Confidentiality

HOME Disclaimer News Contact Us Accessibility Health Links

Confidentiality Policy

Introduction

The reasons for the Policy:

• all information held at the Practice about patients is confidential whether held electronically or in hard copy.

• other information about the Practice (for example its financial matters) is confidential.

• staff will by necessity have access to such confidential information from time to time.

Cathays Surgery regards the confidentiality of patient and staff information of the utmost importance. All staff as part of their induction programme are trained to ensure that Patient and staff information remains within the confines of the practice premises. All staff have a Contract of Employment which includes a confidentiality clause. They also sign a confidentiality agreement which covers patients, practice and personnel information, covering written, electronic or verbal information. This agreement applies to all staff both during and after they cease employment at the Practice.
Applicability

This policy applies to all Partners and employees, and also applies to other people who work at the Practice, e.g. locum GPs, non-employed nursing staff, temporary staff and contractors.

See "Your Information, Your Rights" leaflet »

REQUESTS FOR IMMUNISATION INFORMATION
All requests must be in writing and consent given for the release of immunisation history. Please click here to download the required consent form.

Policy
• staff must not under any circumstances disclose patient information to anyone outside the Practice, except to other health professionals on a need to know basis, or where the patient has provided written consent.
• all information about patients is confidential: from the most sensitive diagnosis, to the fact of having visited the surgery or being registered at the practice
• staff must not under any circumstances disclose other confidential information about the Practice to anyone outside the Practice, unless with the express consent of the Practice Manager/Senior Partner
• staff should limit any discussion about confidential information only to those who need to know within the Practice
• the duty of confidentiality owed to a person under 16 is as great as the duty owed to any other person
• staff must be aware of and conform to the requirements of the Caldicott recommendations
• all patients can expect that their personal information will not be disclosed without their permission (except in the most exceptional circumstances when disclosure is required when somebody is at grave risk of serious harm)
• staff must not take data from the Practice's computer systems (e.g. on a memory stick or removable drive) off the premises unless authorised to do so by the Practice Manager/Senior Partner
• staff should not remove information (including medical records) from the premises (other than in the ordinary course of business) without the prior written authority of the Practice Manager/Senior Partner

Computer transfer and other systems:
• staff who suspect a breach of confidentiality must inform the Practice Manager/Senior Partner immediately
• any breach of confidentiality will be considered as a serious disciplinary offence and may lead to dismissal
• staff remain bound by the requirement to keep information confidential even if they are no longer employed at the Practice.
• Staff must take particular care that confidential information is not transmitted in error by email or over the Internet.
• Electronic transfer of any confidential information, once approved by the Practice Manager/Senior Partner must be transmitted via the NHSnet.

Disclosing Patient Information

It is important that patients understand that all Doctors and Staff are bound by a duty of confidentiality. This means that no information whatsoever will be given to anyone other than the patient, unless specific written consent has been received by the practice. For example, staff are not allowed to tell anyone if a patient has an appointment, has attended the surgery, or is registered with the surgery. Test results will not normally be given to anyone other than the patient. Confidentiality applies to patients of all ages, and parents who may ask for information on their children may not necessarily be given that information. If patients have any queries regarding confidentiality please contact the Practice Manager:

Miss Debbie Lovering, Cathays Surgery, 137 Cathays Terrace, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HU.

Telephone: 02920 353020

Confidential patient data will be shared within the practice health care team and with other healthcare professionals to whom you are referred for your care. Your data may be used by those clinical teams providing your care for the essential purpose of clinical audit. Confidential patient data may also be required for the broader purposes of public health and audit research, the provision of health care services, teaching and training. Data disclosed will be kept to the minimum required to serve the purpose and if possible will be anonymised before disclosure.

Confidential and identifiable patient information will not be disclosed otherwise without explicit consent unless:

1. It is a matter of life and death or serious harm to you or to another individual.

2. It is overwhelmingly in the public interest to do so.

3. There is a legal obligation to do so.

In all of these circumstances the minimum identifiable information that is essential to serve the purpose may be revealed to someone with a legal entitlement to access the data for that purpose. All individuals with access to your data have a professional and/or contractual duty of confidentiality. If you are concerned about any of the ways in which your confidential data is used further information is available from:

Practice Manager – Miss Debbie Lovering, Cathays Surgery, 137 Cathays Terrace, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HU.

Telephone: 02920 353020

^ Top of page