a. Allow Christopher's father unrestricted access to Christopher's medical records?
Working with doctors Working for patients
Mr Rees and Dr Williams
Introduction
A few days later Christopher's father rings the surgery. He is angry that he hasn't been consulted about the referral.
(The story so far...)
Christopher is being bullied at school because his ears stick out. At the request of Christopher's mother, Dr Williams referred him to a paediatric surgeon. Christopher's parents are divorced.
Dr Williams
Mr Rees I assure you I did try to contact you, but wasn't able to get hold of you. I spoke about it with Christopher, and he does seem very unhappy about his ears.
Mr Rees
Of course he is unhappy about his ears; his mother never shuts up about it. You had no right to refer him without speaking to me first. I want to see Christopher's medical records, to find out what else she has been saying.
See what the doctor did
Dr Williams makes an appointment for Christopher's father to come to the surgery to view his son's records. Before the appointment, Dr Williams reviews Christopher's records to make sure that any information about his mother, or other third party, contained in the records, is not disclosed to Christopher's father without their consent.
References
You should let parents access their child's medical records if the child or young person consents, or lacks capacity, and it does not go against the child's best interests. If the records contain information given by the child or young person in confidence you should not normally disclose the information without their consent24.
(0-18 years: guidance for all doctors, paragraph 54)