Understanding of Confidentiality in Health and Social Care

Activity 1 “Understanding of Confidentiality”
D3 The confidentiality of personal data is of utmost importance in line with the General Data
Protection Regulation. Privacy functions bring with them the idea of protecting information.
Therefore, confidentiality is important when conducting environmental and caring activities
(Hutchings, 2019).
By maintaining confidentiality, people build trust in the medical facilities they visit, so they must
have good customer relationships (Berg et al., 2021). Confidentiality in health and social care
refers to respecting the privacy of the patients and not sharing any kind of details concerning
them with others. The state of keeping information a secret is called confidentiality.
Information of a patient is shared in case of the situation where disclosure of information benefits
the patient overall and the patient lacks the ability to consent. Also the confidential information
can be shared without the consent of the individual in case the information is required by the law.
Information is also shared when it benefits the child that will arise through sharing of
information. Confidentiality is breached in case the information is shared without the consent of
the person concerned.
The term communication refers to the exchange of information. Communication in health and
social care is a broader concept that involves ensuring that the person to whom the information is
communicated actually understands the information accurately. This information exchange can
be through speaking, in writing or any other media.
D1 The different types of communication in health and social care are:
VERBAL COMMUNICATION – It is an important
way of communication in health and social care.
Verbal communication involves using voice as a
medium to communicate information. This is used
for getting information from co-workers, patients,
their relatives, etc. Questions asked by doctors and
nurses are replied while communicating verbally. In
team meetings discussions are based on verbal
communication. Verbal communication is used for
giving feedbacks. It is the medium used for
communicating reports to the patients and their
relatives. Any problems and complaints are
addressed through verbal communication in first
place.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION – This type
of communication involves use of body language or
gestures to express command, affirmation, etc. This
kind of communication is commonly used when the
purpose of communication is limited or short, and
can be done in concise way.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION – It is used
largely for communication in health and social care
generally for recording the cases that comes to the
health care centres. Accident forms are filled in
writing. Appointment letter giving to patients, the
menu of lunch, and care plans use written
communication. Written communication must be
accurate and able to communicate the information
clearly.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION – Electronic
communication refers to the usage of information
and communication technology for communicating
information. With the increasing use of electronic
communication, the communication is becoming
more and more easy. Communicating over texts,
electronic mails, and on inter or intra –net are the
ways by which electronic communication takes
place. This form of communication is used when
management wants to communicate with staff
members or hospital communicates with the
patients.
D4 “Legislation, Policies, Procedures and Codes of Practice in Management of
Information”
The Care Quality Commision (CQC) manages all health and social services in England and
ensures quality and safety.

The code of conduct helps service users understand how service providers should treat them
and helps the Health and Care Council (HCPC) determine whether to protect the public (Levin-
Zamir, 2020).
The Data Protection Act 2018 is considered to be the implementation of the General Data
Protection Regulations(GDPR). It explains how it is the responsibility of the businesses to use
the personal data only for following the strict rule that are called data protection principles. It is
also essential for the making the information be used fairly and lawfully. This is also considered
to be the factor which helps in the keeping transparency in the organization.
The Care Act
This is the law that governs how local authorities
provide care for adults, people over 18 years. The
care act is used as guiding principle that cares the
adult citizens of the nation. As per the care act there
are six principles of safeguard, these are namely
empowerment: support is provided to make the
individuals initiate decisions on their own,
prevention: take actions before the things start
causing harm to others, partnership: participation of
community in the process as it have major role in
providing with local solutions, accountability: the
whole process is made transparent and accountable
(What are the 6 Principles of the Care Act 2014?
2022). The act works with the purpose of caring and
supporting the adults with their needs. The meaning
of confidentiality here is that the person providing
care maintains confidence within themselves and
the patient for good care.
The Human Rights Act
It is the Human Rights Act that helps to enact the explicit status basis for the response of the
basis of protecting and promoting fundamental rights. Human rights act is an act that is used
safeguard the interest of population. The law helps the citizens in ensuring that their rights are
duly defend in the legal proceedings and are compulsory to be practiced and followed at public
organization. Human rights act is connected with confidentiality as the act includes right to
privacy to an individual. It means that the human rights provide all the citizens equal rights
despite their cultural background to be effective in the nature.
Common Communication law

This is the law that is branch of the law that focuses on the regulation of the transfer of
information that is through the law of internet cable and satellite telephone. CQC is linked to
confidentiality as the approach is lawful and confidentiality is maintained at all levels (What is
Communication Law? - Definition & Examples, 2022). Confidentiality in common
communication law is ensured through communication between two persons who have faith that
the other one will not disclose their word to others.
D2 The theories of communication are,
Argyle communication is considered to be the verbal and non-verbal communication is a skill
that is needed to be learnt and developed. It is the communication that is essential for the
development of the appropriate responses that must be adapted over the communication of
success.
Tuckman’s Model team would go through 5 stage of development of forming, storming,
norming and performing help in the communication between the team This model is used to
explain the level of maturity in team and the ability of team members in developing themselves
through leadership styles.
Forming: This is the first stage, here the structure of the entire team is put together. The aim is to
avoid conflict among team members and any cost (How to Recognize the 5 Stages of Group
Development, 2022). Behaviors of team members is observed. The observed attributes are
politeness, tentative joining, etc. Needs of team are analyzed to decide leadership style in
response to it.
Storming: This stage arise as a result of organizing the processes and tasks by team leader. Issue
that comes in this stage are leadership, structure related and power issues.
Norming: New ways are designed at the stage. The aim of process of norming is to bring team
together for doing work in a different way.
Performing: This stage is where team development is talked about. Flexibility in team members
is inculcated here.