The Practitioner Health Matters Programme (PHMP) is a confidential service for Doctors, Dentists and Pharmacists. Practitioners are often slow to come forward to seek help for a mental health or substance use problem for fear the health care they receive may not be confidential.
PHMP Confidentiality Policy
Individual practitioners who self-refer to PHMP for advice or treatment will be assured that their case will be handled on a strictly confidential basis,with no reporting to an external agency.
Practitioners and others (e.g. family member or colleagues) who contact the service with concerns about a third party, will be assured that no identifying information will be recorded.
PHMP clinical staff will obtain consent for disclosure of health information to a third party
There will be no direct communication between any regulatory body or any other body unless the consent of the individual has been obtained by the PHMP.
The PHMP has Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the Irish Medical Council, Irish Dental Council and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. In accordance with these agreements confidentiality will be assured so long as the safety of patients is not compromised; if a practitioner is unable or unwilling to follow the recommendations for looking after their health and continues to put patients at risk the PHMP will have to act within the terms of the MOU with the regulators.