The first version of this information originated out of my personal research and work as a medical illustrator since 1980 and as a lecturer in Medical and Scientific Photography for Berkshire College of Art and Design, Reading, it was also used for a consent and confidentiality study day in April 1994 and since 1995 as part of the Medical Imaging module for the BSc(Hons) Biological Imaging degree at the University of Derby.

A second edition (Bryson D 1998) was given a more logical sequence with updates for some changes in the law and increasing concern of illustrators, health authorities and other health professionals about consent and confidentiality generally and more specificially about images and their use in medicine. I tried where possible to also introduce an international perspective to the contents with an emphasis on United Kingdom but also Europe, the United States of America and the Commonwealth. This edition with a number of exercises was also used for several consent and confidentiality study days in 2001 at Chorley, Lancashire and Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge.

This Wiki is in many ways the Third edition that with the advances in technology and use of the internet should become much more a living version of my earlier work with live external links and contribtions from other medical illustrators and helath professionals. This subject is not static and changes with new codes of conduct and more specifically following judgements and Acts of Parliament, so I would welcome any comments to improve the contents and any additional references or anecdotes which will add to its value after all that is the whole idea of a Wiki.

Reference: Bryson D. (1998) Consent and confidentiality a guide for medical illustrators. Derby: Cladonia Resources. [http://www.cladonia.co.uk/papers/ccmi98.pdf Document pdf 100Kb]