Confidentiality and consent

Confidentiality

All NHS services, including CAMHS, have a duty to record information about the assessments and treatment provided and to keep information about patients confidential. This means that we will not share information about you without your permission.

It can be helpful when services like CAMHS, Social Work and Education share relevant information about you, and work together. You will be asked about which information it is OK to share with different professionals when you have your appointment.

The person who referred you will be routinely kept informed of how you are getting on.

The only exception we have to maintaining confidentiality would be if we were concerned about someone’s safety. In this case we would be required to pass on information in order to protect that person. To read more, go to Getting it right for every child – information sharing.

If you have any questions about confidentiality, please ask the person you’re working with in CAMHS.

Consent to sharing information and treatment

For children under 12

We will seek consent to share information and to provide treatment from the parent(s) or a person with legal authority to act on the child’s behalf. We will also ask the child for their own views and take these into account.

For young people aged 12 - 15

From age 12, many young people have enough understanding of the nature of consent to be able to make their own decision. But if this is not the case, we will seek consent from the parent(s) or person with legal authority to act on behalf of the young person.

For young people aged 16 and over

Anyone aged 16 or older is presumed to have capacity to make their own decisions. The Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 provides a system for safeguarding the welfare and managing the finances and property of adults who lack capacity to make some or all of their own decisions. We will use this legislation to provide care in CAMHS when this is appropriate.

Consent to sharing information and treatment

For children under 12

For young people aged 12 - 15

For young people aged 16 and over

Choosing the right support

Things to try

CAMHS referral criteria

Coming to CAMHS

Our teams

Moving on from CAMHS

CAMHS Q&A

Tell us what you think about CAMHS

NHS Fife

Contact

Social

Terms

Confidentiality and consent