Welcome

Confidentiality and Data Protection for GP Receptionists and Care Navigators is for UK GP receptionists, care navigators, call handlers and frontline administrative staff who handle patient information every day.

Confidentiality supports safe care. A brief phone call, a question at the desk, a text, an online request or a note in the record can affect a patient’s privacy, their trust in services, access to care and safety.

Good first-contact judgement means confirming identity, limiting information to what’s needed, using approved routes, recording accurately, protecting sensitive details and escalating when you are unsure.

What this course covers

• What patient information is: names, appointments, results, medicines, contact details and indirect clues.
• How confidentiality works in practice: especially at reception, on the telephone and in digital messages.
• Data protection basics: lawful, fair, relevant and secure handling of information.
• When to share and when to pause: third-party callers, safeguarding and urgent safety concerns.
• Records and incidents: accurate notes, wrong-patient risks, near misses and how to report them.

A simple confidentiality spine

• Identify the patient and caller
• Check authority before sharing
• Use the minimum necessary information
• Record accurately
• Escalate uncertainty
• Report mistakes promptly

Role boundaries

UK-wide legal context