Confidentiality - your rights

How the health service keeps information about you private.             

(This is a guide for under 16s.)

If you are under 16, this information is for you.

It explains that anyone who looks after your health has to keep information about you private. This may be doctors, nurses, pharmacists or other health workers.  

The information tells you only about how things work in the health service, not other organisations such as your school or social services. 

When you are young, your parents are usually involved in your health care. They may make decisions for you, and speak to health workers on your behalf. But as you get older you have more rights. You can decide if you want your parents to be involved or not. This leaflet explains your rights once you are thought to be old enough to make your own decisions about your health care information.

• In Scotland if you are 12 or over, the law assumes you can make your own decisions about your health care information unless there is evidence to suggest you can’t.
• If you are under 12, you may still be able to make decisions about your health care information but the doctor must believe that you understand enough to do this.

When we talk about parents, we also mean anyone who is your legal guardian.

If you want to talk about your health in private, and you need an interpreter, ask your health worker to arrange this for you.

Page last edited: 06 October 2009