Confidentiality

In a busy general practice, confidential and sensitive information is processed constantly across many different systems and patient encounters, making the potential for inadvertent breach ever-present.

The risk team have identified the following key tools from our resources to help you work through this common area of risk:

• eLearning module: Confidentiality for GPs. This module aims to build on the knowledge to maintain safe patient confidentiality systems and approaches within the practice setting. It takes around 45 minutes to complete and includes a short assessment at the end. On completion of the assessment, you can print or save a certificate for your CPD portfolio.
• Video presentation: Confidentiality: disclosing information. MDDUS risk adviser Cherryl Adams talks through a series of scenarios practices commonly face, specifically focussing on issues around appropriate disclosure of confidential patient information.
• Checklist: Confidentiality. This practical checklist can be used to address areas of practice systems where confidentiality is regularly breached.
• Events: MDDUS runs various interactive Zoom training events that are based around confidentiality with courses suitable for GPs and receptionists.
• Advice: Confidentiality - core principles. MDDUS advice to its members on the core principles of patient confidentiality.
• Article: Accessing patient records – when is it ok? When is it not? GPs and their teams are allowed to access records to provide direct patient care – but what if you need to look at a record for another reason?
• Article: Patient confidentiality after death. Risk adviser Kay Louise Grant outlines the key confidentiality issues when responding to a request for access to a deceased patient's records.
• Article: Dealing with employee breaches. Janice Sibbald offers advice on dealing with confidentiality breaches by practice staff – intentional or not.

For your convenience, you can also view the latest MDDUS advice on the core principles of confidentiality and our assurances over confidentiality with children and young people within our advice library.