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Confidentiality and public-interest disclosure — DIPIMC MCQ

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HardScene Safety and MedicolegalConfidentiality and public-interest disclosureDIPIMCDipIMC

You have attended a patient with a medical condition that clearly makes him unfit to drive and a danger to the public, yet he refuses to stop driving or to inform the licensing authority. What is the most appropriate course of action regarding confidentiality?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: C — Disclosure to the DVLA may be justified in the public interest

Confidentiality is important but not absolute; where a patient is unfit to drive and continues against advice, posing a risk to others, relevant information may be disclosed to the DVLA in the public interest, normally after encouraging the patient to act and informing him of the intended disclosure. Broadcasting the case publicly or sending the full record to an employer is disproportionate and breaches confidentiality, while taking no action ignores the danger to the public. Any disclosure should be limited to the information necessary for the purpose. Pearl: responsibility to notify the licensing authority rests first with the patient, but the clinician may inform the DVLA if the patient will not.

Reference: GMC Confidentiality Guidance; DVLA