Confidentiality: insurance and other reports

This module has been updated to reflect the GMC's 'Good medical practice' (2024) guidance.

This module is part of our series on confidentiality, which includes complementary topics such as  Confidentiality: general principles, disclosing information about serious communicable diseases, fitness to drive and reporting concerns to the DVLA or DVA and responding to police requests for information. 

This standalone module is aimed at primary care doctors who produce reports about patients for third parties, as well as practice managers or administrators who want to better understand the principles and process. The content is also relevant for occupational and sports physicians, prison doctors, forensic medical examiners, doctors in the armed forces and doctors working for insurance companies. 

You will work through a scenario where an insurance company requests a medical report about a registered patient at the practice. It encourages you to consider issues around patient consent, such as whether you should share your report with the patient in advance or amend it based on their wishes. It delves into the detail on when you may consider disclosure without consent and what to be aware of.

Learning objectives

By the end of this module you should:

• understand the issues of confidentiality and consent when providing reports to third parties
• know how to handle requests from patients to alter reports
• know where to seek advice on specific cases.

The course is made up of one chapter and will take about 15 minutes to complete. You don’t have to complete the course in one sitting. Save your progress as you go by clicking on the power button in the blue bar.

When you finish you will be able to do a knowledge check and download a certificate of completion. 

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