englishmelon
Handbook Extract: Confidentiality and Data Protection
Healthcare Information is confidential. It can only be used to provide direct healthcare of patients. Using it for other purposes will require patient consent or lawful basis such as crime prevention or detection of crime. Access to patient information is permitted only if there is legitimate reason within the accessors’ role. Patients have rights to see their records. The health records team handles these requests and requests from solicitors, police and other third parties. Information about friends and family or about self should not be looked up directly. Patients can deny family members access to their information if they are of mental capacity and are over the age of 16.
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Question of
What does this handbook tell about patient information?
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Police personnel should be granted patient information upon request.
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Information access request by a patient’s family member may be denied.
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It is not possible for any third parties to get patient information.
Correct Wrong
The handbook extract states that patients have the right to see their records, and access to patient information by third parties, including family members, is handled by the health records team. Importantly, it notes that patients can deny family members access to their information if they are mentally competent and over the age of 16. This aligns with option B, indicating that family members' requests for patient information may be denied based on the patient's preferences. Option A is incorrect because police personnel need a lawful basis for accessing patient information, and option C is incorrect because third parties may access patient information under certain conditions, such as crime prevention or detection.
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