Paitent confidentiality, Therapists,/psychologist talking about paitents

[Fluffymarshmallow]

Im not 100% what their offical title is but what are the rules around talking about paitents and would appreciate some clarity? Should one go to the pub and sit round a table talking openly about a client with friends and pub friends, even though you dont name names or disclose any very personal information, you just talk of their senario?

I would have thought paitent confidentiality would overall mean no yo a discussion.

To be clear I am not talking about refering to a colleague for advise or speaking to a spouse as it has been traumatic day. This is full on in public round a table with random friends. If I was receiving treatment I wouldnt want it discussed.

No, a therapist shouldn't do that. If it's completely anonymous I'm not sure what the rules are, but ime shouldn't be discussing in that context.

It's completely unethical.

It's not unusual for doctors or therapists to talk about cases they might have in a general sense. Particularly if it's with other doctors, or particularly if it's an unusual or perplexing or interesting case. it's part of how they keep learning, or get insights from a different perspective.

In a pub might not be the best but it would really depend on whether they might be overheard. Even then, it might be more about perception of those overhearing rather than the possibility anyone would recognize the patient, at least in a larger urban area.

There used to be a medical humour magazine years ago called Stitches, and there was a page where doctors wrote in about humorous incidents in their practice. The person with the best story every year won a gold plated stethoscope. The one I always remember what a bloke who presented at the ER with hiccups and stood waiting for many hours. When he was finally seen by the doctor who had written in, what had happened was he had tried to remove a coke bottle from his bottom with a coat hanger which perforated his bowel and lodged under the diaphragm, causing the hiccups.

It was quite an eye opening story for me as a 12 year old.

They could get into serious trouble for that if overheard and reported. A social worker in my area was sacked for discussing a case with a colleague on public transport, even though she used no names. Another passenger over heard and reported her.
But some people in all jobs do this. I have heard from a member of our pub quiz details of staff in her workplace - she works in HR. This is in spite of me saying light heartedly - I don't think we should be hearing this.

A social worker in my area was sacked for discussing a case with a colleague on public transport, even though she used no names. Another passenger over heard and reported her.

Anecdotes like this always interest me.

Who was the passenger? Did she know the woman she overheard was a social worker? How did she know where she worked and who to report her to? Did she know her name?

Professionals swap stories all the time, scenarios which are worrying, or interesting, no names, no locations, no personal details.