§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require social service authorities to request transfer of information from other authorities when clients move from area to area. [8510]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Department is currently consulting on guidance that includes the requirement that councils should liaise over the care of service users who move from one area to another to ensure continuity of care.
Access to personal assessment information would need to be agreed with the service user, and would take account of common law confidentiality requirements and the provisions of the Data Protection Act. However, information on an individual may be shared by statutory agencies without the individual's consent where there is a sufficient public interest justification to do so, for example where failing to do so would put people at significant risk.