Confidentiality guidance: Glossary

This glossary defines the terms used in this document. These definitions have no wider or legal significance.

Information

Personal information

Information about people which doctors learn in a professional capacity and from which individuals can be identified.

Anonymised information

Information from which individuals cannot reasonably be identified. Names, addresses, full postcodes or identification numbers, alone or together or in conjunction with any other information held by or available to the recipient, can be used to identify patients.

Coded information

Also known as pseudonymised information. Information from which individuals cannot be identified by the recipient, but which enables information about different patients to be distinguished or to link information about the same patients over time (for example to identify drug side effects). A ‘key’ might be retained by the person or service which coded the information so that it can be reconnected with the patient. (See Anonymised information, above.)

Identifiable information

Information from which a patient can be identified. Their name, address and full postcode will identify a patient; combinations of information may also do so, even if their name and address are not included. Information consisting of small numbers and rare conditions might also lead to the identification of an individual. Compare with Anonymised and Coded information.

Consent

Consent

Agreement to an action based on knowledge of what the action involves and its likely consequences.

Express consent

Consent which is expressed orally or in writing. Also known as explicit consent.

Implied consent

Consent that can be inferred if the patient has been informed that information is to be disclosed, the purpose and extent of the disclosure, and that they have a right to object, but have not objected.

Other terms

Clinical audit

Evaluation of clinical performance against standards or through comparative analysis, to inform the management of services.

Disclosure

The provision or passing of information about a patient to anyone other than the patient, regardless of the purpose. Sharing information within healthcare teams is a form of disclosure, as is providing personal information about a patient to the police.

Healthcare team

The healthcare team comprises the people providing clinical services for a patient, and the administrative and other staff who support the provision of their care. See paragraph 25 and Endnote 9 for more examples of who might form part of the healthcare team.

Public interest

The interests of the community as a whole, or a group within the community or individuals. Paragraphs 36 and 37 give an explanation of the balancing exercise required to decide if disclosure might be justified in the public interest.