Sharing Patient Information Safely

Patient information is routinely shared within the dental team when needed for safe care. It may also be shared with laboratories, referral services, pharmacies, interpreters, carers, safeguarding teams, insurers, NHS bodies or other healthcare providers. The legal duty is to use the correct route, share only with authorised people and do so for a legitimate purpose.

Dental nurses should take care when relatives, carers or friends request information. A person’s presence or familiarity does not automatically permit disclosure. Consider the patient’s consent, capacity, best interests, safeguarding concerns and local policy before sharing.

Before sharing, check

• Is there a legitimate reason to share this information?
• Is this the right person or organisation?
• Is the information limited to what is needed?
• Is the method secure and approved?
• Does this need patient consent, senior advice or a safeguarding route?

Use only approved systems. Personal messaging apps, personal email, unapproved cloud storage, shared home devices and public AI tools can create serious confidentiality and data protection risks. If an unapproved workaround seems convenient, raise it as a speaking-up concern.

Safeguarding and necessary sharing

Safe sharing is purposeful, limited, secure and documented through the correct route.