DOCTOR AND PATIENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 May 1946, Page 8

DOCTOR AND PATIENT

A ruling of importance to doctors was given recently at the Birmingham Assizes by Mr. Justice Lewis, who said his pronouncement had the blessing of Lord Merriman, president of the Divorce Division.

In a case in which one of the parties was stated to be suffering from V'.D., the judge said a ’ questionnaire signed by both petitioner and respondent arid with the consent of the solicitors on both sides had been sent before the hearing to the doctor. If the questions had been answered in one wqy the petitioner would ’ have succeeded, and if in another the respondent would have succeeded. The doctor had refused, to give the information, though he had said he would give evidence in court if subpoenaed. The doctor gave evidence, apd there was no question of his good faith. It was of the greatest importance that appropriate secrecy should be observed in connection with V.D. clinics, and nothing should be done to diminish their efficiency_ or infringe .the confidential relationships between doctor and patient. > This, however, did not justify a doctor in refusing to divulge confidential information to a patient or any named person when asked by the patient to do so. The doctor could in the circumstances have given the information required without any breach o! confidence.