You can be assured that anything you discuss with any member of the surgery staff, whether Doctor, Nurse or Patient Services Advisor, will remain confidential. Even if you are under 16, nothing will be said to anyone, including parents, other family members, care workers or teachers, without your permission. The only reason why we might want to consider passing on confidential information without your permission would be to protect either you or someone else from serious harm. In this situation, we would always try to discuss this with you first.

If you have any worries or queries about confidentiality, please ask a member of staff.

If you would like to discuss matters of a confidential nature, either with our Patient Services Team or a member of the Prescription Management Team, we have a side room available in the reception for this purpose.

Consent and confidentiality

Patients between the ages of 11 years old and 18 years old who have the same mobile contect as their parents or carers will have this contact number removed.  A request must come from the patient to use a parent or carers contact number as a one off request but this contact will not be added as a default contact to the patients record.  Please also see the section below  'Consent for sharing investigative results.  Patients aged 11 years to 12 years inclusive'.

We have made some changes around consent and confidentiality following National guidance regarding confidentiality.

Whilst this is not law these are strong recommendations from our national bodies. 

Online records consent 

Up to 10 years of age the parents/carers of our younger patients can have proxy access to book appointments, order medication and view the child’s medical record

Patients aged 11 and 12 years of age inclusive

A telephone ring back should be booked for the patient (not the parent or carer) with their usual GP at the same time as handing the application form in.  The GP will discuss the implications of parental access with the patient and the GP will make a decision on whether they are happy for the parent/carer to have proxy access.  

If agreed, the proxy access for parents/carers will be for booking appointments and ordering medication ONLY and this access will be removed on the child's 13th birthday or if they ask for proxy access to be removed, whichever is sooner.

Access will not be given to parents/carers via the NHS app due to the patient being too young for their own NHS app account.

Patients ages 13 to 15 years of age inclusive

Patients should apply for access in their own right.  Access will be given for booking appointments and ordering medication ONLY.

The patient will require their own email account and own mobile number.  Log in information will not be sent to parents or carers and no shared email accounts or mobile numbers are allowed.

*Proxy access for parents/carers will ONLY be given for MEDICAL REASONS and always at the discretion of the GP. Usually the patient is unable to make medical decisions by themselves due to a medical condition.  This access is given on a case by case basis. 

Access will not be given to parents/carers via the NHS app due to the patient being too young for their own NHS app account.

Patients ages 16 years and over

Patients should apply for access in their own right using their own email address and own mobile number.  No shared email addresses or mobile numbers are allowed.

Access will be to book appointments, order medication and view medical records.

*Proxy access for parents/carers will ONLY be given for MEDICAL REASONS and always at the discretion of the GP. Usually the patient is unable to make medical decisions by themselves due to a medical condition.  This access is given on a case by case basis.

Consent for sharing investigative results

Patients aged 11 years to 12 years inclusive

If the clinician has documented that a parent or carer has attended the appointment with the patient, results can be given to the person attending with them.

If the clinician has not documented that a parent or carer was present we will need to speak with the patient to ask their permission to share information eg results. 

All patients are entitled to the same rules of confidentiality.  

 * Proxy access was developed to allow someone other than the patient (often used by the parents or recognised carers of young children and the registered carers of adults) to access and manage parts of their GP online services account. The proxy is given their own online access account (rather than using the patient’s login details).