Confidentiality: The Confusion Continues

Abstract

A regional health authority administrator contends that, lacking privacy legislation, patients in Great Britain cannot depend on a concept of 'ownership' of medical records to safeguard their confidentiality, or on their physicians alone to control all access to these records. Therefore, it is proposed that 'custodianship' of confidential information be assumed by a health care institution as a whole. The institution would establish a standard of confidentiality and a code of practice applicable to all in the institution who handle medical records in any capacity. (KIE abstract)