Confidentiality

All information concerning patients and staff is strictly confidential and must not be divulged to any person except with the permission of the patient’s doctor.  Failure to observe confidentiality constitutes gross misconduct and will qualify for immediate dismissal.

Access  to Medical Records

The attached practice staff, e.g. Health Visitor, Community Nurse, Midwife may have access to our records at the discretion of the Doctor concerned via the reception staff but the records must not be removed from the building.  Access to records must not be given to anyone without the Doctor’s permission.

Medical records written and retained by NHS GPs are completed on Health Authority (or equivalent) forms, which expressly state that they remain NHS property.  Private doctor’s records remain their own.  The complexities of the legal position of medical records is discussed in the BMA publication – The Rights and Responsibilities of Doctors.

The courts can order disclosure of information and the recent Medical Reports Act gives access to patients in connection with insurance and employment information when the examining doctor is the patient’s own doctor.  There are stipulations about the retention of copies.  Within the constraints of the law, patients have the right to read anything written in their notes.

Data Protection Act

More information regarding this Act can be obtained from the following Web Site:

http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/