Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Act 2015

3 Duty to share information

In Part 9 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (health and adult social care services: information), after section 251A (as inserted by section 2 of this Act) insert—

“251B Duty to share information

(1) This section applies in relation to information about an individual that is held by a relevant health or adult social care commissioner or provider (“the relevant person”).

(2) The relevant person must ensure that the information is disclosed to—

(a) persons working for the relevant person, and

(b) any other relevant health or adult social care commissioner or provider with whom the relevant person communicates about the individual,

but this is subject to subsections (3) to (6).

(3) Subsection (2) applies only so far as the relevant person considers that the disclosure is—

(a) likely to facilitate the provision to the individual of health services or adult social care in England, and

(b) in the individual’s best interests.

(4) The relevant person need not comply with subsection (2) if the relevant person reasonably considers that one or more of the following apply—

(a) the individual objects, or would be likely to object, to the disclosure of the information;

(b) the information concerns, or is connected with, the provision of health services or adult social care by an anonymous access provider;

(c) for any other reason the relevant person is not reasonably able, or should not be required, to comply with subsection (2).

(5) This section does not permit the relevant person to do anything which, but for this section, would be inconsistent with—

(a) any provision made by or under the Data Protection Act 1998, or

(b) a common law duty of care or confidence.

(6) This section does not require the relevant person to do anything which the relevant person is required to do under a common law duty of care (and, accordingly, any such requirement is to be treated as arising under that common law duty and not under this section).”