the need for patient confidentiality has been balanced with the human
need for people to keep in touch with each other, particularly at times
of crisis e.g. illness. The tiny risk of breach of confidentiality here
is balanced by considering that you would have had to know which
hospital to approach and patient's name. Ok, you might be a nosey
neighbour having seen someone going off in an ambulance, but once you
were through to the Ward you wouldn't have been given any information
about the patient unless they had authorised release of information to
you.
The alternative is not to give out any information at all, which would
make things very difficult for even patient's relatives - and have you
considered the nightmare of what might happen when patients are shifted
round wards/hospitals and staff have forgotten to inform the nearest and
dearest? If that did happen (and it's not uncommon), even your wife
wouldn't be able to find you again!
Anne
Anne Gadsden AHRIM
Information Governance Officer
Information Services Department
North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Cumberland Infirmary
Carlisle CA2 7HY
01228 814539 (direct line)
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>>> Nick Landau <[log in to unmask]> 04/10/2006 01:34 >>>
A family friend has recently gone in to hospital and my father rang up
the
hospital to find out which ward she was in because he wanted to visit
her.
He was put through to the Hospital reception and they told her which
ward
she was in.
I am rather surprised that anyone in this way can identify whether a
particular patient is in a specific hospital and where they are to be
found.
I have worked in the NHS but not in an Acute Trust.
Nick Landau
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