New guidelines for family doctors and patients concerning confidentiality of general practitioners' medical records were launched yesterday.
The guidelines were drawn up by Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), the Irish Medical Organisation and the Department of Health. They follow growing concern from doctors at the increasing number of patients who are being refused life assurance and mortgage cover policies following the communication of personal health information.
While the insurance industry has obtained consent for the sharing of this information, there is concern that such consent is obtained in a "blanket" rather than an informed way.
A recent review of inquiries dealt with by Medisec Ireland, who provide general practitioners with a professional advisory service, showed that almost one in three queries related to requests for medical records from third parties.
The guidebook, Data Privacy and the Practice, includes an information leaflet alerting patients to the circumstances under which a doctor may be requested to disclose medical information to a third party.
"We believe the confidentiality of GP records is coming more into focus as employers, banks, insurance companies and government agencies realise that the information held in GP records can benefit them in various ways," said Dr Brian Meade of the ICGP.
The guidebook was drawn up by Dr Meade and Mr Peter Lennon, national director of the general practitioners' information technology group of the Department of Health.
Dr Richard Brennan, chairman of the ICGP said: "Patients and doctors often do not foresee that information given in the context of a particular consultation might at a later date be accessed or used by others who have a different intent or purpose of use for that information."