Duty of confidentiality
What it means
Doctors owe a duty to keep patient information confidential — it underpins trust. Information may be shared for the patient's own CARE (implied consent within the team), but disclosure beyond that generally needs the patient's CONSENT, unless required by law or justified in the public interest. The duty persists after death. Anonymised data can be used more freely.
Worked example
Discussing a patient's case with the treating team is fine (implied consent for care); telling an employer the diagnosis without consent breaches confidentiality.
In the exam
A relative phones asking about an adult patient's diagnosis; without the patient's consent the doctor declines to share clinical information.
What settles it
Sharing for the patient's own care (within the team) is permitted under implied consent; sharing beyond that needs consent OR a legal/public-interest justification.
Classically confused with
Public-interest disclosure
Source: GMC Confidentiality