RCGP Safeguarding toolkit
The aim of this toolkit is to enhance the safeguarding knowledge and skills that GPs already have to enable them to continue to effectively safeguard children and young people, as well as adults at risk of harm.
Part 5: Information Sharing and multiagency working
What information should we share?
Information shared for the purposes of safeguarding should be:
- clearly identified as either fact or professional opinion
- respectful, remembering that information provided may be seen by the person about whom it is shared
- necessary, relevant, and proportionate. This will vary depending on the situation, what information is being requested and which professional/agency is making the request and why. Part 3 of the toolkit (child, adult) provides further information on information most likely to be relevant to share for the purposes of safeguarding. Entire health records should not be shared (there may be exceptions to this, such as a court order).