Your right to Confidentiality

Everyone, including under 16 year olds, have a right to private and confidential advice about their health and well being.

Remember: If you need some support its ok to take a parent, carer, partner or friend along to the doctors with you.

This means:

• Your visit to your doctor is private unless you allow the doctor to tell someone else.
• The only reason a doctor might have to consider passing on confidential information without your permission would be to protect you or someone else from serious harm.  However, the doctor will discuss this with you first
• Receptionists, practice nurses and anyone else working at the GP surgery cannot give out any information about you or even say that they saw you at the doctor’s.
• When you make an appointment you don’t have to tell the receptionist what the reason is.  Staff will not make judgments about you or the reason you are there.
• The doctor will not tell your parents or carer you are having sex, or are thinking about having sex, even if you are under 16.
• Your doctor will not tell anyone, even if your doctor does not give you treatment.

If you are under 16 years the doctor will ask you some questions to ensure that you fully understand about the treatment and choices they offer you.

These questions may include:

• Do you have a parent/carer or other adult that you can talk to about sex and relationships?
• Are you having sex because you want to or because you feel you should?
• Do you know what safer sex is?
• What do you think the risks or unprotected sex are?