How we keep your records confidential
The doctors and staff and others who are caring for you keep records about your health and any care or treatment you receive from the NHS.
Your records are kept in a safe place in the surgery either on computer or paper files. Receptionists and administrators are responsible for keeping your records in order and will, from time to time, access your records.
We are legally bound by the Data Protection Act 1998 therefore any information we hold about you will only be shared with other health care professionals involved in your care. We will not divulge any other information about you to any other persons without written, dated consent from you to do so.
Other agencies
On the rare occasion you may be receiving care from other people such as social services we may need to share some information about you so that we can work together for your benefit. We will only pass on information about you if they have a genuine and justified need for it. There may also be other agencies that may ask for information but we cannot give details without your permission.
We will not, without good reason
- Give your medical details over the phone, unless we are certain of who we are talking to.
- Give details about you to anyone else without your permission.
- Any questions on confidentiality, please speak to Jennifer Kimm, practice manager.
Under 16s
The duty of confidentiality owed to a person under 16 is as great as the duty owed to any other person. Young people aged under 16 years can choose to see health professionals, without informing their parents or carers. If a GP considers that the young person is competent to make decisions about their health, then the GP can give advice, prescribe and treat the young person without seeking further consent.
However, in terms of good practice, health professionals will encourage young people to discuss issues with a parent or carer. As with older people, sometimes the law requires us to report information to appropriate authorities in order to protect young people or members of the public.