§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to introduce measures. 43W including specific criminal offences, to prevent the obtaining of particulars of patient records from general practitioners other than in circumstances of clinical need; and if he will make a statement. [3356]
§ Mr. HoramPatient confidentiality is already protected by a number of legislative measures. The General Medical Council re-emphasised the importance of confidentiality in guidance to the profession earlier this year. We shall shortly be issuing guidance to the national health service as a whole on the protection and use of patient information.