# Doctor-Patient Confidentiality



## Alvarro (Dec 23, 2016)

Can't find any information on-line so I want to ask if doctor-patient confidentiality in Spain is the same as in the UK. I can understand that a doctor needs to talk to nurses et al about a patient and his/her problems and treatment but to a non-medical receptionist? Other patients? Grateful for any information. Thank you.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alvarro said:


> Can't find any information on-line so I want to ask if doctor-patient confidentiality in Spain is the same as in the UK. I can understand that a doctor needs to talk to nurses et al about a patient and his/her problems and treatment but to a non-medical receptionist? Other patients? Grateful for any information. Thank you.


What a strange question. It is almost universal that health service doctors maintain strict patient/doctor confidentiality. When it comes to private doctors, although that ought to be the case, one can't be certain that it would be 100%, especially if there was a financial involvement when discussing your case with somebody who might want to sell you something (product or service or insurance, etc.)


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Although the laws are strict here in Spain, people are often ignorant and careless with private data.

We recently learned that a family member who gave his name to a specialist private clinic when he arrived was asked if was the same patient as Mr. X living at number X, Calle X Madrid....

So much for confidentiality....


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Spain - Right to Privacy


It's supposed to be universally agreed there is a right to privacy between Drs and a n other.

You mentioned a Receptionist...... in my "professional " experience, receptionists, secretaries etc, tend to - due to the nature of their jobs - know roughly what's going on with patients. The issue is, are they discussing the issue with the patient or with others. If that's the case, they are breaking rules of employment, at least that's the case in the U.K. 

If a member of my staff at any level, spoke about a patients condition or treatment outside of their scope of practice they would be dismissed or severely reprimanded


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Megsmum said:


> Spain - Right to Privacy
> 
> 
> It's supposed to be universally agreed there is a right to privacy between Drs and a n other.
> ...


In my experience, it has been often the case in UK when asking a receptionist for an appointment to see a doctor, one often has to give a list of one's symptoms in front of other patients which is hardly confidential and potentially embarrassing for some people.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> In my experience, it has been often the case in UK when asking a receptionist for an appointment to see a doctor, one often has to give a list of one's symptoms in front of other patients which is hardly confidential and potentially embarrassing for some people.


This "used" to be the case. Drs receptionists were well known for their Rottweiler qualities..... there is no reason why, when asking for a routine appointment, you need to give a reason. In my experience, it's usually when a patient wants to see a Dr in an emergency that questions may be asked and, again, it's only my experiences, it's because people wait to book routine appointments, then what was routine becomes urgent and the patient feels they need to see someone plus GPs don't offer sufficient appointments outside of normal working hours. 

There are many contributing factors. Non of which refer to the OPs question. In theory yes, there is the right to expect privacy, in practice it's all dependent on who's receiving the info and what they do with it


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

If you want the whole village to know your ailments, go to the local pharmacy to fulfil your prescription... Of course, you get to know what everyone else is suffering from as well. There doesn't seem to be the same attitude towards "embarrassing" complaints here.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> If you want the whole village to know your ailments, go to the local pharmacy to fulfil your prescription... Of course, you get to know what everyone else is suffering from as well. There doesn't seem to be the same attitude towards "embarrassing" complaints here.


Yep

When I had an itchy lady problem my friend phoned me the next day to recommend another product, the pharmacist had told her I'd been in and as I was new to the village wanted to make sure I was ok

I'm not that bothered tbh, it's not like she shouted across a bar... how's your @&$)()

(


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## Alvarro (Dec 23, 2016)

Thank you for your replies. I do live in a very small village where everyone knows everyone else, including their problems, and in very many instances are related to each other. It's just a bit disconcerting when people stop me in the street and ask how I'm getting on with my problem and then give me advice on how to cure it!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alvarro said:


> Thank you for your replies. I do live in a very small village where everyone knows everyone else, including their problems, and in very many instances are related to each other. It's just a bit disconcerting when people stop me in the street and ask how I'm getting on with my problem and then give me advice on how to cure it!


SWMBO was very much the same when we came here but now that she has become accustomed to it, realises that it is just part of the caring and sharing nature of village people here in Spain and is much as it used to be in UK.

Whereabouts in Jaén are you?


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## Alvarro (Dec 23, 2016)

baldilocks said:


> SWMBO was very much the same when we came here but now that she has become accustomed to it, realises that it is just part of the caring and sharing nature of village people here in Spain and is much as it used to be in UK.
> 
> Whereabouts in Jaén are you?


I agree about the caring and sharing - the people here are lovely and have on occasions proven to be much valued neighbours. I live in Begijar.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alvarro said:


> I agree about the caring and sharing - the people here are lovely and have on occasions proven to be much valued neighbours. *I live in Begijar*.


I don't know it although we go past it every year when going on our winter holiday in Arroyo Frío.


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