Disclosure

Disclosure is the release of personally-identifiable information about an individual to a third party. It is generally and tacitally assumed that relevant clinical and other personal data about a patient will be shared between members of the clinical team responsible for that patient's care. In most other situations disclosure requires the consent of the data subject, and should in any event only be on a 'need to know' basis, and involve only that information that is required for that particular purpose.

Disclosure is governed by the Caldicott principles. Particular care must be taken to avoid accidental or inadvertent disclosure.

Special situations.

• Relatives and friends
• Public interest disclosure
• Disclosure to the police
• Other disclosures

Further reading

An NHS-commissioned report on the practicalities of improving patient consent to disclosure.

Disclosure to external organizations: see http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/ecare/draftprotocols/FV%20Draft%20Protocol%20241001a.htm Our LIS policy needs to be brought to closure & the Scottish appraoch is a good starting point.

There may need to be a separate policy for disclosure to the police.