STD notification and legal requirements

Question 1

Who’s interests are taken into consideration when dealing with communicable diseases?

Answer 1

• The Patient - patient confidentiality aspect
• The Public - a duty to protect individuals or society from risks of serious harm, such as communicable diseases

Question 2

If the patient doesn’t give consent for their notifiable disease to be disclosed, should you agree?

Answer 2

No

patient must still be asked for consent for disclosure, however…
- Under Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, it is a legal obligation to notify local authority of a known of a suspected communicable disease
- Under the NHS (Venereal Diseases) Regulations 1974, it is a legal requirement for tracing of the patient’s sexual contacts - but retain confidentiality amongst these groups.

Patient must still be informed about such disclosures, but their consent is not required.

Should not be entered into patient’s medical record w/out consent.

Question 3

GMC guidance pn disclosing STI info

Answer 3

1. Should ask for patient’s consent to disclose their infection status after exposure to serious communicable disease
2. If patient can’t be persuaded, or its not safe to ask for their consent, you may dislocate info in public interest
3. Only patient & those exposed to infection should be told of results
4. It should not be entered into medical records w/out consent
5. if existing sample tested, inform patient at earliest opportunity

Question 4

Disclosing info to patient’s sexual; partner?

Answer 4

You may disclose only the necessary & most important information to patient’s sexual partner if:

→ the partner is at risk of infection and that can result in serious harm

→ the patient has not informed them and cannot be persuaded to do so

When tracing & notifying people, you should try to not disclose the patient’s identity