Confidentiality is central to the trust between healthcare professionals and patients; without it, patients may be reluctant to divulge personal information, and this could impact their care and treatment. It is often referred to as doctor-patient confidentiality.

The doctor−patient relationship is based on trust. The GMC’s Good Medical Practice section on professionalism says that good doctors are “honest and trustworthy, and act with integrity and within the law.”

Good medical records – whether electronic or handwritten – are essential for the continuity of care of your patients. Adequate medical records enable you or somebody else to reconstruct the essential parts of each patient contact without reference to memory. They should therefore be comprehensive enough to allow a colleague to carry on where you left off.

The regulations on NHS complaints in Wales are designed to make complaints handling open and accountable, fair and proportionate, and patient-focused. The emphasis is on resolving concerns in a timely fashion, openly and honestly, and a philosophy of “investigate once, investigate well”.

New regulations on NHS complaints in Wales came into force on 1 April 2011. The regulations, along with guidance, are designed to make complaints handling open and accountable, fair and proportionate, and patient-focused – with a view to seeking continuous improvement.

Doctors may, on occasion, receive a request from a patient’s employer for a medical report to be delivered directly to the HR department, without the patient seeing it. However, before any medical report can be provided, you must be satisfied that the patient has given valid consent to the release of the information. This factsheet looks at the issues surrounding medical reports for employers and other organisations, and offers advice to doctors who are asked to write reports.

Respect for patients’ autonomy is expressed in consent law; to impose care or treatment on people without respecting their wishes and right to self-determination is not only unethical, but illegal.

Fit note is an informal name for the Statement of Fitness for Work. The Statement intends to advise patients who are on sick leave for more than seven days on whether, with extra support from their employer, they could return to work.

Confidentiality is at the centre of maintaining trust between patients and doctors. As a doctor, you have access to sensitive personal information about patients and you have a legal and ethical duty to keep this information confidential, unless the patient consents to the disclosure, disclosure is required by law or is necessary in the public interest. This factsheet sets out the basic principles of confidentiality.

If a patient dies and the death is reportable to the coroner, you should leave all equipment in place until you have discussed the case with the coroner’s officer. This factsheet gives you further information about what to do.

If a patient dies and the death is reportable to the coroner, you should leave all equipment in place until you have discussed the case with the coroner’s officer. This factsheet gives you further information about what to do.

If a patient dies and the death is reportable to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, you should leave all equipment in place until you have discussed the case with the Procurator Fiscal. This factsheet gives you further information about what to do.