Confidentiality Policy
Confidentiality is defined as the principle of keeping secure information secure and secret from others, information which is given by or about an individual in the course/duration of a professional relationship.
Client Information
Clients have a right to expect that identifiable information about themselves provided during the course of their treatments will not be shared with other people without their knowledge. The disclosure of identifiable information without client consent to someone who did not previously know; breaches confidentiality.
Respect
Respect for confidentiality is an essential requirement for the preservation of trust between our clients and the Clear Medical Staff. Confidentiality should only be breached in exceptional cases and with appropriate justification.
Data Protection
The clinic confidentiality policy supports the basic principles of data protection i.e.:
- That personal data shall only be disclosed with the fully informed, voluntary consent of the client;
- That personal data held should be adequate, relevant but not excessive for the purpose;
- That information should only be used for the purpose for which it was disclosed;
The clinic will:
- Seek clients consent prior to disclosure of information wherever possible, whether or not they judge that clients can be identified from the disclosure.
- Anonymise data where unidentifiable data will serve the purpose.
- Keep disclosures to the minimum necessary.
Why We Collect Information
Personal health information is collected to provide care and the optimum treatment levels to clients and must not be used for any other purposes without the individual’s knowledge and permission.
Sharing information with clients about their own health and treatment is an essential part of good practice. It cannot constitute a breach of confidentiality unless the disclosure entails revealing to the client previously unknown information about another identifiable person.
Consent Is Essential
The clinic provides a consent form which patients use to agree to or refuse consent for the use of all of their treatment information/results for use in clinic marketing purposes. Although our preference is to avoid using client data for marketing purposes. Clear Medical staff will encourage clients to adjust their consent if their point of view/circumstances change.
While clients’ rights to privacy and control of their data are important they are not absolute. Occasions arise where confidentiality not only can be breached but there may be ethical or legal requirement to do so.
Where clients have indicated a refusal to allow their records to be used, this should be clearly noted in the health record and respected unless this would expose other people to harm.
Client Data Confidentiality & Client Access
All client records are kept under strict encoded security at Clear Medical consulting Ltd.
Records will be kept for eight years after the last details have been added. Records that have become time expired will be disposed of in a secure manner.
Staff and client (where necessary) will initial all records to indicate that they are a true reflection of the treatment and its results. If it is necessary to alter any records, both the therapist and the client (where necessary) will initial the alterations.
Clients will have access to their records, on request, by completion of a “client data access request” form. “Client data access request” forms are available upon request. This data will be made available, after completion of the “client data access request” form, for personal collection from Clear Medical Consulting Ltd, within a period of 14 days from response from Clear Medical Consulting Ltd after receipt of submission of “client data access request” form.
The client data will be made available to the client, in the form of a photocopy or photocopies, following the submission of the “client data access request” form. A fee of £30.00 will be payable upon submission of the completed “client data access request” form.
If you have any queries regarding any information herein please do not hesitate to contact us.