Information Sharing

Some services require that information be shared with other healthcare agencies such as hospital trusts, primary care trusts, social services, community nurses etc (the list is not exhaustive).

Whilst it is vital for the proper care of individuals that those concerned with that care have ready access to the information they need, it is also important that service users and their carers can trust that personal information will be kept confidential and that their privacy is respected.

Although it is neither practicable nor necessary to seek an individual’s consent each time that information needs to be shared or passed on for a particular purpose, this is contingent on individuals having been fully informed of the uses to which information about them may be put. All agencies concerned with the care of the individual should satisfy themselves that this requirement is met.

Clarity about the purpose to which personal information is to be put is essential and only the minimum identifiable information necessary to satisfy that purpose should be made available.Access to personal information should be on a need to know basis.This practice has a protocol for such information sharing.