ABSTRACT
Protecting and promoting the health of detainees is a key responsibility of the detaining authority. This chapter identifies 10 common dilemmas for healthcare professionals involved in the care of detainees, in order to explain the difficulties and to offer practical solutions to the most common situations. The issues of confidentiality and privacy in healthcare are undoubtedly central in maintaining the healthcare provider–healthcare receiver (patient) relationship. A detainee should expect the same standard for the treatment of their health information, but in practice, it is possible that confidential medical information may be passed on to a third person or authority without their knowledge or consent. The dilemma is specifically related to those cases in which one detainee has a transmissible disease, which may present a risk for the community where they are living. Healthcare providers have to be independent to exert their duties. The authorities have to provide the minimum conditions to support the job of the healthcare staff.
