Confidentiality

The surgery is responsible for the protection of information given to them by patients or obtained in confidence about patients. We take all steps necessary to ensure, as far as lies in our control, that the manual and computerised records which we keep, to which we have access, or which we transmit, are protected by effective security systems with adequate procedures to prevent improper disclosure.

Whilst we shall continue to presume you are happy for us to share relevant details with those to whom you agree to be referred, we can assure you that private medical information will not be released to non-medical third parties (such as insurance companies/employers) without your signed consent.

If we are asked to provide information about patients we will seek their consent to disclosure of information wherever possible, whether or not we judge that patient can be identified from the disclosure; ensure that the person given access to records will be subject to a duty of confidentiality; anonymise data where unidentified data will serve the purpose; keep disclosures to the minimum necessary.

Patients do have a right to object to such a process. Any objection will be respected, except where the disclosure is essential to protect the patient, or someone else from risk of death or serious harm.