30. A data protection conundrum

What would you do about a patient who doesn't want you to keep any record of their sight test?

Scenario

Howard Drumble, aged 56, comes to your practice for a private sight test. He is a new patient and has not had a sight test for many years, but has now broken his reading specs. He tells you he is very suspicious of computers and the information that is held by 'government' about people and does not want you to keep any record of his sight test. He tells you that he knows his rights under the Data Protection Act and that you cannot keep any information about him without his consent.

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