Please be aware that our staff are bound to the NHS code of confidentiality. Our staff are, therefore, not permitted to discuss any of our patients’ medical history, including their registration status, without their written consent to do so.
Once we have received their written consent and verified this with the patient, then we can provide you with this information. This includes complaining on behalf of a patient, but excludes patients who are unable to act on their own behalf and already have a designated person or carer responsible for their medical care.
We, therefore, respectfully ask parents, relatives, and guardians not to request information regarding their relatives/friends or to complain on their behalf unless we have the patient”s written consent to do so. If consent is required, we advise that the person concerned attends the Practice to complete the required form.
For further information please refer to “Confidentiality it’s your right” leaflet.
The Law Society in Scotland (In particular 12 Year olds and over)
Children’s consent. In Scotland, under the UK Data Protection Bill, a child who has reached the age of 12 can generally be deemed competent to provide consent on his or her own behalf and exercise their own data subject rights. Where the records of a child aged between 12 and 16 years old is requested by a third party then the child will have to come to the Practice and sign a consent form before the records will be prepared for release.
What if I am under 16?
It explains that anyone who looks after your health has to keep information about you private. This may be doctors, nurses, pharmacists or other health workers.
The information tells you only about how things work in the health service, not other organisations such as your school or social services.
When you are young, your parents are usually involved in your health care. They may make decisions for you, and speak to health workers on your behalf. As you get older, however, you have more rights. You can decide if you want your parents to be involved or not.
In Scotland, if you are 12 or over, the law assumes you can make your own decisions about your health care information unless there is evidence to suggest you can’t.
If you are under 12, you may still be able to make decisions about your health care information but the doctor must believe that you understand enough to do this.
When we talk about parents, we also mean anyone who is your legal guardian.
If you want to talk about your health in private, and you need an interpreter, ask our reception staff to arrange this for you.
If you are over 12 years of age, Practice staff are unable to provide confidential information to your parent or guardian unless you have given us written permission to do so.
For further information concerning Confidentiality and your rights please visit NHS Inform.
