Hampshire Shared Lives Scheme Policy and Procedure 36
Shared Lives Guidance
Confidentiality
The Hampshire Shared Lives Scheme recognises the importance of respecting
confidentiality. Shared Lives Carers, Shared Lives Managers will be trained and provided
with information and guidelines on the responsibilities and requirements of maintaining
confidentiality.
How will this happen?
In a Shared Lives setting information that is confidential to the service user will be shared
and recorded. This will be included in the following:
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Service User Care Plan
Service User risk assessment/management plan
Medical information
Shared Lives Placement agreement
Personal information
Reports from other professionals
Financial information
Legal documents
Information that may be confidential to the person can also be given verbally, the
relevance of which will need to be considered in terms of importance and confidentiality.
It is important for everyone in a Shared Lives setting to understand the purpose of
confidentiality and its limitations. Shared Lives Carers, Shared Lives Managers and
service users need to respect the confidentiality of others within the Shared Lives
arrangement and work within the legal requirements. Examples of these are:
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Involving the Service User in discussions around confidentiality
Explaining the limitations around confidentiality
Informing Service Users around their choices in confidentiality
Informing Services Users how confidential information will be shared
Recording of confidential information
Safe storage and handling of confidential information
Safe use of social media (ie internet, mobile phones, twitter, facebook and text
messaging)
There are some situations that may occur where confidentiality cannot be maintained. It is
everyone’s responsibility to recognise when this happens and know how to respond and
seek advice. Some examples are as follows:
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When the person is at risk or in danger
When the person makes a disclosure (ie physical or financial abuse)
If the person discloses that they have broken the law
If the person is threatening to harm themselves
If the person is threatening to harm others
June 2014
Hampshire Shared Lives Scheme Policy and Procedure 36
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If the person is being bullied or harassed
If the person has an infectious condition where their health or the health of others
may be at risk
If there are concerns identified about the person where confidentiality cannot be respected
then the Shared Lives Carer, Shared Lives Manager and Service User will need to inform
and seek guidance and advice from the Shared Lives Scheme.
It will be important in these situations to record the factual information that has been
shared.
If a Shared Lives Manager has been found to be in breach of confidentiality they will be
subject to disciplinary procedures in line with organisational policies.
If a Shared Lives Carer has been found to be in breach of confidentiality this will result in
an investigation and the possibility that the Shared Lives arrangement may need to end.
Further guidelines on confidentiality within legislative requirements can be found in the
following:
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NHS No Secrets Document 2005
Caldicott Report 2011
Data Protection Act 1998
June 2014