Confidentiality Essay. Professional Practice Essay Following a placement with a private and charity funded organisation located in Wales, this essay aims to discuss the main national policies that focus on maintaing patient confidentiality and consider how these policies are implemented locally in relation to the placement undertaken. Cross and Sim (2000) cite Reid (1981) who defines confidentiality as “ the principle of maintaining the security of information elicited from an individual in the privileged circumstances of a professional relationship”. It has been highlighted by the Health Care Professional Council (HCPC, 2012) that when working in healthcare and dealing with personal information regarding patients, it is every health professionals role to ensure that information is handled correctly and kept safe. If for any reason personal information is required to be shared or passed on then the patient should provide informed consent (HCPC, 2012). The HCPC (2012) also note that if confidentiality is broken this may affect the care and patient relationship and result in patients being reluctant to share information important to their proper care. In relation to the national guidelines, and those relevant to the location of the placement being considered, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG, 2005) highlight that when dealing with confidential information, it should be done lawfully and ethically and conforming to profession related codes of practice. The WAG (2005) point out that legal considerations are necessary when dealing with confidentiality as there needs to be statutory provisions in place to limit the use and discloser of personal information, awknowledging in certain situations the passing of information i... ... middle of paper ... ...on; HMSO. [online] Available at ; www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/contents. [Accessed 20-04-14]. • Information Commissioner’s Office (2014) Data protection registration – self assessment. [online] Available at ; http://ico.org.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/registration/self-assessment/1 [Accessed 20-04-14]. • National Health Service (2013). England. Confidentiality. [online] Available at ; http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/conf-policy-1.pdf [Accessed 20-04-14]. • Reid, D.D. Confidentiality In; Duncan, A.S., Dunstan, G.R., Welbourn, R.B. eds. Dictionary of medical ethics (2nd ed). London; Darton, Longman and Todd, 1981. • Welsh Assembly Government (2005). Confidentiality : Code of Practice for Health and Social Care in Wales. [online] Available at ; http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/documents/950/codeofpractice.pdf . [Accessed 20-04-14].
Confidentiality is a major topic within care environments. When it comes to deciding what information is shared and who it is shared amongst can be difficult. Confidential information, is information that is ‘not to be told to anyone’ (The Open University, 2015, p. 58). Information that is sensitive or not publicly known is confidential, also if information is given by a person who is in a setting where confidentially is expected then that information should remain private and not shared with others. It can be very difficult for a staff member to find the balance between knowing what information is confidential and appropriate information that needs to be shared between the staff team.
All workplaces and organisations need confidentiality policy in every health and social care sector, and the confidentiality procedures needs to be followed carefully to keep the person’s health position safe from unlawful people that can humiliate the person and they may lose their own self-respect. The only times that confidentiality shouldn’t be followed when someone who can self-harm, may not tell any kind of harm that has happened to them, and when they may be threatened by someone.
Siegler, M., and W. Winslade. "Ethics in Medicine." Clinical Ethics. By A. R. Jonsen. 7th ed. N.p.:
In an ideal medical society, no dilemma should arise on whistleblowing associated with poor medical practice or illegal behaviours. However these dilemmas arise when these whistle blowers take privileged information to the public in order to address their personal concerns or conscience. It can however be said that they are often left with little or no choice. Lipley (2001) discusses a case which occurred in the UK where a nurse wrote to the media reportedly that the elderly inpatients at her organisation did not receive adequate care and that this was jeopardising their lives. The appeals tribunal ruled that her decision was right and was both reasonable and an acceptable way to raise such issues ...
This paper will examine This paper will examine the Confidentiality and Doctor Patient Relationship .In the rules of law and ethics that information between the doctor and patient should stray confidential the physician should not leak confidential information that the patient did not want this information revealed to others, confidential between the patient and the doctor is very important. It is based on trust and if these are the information were not protected will cease to trust in the doctor-patient relationship would be diminished. Patients should be informed about the information being held about to them, why and how they may be shared, and who may be shared with
Public Expectations: In Health and Social Care, the public expects employees/workers to be caring, respectful towards the patients protected characteristics which means avoiding conflicts such as discrimination and inequality treatments. They should be able to protect personal information of the patients by following the 'Data protection and Confidentiality Act 1998'. They are expected to give good supportive advice towards their patients and employees to improve the quality of work and welfare benefits. They expect higher standards of care, detailed information about their treatment, communication and involvement in decisions making activities and also access to the latest treatments (Thekingsfund,
The NHS will respect the confidentiality of individual patients and provide open access to information about services, treatment and performance.
Which is very important for nurses or any medical professional to do in the healthcare profession. Nurses are receiving these patients in their most vulnerable state, nurses are exposed and trusted with the patients’ information to further assist them on providing optimum treatment. Keeping patient’s information private goes back to not just doing what’s morally right but also it also builds that nurse – patient relationship as well. We also have provision three that specifically taps on this issue as well, as it states: “The nurse seeks to protect the health, safety, and rights of patient.” (Nurses Code of Ethics,
The agency’s confidentiality policy was helpful because it safeguarded the privacy of client’s information as well as helped me as the professional to stay within the NASW ethical confidentiality
A Bunch C, Woolnough B, Hope T. (2001). Clinical Ethics Support in the UK: A review of the current position and likely development. The Nuffield Trust, London: p. 22.
As a nurse, it is within your role to safeguard the right to privacy for individuals. To ensure that nurses are adhering to this, ethical strategies have been proposed and implemented from a legal and regulatory body.
In keeping within current legislation on the protection and respect of an individuals’ right of anonymity, (Clamp, Gough and Land 2004; Polit and Beck 2007), and to confidentiality, (Burns and G...
McGee, Glenn and Arthur L. Caplan. "Medical Ethics." Microsoft® Encarta® 98 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1997: Microsoft Corporation. CD-ROM.
Privacy and trust are pivotal between patients and health care professionals/organizations. Without its existence, patients will not get the optimal care that they need because they will not divulge
Confidentiality is defined as the protection of personal information. It means keeping a client’s information between the health care providers and the client. Every single patient has the right to privacy regarding their personal information from being released to anyone outside of their health care providers. Health care providers have a legal and ethical responsibility to protect all information regarding patients by not disclosing their information to anyone without their written consent from the patient.