All information from every contact you have with the practice is covered under the Data Protection Act 1998 and includes both electronic and paper records and face to face and telephone conversations. All staff within the practice will have access to your records to do their job and all are bound by the same rules of confidentiality. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both a legal and contractual duty to keep your details private.
Under 16
The duty of confidentiality owed to a person under 16 is as great as the duty owed to any other person. Young people aged under 16 years can choose to see health professionals without informing their parents or carers. If a GP considers that the young person is competent to make decisions about their health, then the GP can give advice, prescribe and treat the young person without seeking further consent. However, in terms of good practice, health professionals will encourage young people to discuss issues with a parent or carer.