Confidentiality in the NHS:
Your Information,
Your Rights
A guide on how personal confidential British HIV Association
information on HIV is stored,
used and shared within
the NHS in England
1
,Contents
A. About this guide 3
B. Confidentiality in the NHS 4
C. Your patient records and your HIV status 7
D. ‘Third Party requests’ to your GP for information
- insurance, employers, benefits and solicitors 9
E. Sharing your information ‘in the public interest’ 11
F. The Summary Care Record 12
G. Using your information for public health and
research purposes 14
H. Making a complaint 17
I. Further information and support 19
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank BHIVA (the British HIV Association) for
their support, both contributing to the funding of this guide
and bringing together an advisory group of clinicians to share
their expertise.
We would also like to thank Gilead Sciences Ltd who also
contributed to the funding of this guide.
In addition, we would like to extend our gratitude to everyone
else who has contributed invaluable advice and feedback,
and especially people living with HIV.
2
, A. About this guide
This is a guide for people living with HIV about confidentiality in the NHS in
England. We hope this guide will help improve your understanding of how
your personal confidential information on HIV is stored, used and shared
within the NHS, as well as addressing worries or concerns.
The guide is set out in a question and answer format and will provide
information on:
What your rights and choices are around confidentiality and what you
should expect from a safe and confidential NHS service.
How your information, including your HIV status, is recorded,
used and shared.
How to address any concerns or worries.
What to do if your confidentiality has been breached or you feel that you
have been treated unfairly upon disclosing your HIV status.
It is important to note that this guide is not a substitute for legal
advice or information that should be provided by a doctor or another
medical professional.
If you still have unanswered questions about confidentiality after reading this
guide, your HIV doctor or nurse, your GP, or your local NHS organisation
should be able to help. The links provided in this guide will also signpost to
further information and support.
More information and guidance:
NAT has developed a resource explaining what your rights are and what you
should expect from your health and support services:
My Care My Voice
For more information about HIV and issues that matter to you, where to get
help and support, and how to get involved, visit:
Life with HIV
To order hard copies of this guide, and for other guides and publications by
NAT, visit:
NAT’s publications page
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