Confidentiality and information sharing
Protect patient information while sharing appropriately for direct care or a justified legal or safeguarding purpose.
Understand
Confidentiality supports trust, while lawful sharing can be necessary for direct care, safeguarding or public interest. The minimum relevant information principle remains useful.
Assess
Confirm identity and the purpose of a request before disclosure. Consider the patient's wishes, legal basis, urgency and the risks of not sharing.
Apply
Use secure channels, document significant decisions and follow local information-governance policy. Do not assume that a family relationship automatically grants access to records.
Key distinctions
Information sharing needs a lawful or professional basis and should be proportionate. Direct care commonly requires communication across teams, while safeguarding may justify disclosure despite ordinary confidentiality expectations. Confirm the identity and authority of a requester, especially through informal channels. Document a significant decision to share or withhold information and follow local governance rules.
Think through a case
A relative asks for a patient's diagnosis while the patient is in surgery. Confirm the lawful basis and the patient's wishes before disclosing details.
The distinction to remember
Do not assume a spouse or parent of an adult automatically has access to confidential information.
Test your recall
When should information be shared without routine consent?
Show answer
Only under a valid legal or professional basis, with proportional disclosure.