Sharing information and confidentiality

Many disabled people have impairments that are not visible, e.g. medical conditions or mental health issues. For a range of reasons, a student or a member of staff might share information with a staff member or a line manager, but ask that this information is kept confidential.

Data protection 

Due to the sensitive nature of information relating to disability issues, it is imperative that staff maintain appropriate levels of confidentiality. Staff should work with students and colleagues in accordance with the law as set out on The Data Protection Act 1998, and within existing University and professional bodies' policies and Codes of Practice. Students and staff need to feel that any information they give will be treated with respect and only made available to others if they (the student or colleague) have consented to sharing information or if there are exceptional circumstances which override confidentiality. 

These exceptional circumstances can be summarized as:

• where the student or colleague represents a danger to the safety of others or causes them fear or severe distress or where the student or colleague is affecting the safety and well-being of people in general
• where the student or colleague actually attempts to seriously harm themselves or others, or is threatening to do so in the immediate future
• where the law or University policies requires certain information to be disclosed to others

Reasonable adjustments

Under the Single Equality Act, once a person has shared that they have an impairment that falls within the definition of disability under the Act, the University is deemed to have knowledge of this. The University then has a legal obligation to make any 'reasonable adjustment' necessary for that person to ensure that they are not disadvantaged.