| The Government has
been persuaded to change its mind about healthcare practitioners’
automatic reporting of sexually active under-16s to the police or to
child-protection units of social service departments. In guidance
published in April by the Department for Education and Science, the
Government has accepted the argument that automatic referral of underage
sexual activity could breach patient confidentiality and would also
deter youngsters from seeking advice on contraception and sexual health.
Instead, child-protection authorities now need only be informed when
there are concerns that the youngster is either at risk of or is being
exploited — just as before the new guidance was issued.
Full story in bjhc&im May 2006 (328 words)
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