Confidentiality and the nxt of kin

Galbin · 19-10-2016 08:46PM #1

If a person is in hospital, but refuses to tell his family what exactly is happening, does the next of kin have any rights? Is the doctor allowed to explain to the next of kin what is happening to the patient? The patient is considered to be of sound mind.

Icemancometh · 19-10-2016 09:03PM

Nope. While there are limits to confidentiality, this isn't one of them. You can only break confidentiality without consent when the patient or someone else is at risk, where you are required to by law (ie infectious disease notification), or ordered to by a judge.

Galbin · 19-10-2016 09:42PM

So a doctor cannot even tell the next of kin even if the patient has a terminal diagnosis?

Thanks.

Icemancometh · 19-10-2016 09:44PM

Galbin wrote: »

So a doctor cannot even tell the next of kin if a person has a terminal diagnosis?

If the patient doesn't give you their permission, there's no options except the ones I mentioned above.

Sylvius · 22-10-2016 05:45PM

There's really no such thing as a 'next of kin' under Irish law.

Confidentiality and the nxt of kin

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