title: Confidentiality in health care: conflicting legal and ethical issues.
abstract: This article examines the circumstances in which dilemmas might arise between the need to maintain a patient's confidentiality and the need to disclose information. The author explains that nurses should be familiar with their professional code of conduct and keep up to date with any changes in the law to understand when it might be justified to override the duty of confidentiality.
authors.affiliation: Somerset Primary Care Trust, Bridgwater, Somerset. maureen.beech@somerset.pct.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beech
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D032781:Codes of Ethics; D016494:Computer Security / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D030881:Disclosure / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D017007:Duty to Warn / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D028662:Principle-Based Ethics; D012941:Social Responsibility; D006113:United Kingdom