Guideline 4: Patient privacy & confidentiality

Specific Strategies

When interacting with family, comply with laws and professional guidelines protecting patient privacy and confidentiality

• Patients have a right to privacy and confidentiality when receiving medical care.
• E.g. In NSW, health professionals need to ensure that personal patient information is not disclosed separately to family members unless:
  • The patient has given permission
  • The patient is cognitively incompetent and the family carer is the substitute decision-maker
  • There are compassionate reasons (e.g. an emergency situation)
  • It is genetic information disclosed to a genetic relative of the patient
  • Where there is a serious threat to the patient’s health or welfare ³⁴.