Section 44 Unlawful disclosure of information.

After section 41B of the 1989 Act there shall be inserted the following section—

“ Unlawful disclosure of information by medical officer.

41D

(1)

This section applies to—

(a)

a registered medical practitioner appointed under paragraph (a) of section 107(6) of the M1Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (medical services in contracted out prisons);

(b)

a registered medical practitioner providing appropriate medical services under an arrangement entered into under section 3A(2)(b) of this Act or paragraph (b) of the said section 107(6); and

(c)

any person acting under the supervision of such a practitioner.

(2)

Any person to whom this section applies who discloses, otherwise than in the course of his duty or as authorised by the Secretary of State, any information relating to a particular prisoner which he has acquired in the course of carrying out his duties shall be guilty of an offence.

(3)

A person guilty of an offence under subsection (2) above shall be liable—

(a)

on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine or both;

(b)

on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both.”.