Government proposal that nurses must report knife crime could undermine confidentiality

The now widely reported increase in knife crime in the UK is a great social ill and has gravely affected many individuals, their families and their social groups (Allen and Audickas, 2018). It has taken communities aback and has presented those charged with the maintenance of safety in the community with a formidable challenge. Home Office statements have been replete with exhortations, not only that people should be vigilant but also that people should report suspicions.

In an attempt to address this worrying trend, the Home Office has announced proposals to impose a legal duty on certain professionals, notably including nurses, to do something about it (BBC News, 2019). In this article, the author looks at this attempt by the authorities to interfere with professional autonomy.

On 1 April 2019, the Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced that his department was to present proposals to place nurses, as well as teachers and certain other professionals, under a legal obligation to report clients or patients on suspicion of being involved, or perhaps having been involved, in knife crime (BBC News, 2019).