§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she or her Department have had in regard to the incidence of restricted growth; what reply she has sent; what action she is taking; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleMr Paul Zetter, CBE, honorary president of the Restricted Growth Association, has written to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently expressing concern that the association has no communication with the majority of people of restricted growth in this country, and mentioning its wish to create a database of those affected.
158WI have today written to Mr. Zetter to say that I fully support the excellent work that the association is doing to help people of restricted growth. However, personal health information is subject to the general principle of the law of confidence. As such, health records can be disclosed only within the national health service on a strictly need-to-know basis and, generally speaking, it cannot be disclosed to an outsider or third party without the patient's prior consent. I have invited Mr. Zetter to meet officials of my Department to discuss this issue further.