Freedom of Information Request: 0423
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) completed a merger by acquisition of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT) on 1st April 2018. UHB includes Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Solihull Hospital and Community Services, Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham Chest Clinic.
For the purposes of this request we have answered on behalf of the whole Trust.
What is the policy on next of kin and patient information sharing in circumstances where the legal next of kin is not the person the patient wishes to be consulted?
Due to next of kin not being a recognised legal status under UK law, the Trust applies the legal framework of the Data Protection Legislation to any requests for the sharing of information.