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Confidentiality

Please be aware that our staff are bound to the NHS code of confidentiality; they are therefore not permitted to discuss any of our patient’s medical history, including registration status, without their written consent to do so.

Once written consent has been received and verified with the patient we can provide you with information as required; this includes communicating with you on behalf of the patient with regards to any complaints, 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 their written consent that you may do so. If consent is required we advise that the person concerned attends the Practice to complete the required form.

Please note in Scotland if you are 12 or over, the law assumes you can make your own decisions about your healthcare information unless there is evidence to suggest you can’t, and our Practice Staff are unable to provide confidential information to your parents or guardian unless you have given written permission for them to do so.

If you are under 12, you may still be able to make decisions about your healthcare information but your Doctor must believe that you understand enough to do this.

For further information please refer to the ‘Confidentiality, it’s your right‘ leaflet.

It explains that anyone who looks after your health has to keep information about you private. This includes Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists or other Healthcare Practitioners.

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 healthcare. They may make decisions for you, and speak to health workers on your behalf. However as you get older you have more rights and you can decide if you want your parents to be involved or not.

If you want to talk about your health in private and you need an interpreter, please ask our Reception staff to arrange this for you.

For further information concerning Confidentiality and your rights please visit NHS Inform.