How much information can a doctor share with family?

I don't know if this is the right section to put this in, but hopefully someone can help.



How much information is a doctor allowed to share with family members? For instance, if a 17 year old had been taken to hospital after being badly injured and during their examination, the doctor found something that made them suspect that the patient may have been sexually assaulted, could they share that information with parents/older sibling/next of kin?How much information can a doctor share with family?The general situation is that if a doctor feels that a child is capable of consenting to medical treatment then any treatment that they give has to be kept private, even from parents!



Whilst the doctor is treating the child, they are the child's parent under the concept of "parentis loci" and as such can make choices for the child, even against their wishes.



NOTE: If a doctor, or any medical professional, thinks that ANYONE, not just a child, has been attacked or sexually abused, then they MUST inform the police of this feeling. They would NOT tell the family and MUST inform even if it is against the patient's wishes!





I have had many occasions where I've had to (whilst treating a child) keep things from their parents.





(For really small children the parents have a right to know, but for older children not.)How much information can a doctor share with family?Parents yes - she's a minor.How much information can a doctor share with family?If the patient is under age, yes they can tell the parent, but if they suspected rape it should be reported to the law, they would do a rape test to confirm this first, number one for the most part your private area is usually not damaged in the normal sense of the sex act.

Upon examination the doctor can usually tell that your private parts were damaged and if you show physical signs of abuse, and not from a normal accident that doctor is required by law to report it. To Parents and the Police.

Also, if rape is suspected, the patient would need a HIV test done and to be sure the patient isn't pregnant. I hope this hasn't happen to you, but if it has You should report a rape.

So that person can't do this horrible act on someone else.