Explain enquiries made by a carer or family member

What to change

Offer a route for general enquiries on another person's behalf. Explain that the team may need to complete further checks before discussing an existing appointment or personal information.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A daughter can ask whether a branch has an appropriate appointment route for her father. The page explains that discussing his existing booking may require the team to follow additional checks.

How to check the result

The general enquiry remains understandable without promising disclosure of another person's appointment details.

A mistake to avoid

Avoid making broad claims that relatives can manage any appointment merely because they know the patient's name.

Your action checklist

Use these checks to prepare a discussion with your team or supplier. Tick a check when you have recorded the decision or evidence, rather than when a feature has simply been promised.

Decisions to recordSeparate questions about the service from requests about an identifiable person's care.Ask who should receive the administrative reply and how they relate to the enquiry.Link to the practice's approved process for representative access when that is the actual task.

Evidence, open questions and decisionsNext action and responsible role

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