Confidentiality

Confidentiality

It is our duty to keep a patient's medical records private.

The relationship between a patient and doctor depends on trust and knowledge that any information recorded is kept confidential at all times and only shared if formal consent is given.

The government has plans to introduce an Electronic Medical Record for every person in the NHS.

This would result in a patient's private medical history held on a national computer.

Small Heath Medical Practice has reservations with this proposal.

If our patient's share our concerns then it may result in our practice deciding against automatically sending our patient's confidential information to the national computer.

Instead a system may be introduced whereby if a patient wishes his or her record to be uploaded then their formal consent would be required to do so.

Otherwise a patient's confidential information will remain within our computers here in the practice.
Should you have any views on this matter please either write or speak to a doctor or the practice manager.

Dr J Murray

Link to Caldicott Principles

Our practice holds both written and electronic medical records for patients, neither of which is disclosed to a third party without the patient�s written consent. We comply with the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act. Accordingly patients may see any records held by the practice. Arrangements can be made to enable such requests can be met by applying to the Practice Manager.

Link to the Freedom of Information Act