Patient confidentiality refers to your duty to not disclose any patient-related information to any person except in the course of your duty and in special circumstances.
Patient images (even de-identified images) are not to be taken off site, or used for assignment/study purposes, without the express written consent of the patient, facilitated by the clinical supervisor.
The following is an extract from A Guide to Maintaining Confidentiality in the Public Health System 2016.
• You are only permitted to use or divulge client
information on a need to know basis in the course
of performing your work, unless you have prior
written authority from the health service executive
(or delegate) to divulge the information in other
circumstances, or you are required by law to report
certain information. For example, notification of
child abuse and notifiable diseases to appropriate
authorities.
• Accessing your own medical records in hardcopy
or electronic format is also a breach of
confidentiality.
• The client’s medical record is a confidential
document, the content of which should only be
divulged in the course of your working duties
unless prior authorisation from the health service
executive (or delegate) has been obtained, or you
are required by law to report certain information.
• You must only use the health service electronic
systems to perform your work. Electronic systems
must not be used to gain access to client
information for personal use.
• Conversations about clients must not be
conducted in the presence of, or be overheard by
those not entitled to know the information in the
performance of their daily duties.
• Disclosure of client information over the phone
should be limited and undertaken in accordance
with health service policy.
• It is your individual responsibility to maintain
confidentiality when you have access to, or
knowledge of, confidential information.
Patient images are not to be used outside of the clinical environment, even if they are de-identified, without written consent of the patient.
For further information, see link below