Health workers asked to keep confidential reports about patients

Winneba, April 18, GNA - A student of the Department of Psychology and Education of the University of Education, Winneba, Mrs. Kpatibi A. B. Makafui, has appealed to health workers to be loyal, tolerant, trustworthy and approachable to patients to ensure their speedy recovery.

Mrs. Makafui said this in a paper she delivered at a symposium organised by the Practicum II group III of Guidance and Counselling students of the university on the topic, "improving interaction between health workers and their clients".

About 600 people made up of students from the Winneba Community Health Nurses Training School, some nurses from the Winneba Government Hospital and the public attended.

Mrs. Makafui said health workers must safeguard information learned in the context of their professional relationship and ensure information is shared outside the health team only with the patient's consent. "Breaking the confidentiality without the consent of the client will destroy the relationship and also thwarts the purpose of the interaction".

She appealed to health workers to recognise the vulnerability of the clients but never exploit their trust and dependency to their own benefit or in a way that might compromise their therapeutic relationship.