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A child is moved into the care of the local authority or is adopted

When a child is moved into care of the local authority or adopted, any proxy access previously granted on behalf of the child must be reviewed in line with the child’s evolving circumstances. Where relevant, health and care organisations must work with the local authority to grant proxy access to the child’s foster parents to ensure continuity of care.  

As above, clinical systems should be programmed so that existing proxy access is automatically suspended if there is coded evidence of a change to parental responsibility. 

A patient with the ability to consent does not want proxy access to continue

If a patient with the ability to consent does not want access to continue, then clinical professionals and staff must suspend access. Clinical systems must provide mechanisms for patients with the ability to consent to manage and suspend access in line with their needs.  

The death of the proxy and/or the patient

If the proxy dies, health and care organisations must suspend proxy access. If the patient dies, proxy access may continue for a period determined by a health and care organisation’s local policy.  


Last edited: 6 May 2026 4:31 pm


Chapters

  1. DAPB3051 Identity Verification and Authentication Standard for Health and Care, Authorisation Use Case: Proxy
  2. Glossary
  3. Use of the terms "must" and "should" in this guidance
  4. 1.0 Overview
  5. 1.1 Purpose of this standard
  6. 1.2 Who this standard applies to
  7. 1.3 What this standard does not cover
  8. 1.4 Compatibility with other standards and guidelines
  9. 2.1 Types of proxy access: formal and informal proxy access
  10. 2.2 Types of proxy access: Records access by a clinical professional
  11. 3.0 Roles and responsibilities
  12. 4.0 Grant proxy access
  13. 4.1 Assess if access is appropriate
  14. 4.1.1 Establish whether access is necessary
  15. 4.1.2 Establish whether access is relevant
  16. 4.1.3 Establish whether access is safe
  17. 4.2 Establish a basis for access
  18. 4.3 Check evidence relevant to the basis for access
  19. 4.3.1 Verify the proxy and patient’s identity
  20. 4.3.2 Understand if the patient has the ability to consent
  21. 4.3.3 Obtain the patient’s informed consent to proxy access, if appropriate
  22. 4.3.4 Verify evidence of a basis for access if the patient cannot consent
  23. 4.4 Redact sensitive information based on what is being shared
  24. 4.5 Audit decisions about proxy access
  25. 4.6 Communicate the outcome of a decision to grant or deny proxy access
  26. 5.0 The scope of proxy access
  27. 6.0 System audit of proxy access
  28. 7.0 Managing proxy access
  29. 7.1 Ongoing reviews of proxy access
  30. 7.2 Age and development based reviews of access
  31. 7.3 Time-bound reviews of access
  32. 7.4 Wider events that materially affect proxy access
  33. Appendix A: Ways to evidence a basis for access if the patient is not capable of providing informed consent
  34. Appendix B: Driver diagram articulating the strategic aims of this information standard