Confidentiality and health records
Confidentiality and health records toolkit
Our toolkit is your starting point when considering sharing confidential information. It covers sharing confidential information for the direct care of your individual patient and sharing for other reasons. BMA guidanceRetention of health records
How long should patient medical records be kept retained? Here we set out tables of types of records and the length of time they should be kept according to national guidance on NHS records management. BMA guidanceAccess to health records
How to handle requests, including subject access requests, requests from third parties such as insurers and the police and requests for records of deceased patients. BMA guidancePatients recording consultations
Our guidance answers if patients can record doctors without permission or covertly, how to respond when a patient asks to record their appointment and what to do if a covert recording is posted online. BMA guidanceRequests for medical information from insurers
We cover what you need to know when dealing with requests from insurance companies - principles to follow, subject access requests and electronic signatures. BMA guidanceSharing local electronic patient records for direct patient care
The following principles are to support GP practices considering how to share patient records with other healthcare organisations. BMA guidanceGDPR privacy notices for GP practices
Posters you can use in your GP practice to notify patients about how you handle their data. BMA guidanceGPs as data controllers under GDPR
GP data controllers' responsibilities under the GDPR, the main themes of the legislation and ensuring compliance. The guidance should be read alongside the UK Data Protection Act 2018. BMA guidanceGiving patients access to medical reports
Steps for doctors to take when a patient asks to see their medical reports. BMA guidanceAppointing a data protection officer (DPO)
We give guidance on how to appoint a data protection officer in a GP practice to comply with GDPR, who they are and what they do. BMA guidanceDoctors' responsibilities with anti-radicalisation strategy
Explaining the doctors' role in the Prevent training programme to counter terrorism and how it affects confidentiality and consent. BMA guidanceNHSX data strategy briefing
We summarise the key themes and priorities in the 2021 strategy from NHSX 'Data saves lives: reshaping health and care with data'. The strategy looks at how improved data storing and processes will bring together the NHS and social care. BMA reportAdults who lack capacity
Clinically-assisted nutrition and hydration
This guidance provides detailed practical advice on the issues you might encounter when making a decision to stop, start, or continue CANH for adults who lack capacity. BMA guidanceNeedlestick injuries and blood-borne viruses
Guidance on what to do in situations where the patient lacks the capacity to consent to testing for blood-borne viruses, when a health professional has sustained needlestick injury. BMA guidanceMental Capacity Act toolkit
This toolkit acts as a prompt to doctors when they are providing care and treatment for people who lack, or who may lack, the mental capacity to make decisions on their own behalf. BMA guidanceAdults with incapacity in Scotland and Northern Ireland
This guidance looks at the decision-making process in relation to adults and their mental capacity in Scotland and Northern Ireland. BMA guidanceBest interests decision-making for adults who lack capacity toolkit
This toolkit provides practical guidance to assist doctors in making decisions in the best interests of adults who lack capacity in England and Wales. BMA guidanceDeprivation of liberty safeguards
The most important points for health professionals to consider if a deprivation of liberty has taken, or is taking, place and a checklist to assess the situation. BMA guidanceSeeking consent
Seeking patient consent toolkit
When and how to seek consent for treatment and research, ethical and legal principles that apply and common misconceptions surrounding consent. BMA guidanceConsent in paternity testing
This guidance sets out doctors’ legal and ethical responsibilities when asked to assist with paternity testing. BMA guidanceParental responsibility and consent
The responsibilities parents have in respect of their child's healthcare, including consent to treatment. BMA guidanceSafeguarding
Adult safeguarding toolkit
This toolkit is about the doctor's role in safeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse or neglect. BMA guidanceDomestic abuse
Raising awareness of domestic abuse and strategies for doctors to identify and reduce the damage it does. BMA reportAdults at risk, confidentiality and disclosure of information
This guidance sets out the current legal and ethical position on disclosure of information relating to adults who retain capacity but may be subject to some form of duress. BMA guidanceEnd of life
Physician assisted dying
The BMA adopted a neutral position on PAD (physician-assisted dying) at the annual meeting in September 2021. Read more about what PAD is, the law across the world, the survey we did and the BMA's position.Organ donation
The BMA has long advocated a 'soft' opt-out system for organ donation across the UK. BMA campaignDecisions relating to CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
Joint guidance from the BMA, Resuscitation Council (UK) and Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on decisions about CPR – including decisions not to attempt CPR. BMA guidanceResponding to patient requests for assisted suicide
Ethical principles for doctors to consider when a patient makes a request to, or makes it known they will, end their life. BMA guidancePersonal ethics
Conscientious objection and expressing personal beliefs
Guidance on conscientious objection and expressing your religious and cultural views when practising as a doctor. BMA guidanceTransparency for doctors with competing interests
Read our guidance for doctors on how to identify and manage any competing interests. BMA guidanceEthics of social media use
Social media can be a great resource for doctors. But it's not without its risks. This guidance outlines some of the benefits and risks involved in using social media, helping you use it safely and ethically. BMA guidanceChildren and young people
Children and young people ethics toolkit
Legal and ethical factors doctors need to consider when making decisions about children and young people such as consent, refusal of treatment and confidentiality. BMA guidanceNon-therapeutic male circumcision toolkit
Doctors may be asked to refer a child for, or to carry out, non-therapeutic male circumcision (NTMC). This toolkit provides you with practical guidance relevant to NTMC in the UK. BMA guidanceSexual offences and under 18-year-olds in Northern Ireland
Find out how the change in law on sexual offences in Northern Ireland affects you as a health professional. BMA guidanceRefugees, overseas visitors and vulnerable migrants
Refugee and asylum seeker patient health toolkit
Do you treat patients who are refugees or asylum seekers? Find out more about their specific health needs and how to overcome common barriers. BMA guidanceBMA view on charging overseas visitors
We have been consistently critical of charging overseas visitors for NHS care, which we believe has a negative impact on both patients and doctors. BMA viewsAccess to healthcare for overseas visitors
Doctors' roles and responsibilities when treating overseas visitors, particularly in regard to charging. BMA guidanceWorking in conflicts and emergencies
Ethics toolkit for armed forces doctors
How to best fulfill your ethical obligations when making difficult decisions while working as a doctor in the armed forces. BMA guidanceWorking in conflicts and emergencies toolkit
To prepare humanitarian health professionals with the ethical dilemmas they may face when working in conflicts. BMA guidanceWorking in detention settings
The doctor's role in restraint in custodial settings
This guidance was developed to assist doctors as they navigate their ethical and legal responsibilities in circumstances where restraint or control is used. BMA guidanceSolitary confinement and children and young people
Read our position statement on solitary confinement, which calls for an end to its use on young people and provides guidance for doctors. BMA guidanceThe doctor's role in the youth secure estate
This report explores the role of doctors in protecting and promoting the health and wellbeing of children and young people – before, during, and after a period of detention. BMA guidanceHealth and human rights in immigration detention
This report explores the role of doctors in protecting and promoting the health-related human rights of detained individuals and calls for action from the government on detention policy and practice. BMA guidanceForensic and secure environments ethics toolkit
This toolkit is designed to help you navigate the main areas of ethical concern you are likely to encounter in your practice as a forensic physician, including consent, treating vulnerable patients and working with dual loyalties. BMA guidanceFind the most popular BMA benefits that other members are using right now. From calculators to the BMJ online, we have a range of tools to help you professionally and personally.