All members of the practice team are bound by a code of practice which includes keeping confidential any information about patients held within the practice or known by any member of the team.
It is a breach of contract for any member of staff to divulge any personal information about any other member of staff or patient. Any suggestion of this would lead to a disciplinary hearing and if proven, to a termination of employment.
Patient information is generally held under legal and ethical obligations of confidentiality. Information provided in confidence should not be used or disclosed in a form that might identify the patient without their consent.
Some information about patients is recorded on the practice computer system. This information may be discussed with other health care professionals or with local primary care organisation officers, as it is useful in confirming the standard of care offered to certain groups of patients. However, this information is anonymised and patients cannot be identified from it.