Confidentiality and sharing information

Key points

• Tell an appropriate agency promptly if you are concerned that a child or young person is at risk of, or is suffering, abuse or neglect. Get advice if you are concerned about the possibility of abuse or neglect, but do not believe that the child or young person is at risk of significant harm.
• Ask for consent to share information unless there is a compelling reason for not doing so. Information can be shared without consent if it is justified in the public interest or required by law. Do not delay disclosing information to obtain consent if that might put children or young people at risk of significant harm.
• Tell your patient what information has been shared, with whom and why, unless doing this would put the child, young person or anyone else at increased risk.
• Get advice if you are not sure what information to share, who to share it with or how best to manage any risk associated with sharing information.

Subsections:

• The principles of confidentiality (paragraphs 28-31)
• Sharing information where you are concerned that a child or young person is at risk of, or is suffering, abuse or neglect (paragraphs 32-35)
• Sharing information without consent (paragraphs 36-38)
• Delay in sharing information (paragraphs 39-41)
• Following up your concerns (paragraph 42)
• Minor concerns that might be part of a wider picture (paragraphs 43-45)
• Responding to requests for information (paragraphs 46-50)
• Sharing information in the healthcare team or with others providing care (paragraph 51)