Trefor Roscoe wrote:
> -----Original Message-----
> From: GP-UK [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael Hendry
> Sent: 25 March 2004 22:17 To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Patient confidentiality/Data Protection act maybe
>
>
> Jeff Green wrote:
>> Is it wrong for a GP practice to supply the names and addresses of
>> all
>
>> its registered patients to a pharmacy?
>>
>> Jeff
>
> No, provided the patients have given informed consent to the
> release of information given to the practice for the sole
> purpose of providing them with General Medical Services <g>
Sorry, double negative - "No, unless..." was what I had intended. Or was
that "Yes, provided..."?
A couple of years ago we agreed to participate in a research project
aimed at determining whether pharmacists could assist in improving the
treatment of angina. Patients were to be recruited by a local pharmacy,
and consent signed for a research pharmacist to access our records. The
pharmacy would then offer a consultation with the patients to discuss
how they were using their medication, and any potential improvements
would then be fed back to the surgery. Although it seemed a
back-to-front way of doing things - if the objective is to improve
angina patients' treatment it would be better achieved from the practice
end - we agreed to proceed. Unfortunately, one of our patients took
great exception to the pharmacist knowing about her medical history when
she felt that his job was to dispense prescriptions. She had signed the
agreement, but clearly hadn't understood the implications.
--
Michael
|