The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7373 p555
29 October 2005

Society summary

Society produces guidance on NHS code on confidentiality for community pharmacists

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Practice and Quality Improvement Directorate has published guidance for pharmacists on the NHS code of practice on confidentiality and its relation to community pharmacy (in England and Wales).

The guidance (see pp557–8 PDF (70K)) has been produced to provide advice for pharmacists on data protection and confidentiality and to support compliance with legal obligations in light of the new contractual framework for community pharmacy. It covers, among other things:

· The common law of confidentiality
· Patient identifiable information
· Information provided to patients
· Anonymised information
· Breaches of confidentiality
· Contracts and responsibilities for employees

Patient information is generally held under legal and ethical obligations of confidentiality. The Society’s Code of Ethics details the professional standards that pharmacists are expected to adhere to in order to respect and protect patient confidentiality. Information provided in confidence should not be used or disclosed in a form that might identify a patient without his or her consent. However, there are a number of important exceptions and these are discussed in the guidance.

David Pruce, the Society’s Director of Practice and Quality Improvement, said: “Confidentiality is a key aspect of pharmacy and this guidance has been developed in the light of the new contractual framework. Patients trust the NHS, and those working within it, to gather sensitive information relating to their health and other matters. They also expect that staff will respect this trust. It is essential that the NHS provides, and is seen to provide, a confidential service. This guidance will help pharmacists to fulfil their obligations of confidentiality to patients.”

The guidance will be available online at www.rpsgb.org

Further information is available from Heidi Wright, head of quality improvement at the Society (tel 020 7572 2602, e-mail heidi.wright@rpsgb.org).