Confidentiality, privacy and communication

[Extract] As we have learnt through the previous chapters, communication in health and social care is a uniquely complex but vital component of the relationship between the healthcare professional and the patient. It is an essential component in the provision of quality care. There are many variables that can influence and impede communication. Despite these variables, considerations in the ethical and supportive nature of communication are vitally important for healthcare professionals. In this chapter, we explore the concepts of confidentiality in communication, and outline the legal, ethical and moral obligations that healthcare professionals must be aware of and abide by. The chapter will provide advice and guidance on common challenges encountered in maintaining confidentiality, and offer examples of contemporary considerations and provisions when the duty of confidentiality may be dismissed. It is by no means a complete rulebook; instead, it provides a foundational framework upon which the healthcare professional can explore confidentiality in communication within their own clinical world