The biggest and most publicised issue in the legal sphere has been the need to prevent unwarranted intrusion or the risk of such intrusion into patients’ personal privacy. There are a range of legislative provisions designed to protect patient confidentiality and privacy. These include:

• general health care laws, such as the Health and Medical Services Act (hälso- och sjukvårdslagen, HSL, 1982:763) and the Professional Activities in the Health and Medical Care Field Act (lagen om yrkesverksamhet på hälso- och sjukvårdens område, LYHS, 1998:531) laws governing the use of information, such as the Secrecy Act (sekretesslagen, 1980:100), the Personal Data Act (personuppgiftslagen, PUL, 1998:204), the Care Registers Act (lagen om vårdregister, 1998:544) and several other acts concerning registries.
• laws governing different operational aspects and activities in the health and elderly care services, such as the Health Records Act (patientjournallagen, 1985:562).

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