Confidentiality

As a general rule, the things that you talk about in your consultations are confidential. Health care professionals are bound by a strict code of conduct that protects your privacy. However, it is often helpful for certain information to be shared with others with your permission. For example, the doctor who referred you usually knows some of your history and will be better able to assist you if he or she knows the outcome of your mental health consultation (e.g., your diagnosis and the recommended treatment). This information is general in nature and you have the right to decide on how much information about you is released to others. If you are concerned about this issue it is sensible to talk openly about it with your clinician.

It’s important to know that there are some situations in which confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. If there is significant concern that you might try to cause serious harm to yourself or others, or if there is any indication that children are at serious risk of harm, health professionals are bound by law to try and keep people safe. In some circumstances this may mean breaking confidentiality in order to get appropriate help for the people who are at risk. If someone is under 16 years of age it is common practice to involve parents or carers in discussions about treatment decisions and other significant matters that may require parental input and support. This doesn’t mean that everything a child or young person says is automatically relayed to his or her parents. Many or most things remain confidential if the child or young person wants it that way and this level of privacy does not put the person at risk.