18 July 2018 (Wednesday) - Confidentiality

The phone rang.... "Is that haematology - I've got an appointment with my doctor and I want my results. I am coming up to the hospital. Get them ready for me!"

I explained that we only give results to the physicians who requested them, and the voice at the other end of the phone became very aggressive claiming that it was her right to have her results, and that she had exercised that right for some time.

I've not given a result to a patient in thirty-five years of practice, but what do I know?

She told me that I was probably too junior to be allowed to do results anyway, she would talk to someone more senior...

I shall await the formal complaint.

CPD is all about learning from incidents.

What can I learn here?

I was polite to the woman. We *don't* give results out to patients.

I consulted the Trust policy:

“AlL information about patients or staff is strictly confidential and must not be passed to any unauthorised person within or outside the Trust. You are expected to take due care of confidential information in your possession at all times.

Protection of computerised data about individuals is now a requirement of the Law. The data Protection Act 1984 lays down the following:

1 Data shall be obtained and processed fairly and lawfully.

2 Data shall be held only for specific purposes and not used or disclosed in any way incompatible to these purposes.

All persons that use information on computer or produced from a computer have an obligation to see that it is not passed on in any unauthorised way. Trust staff must not disclose any personal information obtained from computers or any other computer output in any way other than for the discharging of their duties to the Trust.

If you are in any doubt, consult your supervisor or manager BEFORE disclosing any information.

Important note to remember

Trust staff may face prosecution and/or disciplinary proceedings if they have been found to:-

• Breach confidentiality.

• Disclose their computer password(s) to anyone within or outside the Trust.

• Make use of a password that has been illegally disclosed to them.”

So.... was I right in what I did. I think so.