This is my 1st time on here and this my 1st question, ill try and get to the point.my brother has had cancer of the throat and after therapy he started to pick up slowly.Then in a very short time his health suffered ,he lost a lot of weight wouldn't eat.personal hygiene was neglected.his home was unhygienic.he wouldn't let anyone help or get medical help until he finally gave in.and he went to the hospital and has been kept in.
HE had wanted to go home after being advised by nurses to stay in.so basically when he called us his family to drive him home.For his own good we refused he got mad at us was angry and very upset with us .
When he finally saw it all made sense apart from myself ,the rest of the family were angry at him being angry with them.so they avoided seeing him.i was not at all fazed by him.
so basically he had called each one of us and said that he was terminally ill ,he had lung cancer and had weeks left,we were devastated.i had been told that there was something wrong with his kidneys an infection.
I wanted and needed to know a few things .how ,why etc,when I asked the nurses they said that ; they weren't able to tell me or anyone anything about my brothers health as he had asked them not to say anything.i asked one of the doctors and he said he cant go against my brothers reguest.
so what I really need to know now is regardless of my brother asking for confidentiality.IF he was dying would the doctor at the hospital have told us it was terminal? we arebeside our selves wanting to know.HE could see our despair would he have hinted if this was the case.i have asked my brother to let them speak to me.HE said he has told them its ok to do so but he hasn't I don't want to ask him again.I have no idea why he wouldn't want to let them speak to us.would they have been able to tell us if he was terminally ill.Or at leasted have shared a little light on whats happening. sorry ive gone on and on

No, they may not tell your anything (or should) unless the patient signs that a person is allowed to be told.

So no they can not tell you, unless you ask him to tell

I'm sorry you and your family are going through this, but neither the doctors or nurses can discuss his medical condition with anyone without your brother's written permission.

You are in south Wales so I'm assuming UK laws apply. I'm not up on the UK equivalent of the US law HIPPA, but medical confidentiality laws are pretty similar. So it is probably the law that they can't discuss his condition without his consent.

He can't just tell the staff that it's OK to talk with you. He has to SIGN a form.