Put simply, a patient has the right to complete confidentiality. Anything said within the confines of a clinic surgery or treatment room, or even a person’s attendance, is protected by the Data Protection Act. Each new patient at the Via Clinic is asked to sign a “Consent to Treatment” form whereby the patient specifies who may be contacted regarding the patient’s condition. This may include the patient’s GP, relatives, friends or other medical professionals, or none at all. Alternatively, a patient may decide to involve others in their treatment. The parents of a child do not have the right to know what is discussed between the patient and the GP, without the child’s consent.