is a requirement by law
• when there is compelling public interest

Question 2

what is considered “when patients give their consent” for lawful disclosure

Answer 2

• for the purposes of directly providing and supporting their own care
• for other purposes secondary to their own care

Question 3

explain what is meant by required by law for lawful disclosure

Answer 3

consent would not be required here but the patient should normally be informed, and the disclosure should be kept to a minimum

Question 4

describe what is meant by compelling public interest for lawful disclosure

Answer 4

consent is not required but the patient should normally beinformed or persuaded to make disclosure

Question 5

what should you do if you breach confidentiality

Answer 5

• apologise, in person and in writing
• investigate details of what happened and how
• offer a meeting with the patient to discuss it
• conduct any staff training required and review the record keeping system to prevent reoccurence
• inform the patient of the steps being taken
• security of patient information is a legal obligation from the data protection act 2018.

Question 6

what are the two situations where disclosure should be given

Answer 6

for care and treatment or for secondary care and treatment

Question 7

what kind of consent is needed for care and treatment

Answer 7

implied consent

Question 8

who is getting disclosed when it is for care and treatment

Answer 8

• specialist referral
• GP contact
• other healthcare team members

Question 9

who is getting the disclosure if a patient has to give explicit consent for reasons secondary to their care

Answer 9

• research
• teaching
• advertitising
• solicitor requests
• police

Question 10

what are the exceptions to disclosure with explicit consent

Answer 10

• public interest
• third party harm
• court order
• police with order

Question 11

what are the subcategories for gdc ethical principle 4

Answer 11

maintain and protect patients information

4.1 - make and keep contemporaneous, complete and accurate patient records

4.2 - protect the confidentiality of patient’s information and only use it for the purposes with which it was given

4.3 - only release a patients information without their permission in exceptional circumstances

4.4 - ensure that patients can have access to their records

4.5 keep patients information secure at all times, whether your records are held on paper or electronically

Question 12

gdc standard 4.2

Answer 12

protect the confidentiality of patient’s information and only use it for the purposes with which it was given

Question 13

gdc standard 4.1

Answer 13

make and keep contemporaneous, complete and accurate patient records

Question 14

gdc standard 4.3

Answer 14

only release a patients information without their permission in exceptional circumstances

Question 15

gdc standard 4.4

Answer 15

ensure that patients can have access to their records

Question 16

gdc standard 4.5

Answer 16

keep patients information secure at all times, whether your records are held on paper or electronically