Just Curious Again

[jennyjoan]

You know how your doctor has to abide by patient confidentiality etc.

When doctor leaves/retires has he the ability to break that confidentiality if he wanted to.

[Prudie]

Wouldn't have thought so, the hippocratic oath, like the Official Secrets Act, is binding for life.

[DTCwordfan]

Nope....he/she is still bound under the 'Hypocritical Oath' (Hippocrates).

[jennyjoan]

never knew that

[waterboatman]

In short, no. However, if the doctor taking over was to ask the retired GP something about a particular patient concerning that patient's health it would be allowed.

[jennyjoan]

ok WBM thanks

[waterboatman]

I should add, since both doctors are bound by the Hippocratic Oath.

[waterboatman]

You're welcome Jen.

[Peter Pedant]

no he cant break confidentiality - and most dont want to talk about their patients to be honest...

but hey Jay jay - ideas of confidentiality vary over the last two hundred years.
The details of Castllereagh suicide when he was pm were never really hidden
Victoria very nearly wrecked the early part of her reign over Lady Flora Hastings who died from abdo ca but not before the doctor had diagnosed a pregnancy - oops
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Flora_Hastings

In Germany Virchow ( famous pathologist ) was quite prepared to lecture publicly about the German Emperors ca larynx ( 1888)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21494762

Edward VII's appendicitis was well known as the cause of the delay of the coronation of 1902 - removed by Sir Frederick Treves ( of elephant man fame)

But all the queen mother would allow about her caesarian section for lack of progress of labour, was " a certain course of action was successfully followed"

In 1965 Lord Moran published a warts and all biog of churchill based on his notes of fifty years as his physician and as a consequence the BMA voted 400-2 that confidentiality should extend beyond the grave.

when Princess Di met her unfortunate premature end, the GMC warned British doctors about talking about it all (!) - none were present by the way - as they could glean more details from the public accounts than you or me.
http://ispub.com/IJRDM/1/2/12892
she died from a ruptured pulmonary vein by the way - the GMC's writ does not extend to america or france....

and so Jay Jay
yes is the answer
but the info is usually out there on the internet somewhere
( cue eery X files muzak - do-do-do-do....)

[Peter Pedant]

// However, if the doctor taking over was to ask the retired GP something about a particular patient concerning that patient's health it would be allowed.//
because it is not really breaking confidentiality

same with hospital notes -those involved in treatment can and should read the relevant notes - and yes hospital administrators with clip boards have got overheated when they think patients notes are accessed by the 'wrong'doctors

[jennyjoan]

My God Peter you are a fountain of information LOL

[Sqad]

99% of doctors do not take the Hippocratic Oath.

[Old_Geezer]

I'd heard something of the sort. But do they not sign up to some non disclosure agreement anyway ? I think the question revolves around legalities and telling.

[1ozzy]

I think a doctor who worked in this little town for many years took the Hypocritic Oath. Thankfully he has retired and moved away.

[sandyRoe]

Wouldn't a retired doctor have seen it all in his career and likely wish to forget all of it?

[1ozzy]

Ask Sqad ;-)