Ethical Implications for capturing, sharing and transferring of information via IT devices.

The ethical implications that I witnessed on placement were essentially privacy issues. Faxing patient addresses to a builder to obtain quotes was one example. Consent may be obtained from the patient but controlling the faxed information at the recipients end is impossible. Likewise the departmental camera may have stored images of patient's homes. These images should be used for the intended purpose of report writing and then erased. However, it would be easy to forget to erase these pictures. Follow up calls were made to patients after discharge home. The OT office was directly opposite the physiotherapy reception / waiting room and with the door open it would be easy for patient information to be overheard.

Within the office the internet was available to permanent members of staff for research purposes. Personal use of the internet is not controlled and it is up to each staff member to make an ethical decision about whether to misuse this device in this way.