Introduction:

In the field of mental health, the deontological quality or professional ethics of every sanitary professional, including those who are not physicians, is constantly regulated by the corresponding national and international codes of the professional colleges or associations.

Method and material:

Critical study of the Spanish deontological codes and other international ones which are a reference point for the official specialities in psychiatry and clinical psychology.

Results and discussion:

Those codes normalise confidentiality as an imperative matter and are obligatory for the college members. Physicians also have the highest bioethical exigence to always have the optimal training and updating in their field, which is applicable for both public and private practice and for both psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. At present, the most paternalistic physician-patient actions can only be acceptable when the users are unfit to choose voluntarily or make autonomous actions. However, the situations involving risk of hetero-attack, suicide, substance use or related to minors are especially sensitive. Therefore, there may be a bioethical conflict between physicians confidentiality and the duty to protect and inform an implied third person.

Conclusions:

In our country, the safeguard of the public interest principles of non-maleficence and justice will have to prevail over the more individual ones of autonomy and beneficence.