When something goes wrong
A breach of confidentiality is not something that can be corrected – once information has been disclosed, it is clearly not possible to “undisclose” it. In some respects, that makes your response more straightforward.
- Establish what happened and what went wrong.
- Get in touch with the patient(s) to explain what has happened, and apologise if necessary.
- Take steps to identify how such a mistake can be avoided in the future.
What's in a name?
During a consultation with a patient, John Y, you refer to his recent HIV test, which was negative. He is confused, as he has not been tested at all, and you realise that the test is for a different patient, James Y. Unfortunately, as you are working out what has happened, you say to the patient: “Oh no, this test was for James Y, not John Y”. John Y knows James Y, and so you have breached confidentiality. What should you do?
You need to tell James Y about the mistake as soon as possible although, importantly, without revealing precisely how it happened (otherwise you will breach John Y’s confidentiality). It will be helpful to look at the procedures within the practice to look at how such a mistake could be avoided in the future.
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