Guidance on DVA and/or confidentiality and information sharing from national bodies in England
| National body | Guidance title | Stated target audience | Stated purpose |
| Adass and Local Government Association37 | Adult safeguarding and domestic abuse: a guide to support practitioners and managers | For practitioners and managers in local authorities (ie, social care, which has responsibility for safeguarding) and partner agencies (which can include the healthcare service) | To help staff to give better informed and more effective support to people who need an adult safeguarding service because of DVA |
| BMA45 | Adults at risk, confidentiality, and disclosure of information guidance | All doctors | To set out the current legal and ethical position on disclosure of information relating to adults who retain capacity but may be subject to some form of duress |
| BMA46 | Adult safeguarding toolkit | Principally for doctors, but also useful for any professional working in health | To explain doctors’ role in safeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse or neglect |
| BMA42 | Domestic abuse. A report from the BMA Board of Science | Not stated (but BMA guidance is generally for doctors) | Not stated |
| UK Caldicott Guardian Council and Department of Health52 | ‘Striking the Balance’ Practical guidance on the application of Caldicott guardian principles to domestic violence and MARACs | Attendees of MARACs (which can include HCPs) and Caldicott Guardians* | Best practice guideline to assist the decision-making of those involved in sharing information about DVA between agencies |
| DH47 | Confidentiality NHS code of practice | NHS staff, Caldicott guardians, data protection officers and anyone working in and around health | Best practice guideline on required practice for those who work within or under contract to NHS organisations concerning confidentiality and patients’ consent to the use of their health records |
| DH48 | Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice Supplementary Guidance: Public Interest Disclosures | Medical directors, directors of nursing, local authorities, directors of adult social services, directors of human resources, allied health professionals, GPs, communications leads, emergency care leads and directors of children’s social services | Expands on the principles set out in the 2003 DH guidance above and aims to aid staff in making difficult decisions about when disclosures of confidential information may be justified in the public interest |
| DH51 | Responding to domestic abuse: a resource for health professionals | Primarily all NHS staff. Also helpful for staff in partnership agencies who work with adults and children and healthcare commissioners and managers. | To support continuous improvement in the health service response to DVA |
| General Medical Council39 | Confidentiality: good practice in handling patient information | Doctors | Sets out the principles of confidentiality and respect for patients’ privacy that doctors are expected to understand and follow |
| National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)30 | Domestic violence and abuse: multiagency working. Public health guideline | Health and social care professionals, commissioners and providers, specialist DVA services, criminal justice and detention centre staff, people affected by DVA and their families and carers and members of the public | To help identify, prevent and reduce DVA |
| NICE67 | Domestic violence and abuse: quality standard | As above | Specific, concise, and measurable statements to be read in conjunction with NICE guidelines |
| Nursing and Midwifery Council40 | The code: professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives, and nursing associates | Nurses, midwives and nursing associates | Professional standards that these registered HCPs must uphold |
| Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) with DH, Adass and Local Government Association38 | Safeguarding adults: sharing information | Front-line staff and volunteers—unclear from which sectors—likely social care since SCIE is a social care body. | Support implementation of the adult safeguarding aspects of The Care Act 2014 |
*A Caldicott guardian is a senior person within a health or social care organisation who makes sure that personal information is used legally, ethically and appropriately, and that confidentiality is maintained. All NHS organisations and local authorities that provide social services must have a Caldicott guardian.
BMA, British Medical Association; DVA, domestic violence and abuse; GPs, General Practitioners; HCPs, healthcare professionals; MARACs, multiagency risk assessment conferences; NHS, National Health Service.