Patient Consent to Share Information with Others

We will need you to consent in writing if you wish to share information about you with others ie family members speaking on your behalf. This applies to all patients aged 13 or over. 

The GP will assess your competency to make decisions about your medical record however from the age of 16 we assume you are competent to make these decisions unless there is information to state otherwise.  Wherever possible verbal consent will not be a first choice and to evidence when the consent was given, it should be in writing using this form so it can be evidenced in your medical record.

What is contained in medical records?
Medical records could include, and not exhaustively, hand-written clinical notes, letters between clinicians, lab reports, radiographs and imaging, test results, medical summaries, photographs and monitoring printouts. Records can be held in both manual and computerised forms.

The practice has a duty to protect the confidential data of our patients under the Data Protection Act (1998). By completing this form, you are authorising the Practice to share your confidential data with something else. Patients requesting third party access to their records need to be aware of potential consequences and be clear about exactly what part(s) of their records the consent applies to.  

Your consent to share personal information is entirely voluntary, and you may withdraw your consent at any time. Patients should note that is it their responsibility to notify the practice, in writing, if they have any concerns, change their mind, or withdraw consent for the said third party to access their records in future for any reason. 

To view and complete our practice consent form to share information with a third party, please click here. 

Alternatively, you may already have a Power Of Attorney allocated to act on your behalf. 

What is a power of attorney?

There might come a time when you're no longer able to make or communicate your own decisions. Having a power of attorney set up can make things much easier if and when that time comes – so it's worth considering now. 

A power of attorney is a legal document that appoints someone – your 'attorney' – to make decisions on your behalf.

There are a number of reasons why you may need someone to make decisions on your behalf. It may be a temporary measure, if you're going into hospital and need help with everyday financial tasks like paying your bills. Or it may be part of long-term planning – if, for example, you've been diagnosed with dementia and want to plan ahead in case you lose mental capacity to make your own decisions in the future. 

What is a lasting power of attorney (LPA)?

There are two types of LPA: one for making financial decisions and another for making health and care decisions. You can set up LPAs for both types of decisions.

An LPA for health and care decisions can only be used if you lose mental capacity. An LPA for financial decisions can also be used while you still have mental capacity if this is what you’d prefer, but you need to choose this option when setting it up. 

You can only create an LPA if you have mental capacity to do so and you haven’t been put under any pressure to set it up.

If you create this type a LPA for Health & Care Decisions, your attorney can make decisions about things like:

• where you live
• your medical treatment
• the care and support you receive
• who you have contact with
• what kind of social activities you take part in.

An LPA isn’t necessarily permanent. You can cancel it at any time while you have mental capacity by sending the original LPA document and a 'deed of revocation' to the Office of the Public Guardian.

Find out more about how to end your LPA on GOV.UK

If you have a LPA in place for Health & Care decisions, we would be grateful if you could provide a copy to the practice in order for us to update your medical records. 

How do I set up a power of attorney?

When you hear people talking about power of attorney, they're likely talking about lasting power of attorney. A lasting power of attorney can help you plan for the future, as it allows someone you trust to act for you if you ever lose mental capacity to make your own decisions.

1. Firstly, you'll need to get the LPA forms and an information pack from the Office of the Public Guardian. You can either download these online or order them by calling 0300 456 0300. Alternatively, you can set up an LPA using the online service on GOV.UK.
2. If you're happy to, you can fill out the forms yourself. But be careful – mistakes might mean your LPA is rejected and you need to pay a fee later to reapply. The Office of the Public Guardian have a step-by-step guide to completing the forms on their website or you can call them for assistance on 0300 456 0300.  
3. The completed forms need to be signed, and in a particular order. If you completed the forms using the online service, you’ll need to print them off to be signed. You (as ‘the donor’) sign first. Your signature must be witnessed. The ‘certificate provider’ must sign next. Finally, your attorney must sign the form and their signature must be witnessed. If the LPA is not signed in the correct order, it cannot be registered by the Office of the Public Guardian and will be rejected. The 'certificate provider' is someone who confirms that you understand what the LPA is and that you haven’t been put under any pressure to sign it. The certificate provider must either be someone you've known well for at least 2 years or a professional person, such as a doctor, social worker or solicitor. Certain people aren't allowed to be your certificate provider – including your partner or any other family members. 
4. Lastly, register the LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian – you cannot use your LPA until registration is complete, which can take several weeks. You can register your LPA if you have the mental capacity to do so. If you sign an LPA while you still have mental capacity but lose capacity before registering it, your attorney can register it for you.