Can the health visitor of a child in care disclose medical info on the mum to a 3rd person without authority?

Question

My daughters son had an accident and everyone has jumped on the abuse band wagon blaming the dad. The children's health visitor has written a report on my daughter and disclosed medication she has taken and details of medical conditions to social services. Can she disclose an adults info to a 3rd party without authority without the order of the court?

Answer 1

Absolutely not. Any medical documentation that has to do with your daughter, or anyone else, without specific permission from the party involved (being your daughter) - under no circumstance, can be reviewed by anyone other than her doctor.

Medical records are strictly confidential. Any unauthorized viewing breaks that confidentiality.

And since your daughter isn't the one involved in the accident, the care provider has no grounds to release any information to any party without consent. Especially since the care provider is a childcare provider. The only other exception that could be considered is that unless a court of law has ordered such information disclosure under the circumstance that there is undeniable evidence that your daughter's records are necessary to be reviewed by a 3rd party to determine whether your grandson's accident has anything to due with abuse (i.e. knowing that her husband has abusive tendencies, and the accident could have prevented, etc.) - than her records should have not been disclosed once-so-ever.

Answer 2

If the Health provided was working,visiting on a formal basis, she would have already gotten a release of information when she first began her visits. From then on, all can be released. If your daughter in receiving assistance of any kind, from the government, her life is NOT her own. Be careful how you handle this, you could stop further assistance to your daughter, she could end up in a worse situation then she is in. Keep a Quiet Lid on these Events, handle them internally and don't get involved. If social services contacts you, that is different. But until that, take everything you hear with a grain of salt, unless you are Present for the Initial conversation(s). The rest is nothing but hearsay! Good Luck through your difficulties. I hope your grandson is safe,healthy and happy now.

Answer 3

If she is there for the welfare of the child and isn't your daughters Dr and has this info then yes she can report it.

Answer 4

I believe it has to be court ordered.