Confidentiality and Privacy in Healthcare

What Will You Learn?

• By the end of this course on Confidentiality and Privacy in Healthcare, you will:
• Understand the Importance of Confidentiality and Privacy
• Learn why confidentiality and privacy are crucial in healthcare for maintaining patient trust, ethical responsibility, and legal compliance.
• Explore the basic principles and ethical frameworks governing patient information, including respect for autonomy and duty of care.
• Gain Knowledge of Legal and Regulatory Frameworks
• Understand the key legislation that governs patient privacy, including the Data Protection Act, Human Rights Act, and Access to Health Records Act.
• Learn about professional guidelines such as those from the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and their role in shaping healthcare practices.
• Learn Practical Applications in Healthcare Settings
• Master strategies for maintaining confidentiality in everyday clinical practice, including secure storage of patient records, appropriate communication practices, and the proper use of technology.
• Gain insights into the unique challenges of maintaining privacy in resource-limited settings, and discover innovative solutions for ensuring confidentiality despite limited resources.
• Navigate Ethical Dilemmas and Make Informed Decisions
• Understand common ethical dilemmas related to confidentiality in healthcare, such as balancing public health interests with individual patient privacy.
• Learn ethical decision-making models, risk assessment techniques, and how to consult for guidance when faced with complex scenarios.
• Understand the Principles of Consent and Capacity
• Learn the importance of obtaining informed consent from patients and how to document it properly.
• Understand the Mental Capacity Act and how to assess a patient's capacity to make decisions, especially in emergency or complex situations.
• Master Information Sharing and Disclosure Protocols
• Learn when and how to share patient information appropriately within the healthcare team and with external agencies.
• Gain knowledge on handling disclosure requests, such as responding to police inquiries, court orders, and subject access requests while safeguarding patient privacy.
• Achieve GDPR and Information Governance Compliance
• Gain in-depth knowledge of GDPR compliance in healthcare, including key principles like data protection impact assessments and reporting data breaches.
• Learn about Information Governance, its role in auditing, monitoring, and maintaining secure data handling practices, and how to raise staff awareness and train your team.
• Develop Skills to Maintain Confidentiality in Different Settings
• Learn how to manage patient privacy in various healthcare settings, such as busy hospitals, outpatient clinics, and resource-limited environments.
• Gain practical skills for handling challenging situations like high patient volume, emergency scenarios, and high-pressure environments while ensuring patient privacy and data protection.