Sometimes we need to get help from the emergency services. Perhaps because someone falls and can’t get up or is unwell.

In an emergency…

you are allowed to share some information with the emergency services to protect the “vital interests” of the individual you care for or another person. Vital interests are things that are essential for the life of the person involved. Think of them as life or death interests!

If the “vital interests” of the individual are at risk, and you have tried but could not get their consent, then this is a legitimate reason to share information without consent. In this case you can and should share information with the emergency services to save or protect their life or that of another person. For example an unconscious individual who is in need of medical treatment to save their life, or an individual has absconded and is likely to present a real and significant risk to their own life or others they might come into contact with. 

Your organisation should have prepared an emergency sheet for each individual which has the relevant information on it. They should be informed it may be shared with the emergency services in cases of emergency.

If you speak to your manager and the emergency services then you will be protected.

The principles of the DPA 2018 and GDPR say you should get consent before sharing information, but if someone’s life is at risk and sharing information about the individual you support could save it, then you can share information on the basis of their vital interests.

Do not share information with anyone else without following your organisations data protection procedure.

Make sure you find out your organisation’s procedures before you have an emergency. In an emergency every second counts and you can’t afford to waste time by not knowing where the relevant information is.