Confidentiality

Please do not be offended if you are refused information regarding another patient, even if they are a family member or close friend. We have all of our patients' best interests at heart.

Teenage Confidentiality Policy

The principles of confidentiality apply equally to all patients regardless of age. Young people (including those under 16) are entitled to equal confidentiality as all other patients. This includes respecting their wishes to withhold information from parents or guardians. The GP involved will determine the competency of a young person seeking treatment and will determine the extent to which confidentiality guidelines apply in each case.

Any young person regardless of age can independently seek medical advice or treatment, including surgical procedures, if a health professional believes that they are capable of understanding the choices of treatment and their consequences. This includes contraceptive advice, but the principles apply to other treatments, including abortion.

The policy of the Practice is to support young people in exercising their choice of medical treatment, and to deal with them in a sympathetic and confidential manner. Where a young person presents at the surgery without adult support they may be booked in to see a clinician in the normal way. Where there is some question of the urgency of an appointment the matter should be referred to a nurse in the first instance to triage the request.

How We Keep Your Records Confidential

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. This means that there are strict rules on how we use the information we hold on you. 

FIND OUT MORE

Why We Collect Information About You

• Your doctor and the team of healthcare professionals (nurses, osteopaths and counselling therapists for example) caring for you, keep records about your health and any treatment and care you receive from the NHS.
• These records help to ensure that you receive the best possible care now and in the future
• Secretaries, receptionists and other clerical staff need access to some of your records in order to do administrative tasks such as booking appointments and communicating with you and other parts of the NHS.

 How Can You Access Your Health Records?

• You have the right of access to the information we hold about you on our records.
• If you require access to/information from your records please apply in writing to James Cross, Practice Manager.
• Our guiding principle is that we are holding your records in strict confidence.     

Scope

This policy applies to all staff and volunteers. Each staff member or volunteer is responsible for providing LGBT Foundation with such information as is necessary for the organisation to fulfil it’s purpose as well as for complying with reasonable requests for information, i.e. timesheets, performance management etc. You should ensure that you understand this policy, in particular for understanding the glossary of terms so that you understand the information and practice guidelines outlined in this document.

In particular, staff and volunteers must understand the concept of information being “confidential within the system” before you disclose sensitive information. You are responsible for the disciplinary consequences that may accrue to you if you:

• withhold essential information.
• deliberately fail to disclose information that may put individuals or the public at risk of serious harm, or have a significant negative impact on the LGBT Foundation; and
• breach this policy.

In any circumstances where consent is not sought then there must be a clear reason and necessity for sharing the information.