ageing and confidentiality - aidan collins
TRANSCRIPT
Confidentiality and ageing
Aidan Collins
An emerging conflict?:
Maintaining confidentiality and protecting privacy
While also…
Sharing information to ensure integrated, person centred care
New challenges of ageing with HIV:
>Co-morbidities and ageing prematurely
>Mental health
> Finance and housing
> Social care
“Some of the symptoms and issues about ageing, Parkinson’s and HIV are interlocking and you can’t always distinguish…”
“Taking 17 drugs a day sometimes you are going to have problems… the drugs get so mixed up”
What’s the reality?
“I have a plethora of consultants and the interlocking exchange of information is very poor. There is a lack of clarity”
“Housing, social work and hospitals don’t talk very well to each other”
“Parkinson’s covers it up, because I have to take Parkinson’s pills as well, I can say my HIV medication is for my Parkinson’s”
What’s the reality?
What’s the reality?
“Things got off to a bad start as all the staff at the home were informed of my client’s HIV status, although this was completely unnecessary. When his neighbours came to visit, the care assistant advised them not to let their child see him because he had HIV.”
- Social Worker
What’s the reality?
“They broke my confidentiality,
telling the other residents that they shouldn’t come and see me in my room because I had HIV. I was lucky because my social worker helped me move to a new home where things are much better.“
- Care home resident
Confidentiality breaches occur:
>Where confidentiality policies and procedures are not understood
> Through staff error e.g. poor data storage or making assumptions
>When people think they are ‘doing the right thing’
> As a result of stigma and discrimination
What protects confidentiality?
> The Data Protection Act (1998)
> The Human Rights Act (1998)
> The Caldicott principles (1997 & 2012)
> Identity Management and Privacy Principles (2011)
> The Public Records (Scotland) Act (2011)
>Codes of practice e.g. Social Services Council Code of Practice, NHSS Code etc.
> The list goes on… and on…
And… other new developments:
> The integration of health and social care
>Health & Social Care Information Sharing – A Strategic Framework 2014-2020
> The Scottish Accord on the Sharing of Personal Information (SASPI)
Common themes:
> There may be circumstances where confidential information needs to be shared, BUT…
> Staff should not talk about a person to anyone else without that person’s consent (other than in exceptional circumstances), AND…
> Personal information should always be stored securely.
Future considerations:
> Information to empower service user/patients
>More staff training and awareness raising about HIV
>More staff training about confidentiality
>Clarity on the legal, regulatory and guidance frameworks
