Confidentiality in medicine means restricting the circulation of information that a patient offers to those involved in their care and with whom the patient implicitly or explicitly consents to sharing that information. Confidentiality can be broken when there is a safeguarding issue, or it is in the best interests of the patient or the public. This occurs when you have information that suggests a patient or client is at risk of harm, or poses a risk of harm to someone else.
The General Medical Council (GMC) states that confidentiality can be broken when: a patient consents; it is beneficial to patient who cannot consent; it is required by law, or it is in the public interest.
This could include, for example, when treating a patient for their eyesight, which has deteriorated to the point that they would no longer be safe to drive. In this scenario the DVLA should be informed.
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