All employees and professionals at the practice have a legal duty to keep all information held confidential. The practice complies with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998. The practice will not release any information from the medical records without the patient’s consent except under the following cases:

• Where we are obliged by law to do so.
• Where we have specific consent or instruction to do so.
• Where a solicitor acting on your behalf requests us to do so.
• Where it is necessary for us to give details to another health professional so that they can have care.
• Where we believe that not to do so would  cause serious harm  to your health or safety or that of others and you are unable or unwilling to give consent.
• Where the CCG requests us to do so in order that they can satisfy themselves that they are providing a safe and efficient service within the terms of our contract with them.
• Where information can be extracted by us from your record and made unidentifiable, for the purpose of medical research (including research into drug safety) or audit (i.e. checking we have done things properly).

In some of the above cases you may ask us not to reveal information from your record for these purposes. If you would like us not to reveal, at any time in the future, information from your records in these circumstances, please ask at reception for a form to sign so that we are aware of your wishes.