Birth name and medical records

[Whatutalkinboutwillis]

Me again!! Quick question for those who have completed their adoptions.

Now we have ds adoption/birth certificate I took it to the doctor surgery to have his personal details amended. The lovely (being sarcastic) receptionist informed me his original name would be kept on his records so that pre adoption medical information would be available. She then processed to loudly check his birth name in front of a queue of people which I was none to pleased at.

My question is should his medical information from birth not be available through his nhs number? I am in no means trying to re write history and fully accept he had a life and other name before coming to us however I don't think now he is legally adopted that his previous name should pop up in the screen at the doctors. Anyone else dealt with this?

[meercat23]

Whatever the rights and wrongs about the name on the records, and I confess I don't know about this, you have the right to expect privacy when talking at Reception. My GP practice has big notices up about this and patients are expected not to queue directly behind the person at the reception desk. I would talk to the practice manager.

[Whatutalkinboutwillis]

Yeah I think I am going to question it as 1. I'm not all that sure her information is correct and 2. She should not have read out his birth name when others were there. That's my whole point in that his birth details and name are private to him and shouldn't be there for anyone to just read out on a computer. (I know it's not anyone but you know what I mean hopefully)

[Noodles31]

I would agree with meercat. The practice do not know your DS previous history and by shouting out his name in a busy surgery he could be identified by someone from his past and surely this would be a risk. I would absolutely speak to the practice manager, maybe his name could be listed on there but his "known as" name could be used.

[Crikeyblimey]

Your dc will have a new NHS number now so I would assume there should be no link between the 2. I'd complain severely about a birth name being said loudly in what is essentially a public place. Check with your social worker on the best way to handle this but definitely complain to the practice manager at the GP.

[Whatutalkinboutwillis]

Sorry noodles I have not been clear and am probably over reacting. He is called by his new name it's the fact his original name is kept on their database that I am unsure about. I was led to believe that once adopted his original name should be removed from his file so it can't be viewed by staff (or at the minimum in a secure part of his records perhaps password protected) so that incidents like this morning would not happen.

[UnidentifiedSighingObject]

I don't think this is right - I believe what should happen is your DC should be issued with a new NHS no, and the old records should be scanned and attached to his new file. This is precisely to avoid the kind of nonsense the receptionist was planning to do on purpose, i.e. to avoid the name appearing on screen and being visible to either the GP or to your DC. Of course the previous medical history is pertinent, but the name is not. Just going through this myself!

[Whatutalkinboutwillis]

Crikeyblimey yes that is what I thought too. I see no need for his original name to still be required when the nhs number should suffice. Am going to write a letter to the practice manager today. Just made me feel really uneasy. She even questioned why I wanted his birth name removed and said well we wouldn't remove it because we need his information from before he was adopted. Just does not sit right with me

[Whatutalkinboutwillis]

Thanks unidentified that's exactly what I thought. Will let you all know what happens. Thanks

[Devora]

OP, I think you were very clear. The NHS is a huge employer and you can't have your child's birth name popping up all over the place every time you visit the dentist, A&E, speech therapist etc - you never know who might be (quite legitimately) accessing these records. IME this often goes wrong - I have turned up at two outpatients appointments with my dd, only to find that (long after final adoption order) they STILL have her down by her birth name, which was loudly announced to the waiting room. NHS records are often up-to-date and inaccurate, and it is wise not to assume that the system is taking care of this for you.

So yes, I would definitely be checking up on this.

[Whatutalkinboutwillis]

Thanks devora. That's exactly the sort of thing I am concerned about in the future. That is shocking that happened to you and your child several times. I have written a letter to the practice manager for clarification on their policy and will take it forward from there depending on the response.

[colleysmill]

Where I am a new nhs number is issued and a new record is made. The old record is effectively locked down so no further info can be added under the old name.

For the children I work with (who have a significant medical history which future professionals need to be aware of) a summary should/ is made of their of history without mention of their previous name included.

That's my understanding of what should happen anyway!!!! Hope that helps

[Devora]

I don't want to alarm you further (though I don't think it will because you're already full appreciative of the problem) but in case anyone thinks you are being a bit precious: when I worked in a large NHS teaching hospital, I was at one point able to access records for what would have been hundreds of thousands of people (the Trust was a regional centre for many specialties) and able to search names back to the 1920s. Having the name called out in a GP practice is bad enough, but the direct risks of that are low: but having members of the birth family - or their friends - able to run a search across a large geographical area is a really horrifying prospect.

[colleysmill]

I guess it might depend on which system they are running? I remember once trying access a record (legitimately I promise) and couldn't bring it up at all and it turned out the child's name had changed but we hadn't been notified.

There certainly seems to be a more proactive approach around this at the moment (where I work at least) and making sure the systems are more robust around records following adoption - I would hope this would be everywhere and not just where I am.

[Devora]

True, colleysmill, medical records are a wild and wonderful world. My experience was 10 years ago, when the Trust I worked in combined four different systems (because of mergers) and some were paper-only. I don't know how records modernisation has progressed since then.

[colleysmill]

:) a whole unique world! We are totally electronic now which has its advantages - I've only been involved using them rather than implementing them. But I can totally understand why it would be a concern for adoptive parents.

[Maiyakat]

DD got sent out a letter about the flu vaccine under both her pre-adoption and post-adoption names. I phoned the GP to ask why her birth name was still on the system, they said phone to CCG, who said it was the GP's fault, who said maybe it was someone else who I can't remember's fault... Eventually spoke to someone who actually took responsibility for chasing it up - took him about a month but we got there in the end! (Also an NHS worker - agree with Devora's diagnosis of medical records as a 'wild and wonderful world')

[Whatutalkinboutwillis]

What's the ccg?

[Maiyakat]

Clinical Commissioning Group. Primary Care Trust by another name. Basically they are in charge of funding and commissioning local primary care services. They send out certain things (like the flu vaccine invites) from their central database.

They'll probably be called something else if we get a new government in May....

[morethanpotatoprints]

Good grief this is ridiculous, I had no idea this could happen what a disgrace.

I have a dumb question to ask but here goes.
I was adopted from a few months old but was obviously registered by my birth name.
However, my parents had another birth certificate with my adopted name and I was always known as this. In fact i had no idea what my pre adoption name was until I did a search.

I now children are generally older now when adopted, but surely their surname changes? Do you reregister and have a new name and if so, why isn't the old name removed? surely, they could keep the medical records from the old name but just delete the old name.

I'm surprised there isn't a system in place, is what I mean really.

[Threesocksnohairbrush]

I am 99% sure that an adopted child should be issued with a completely new NHS number as a pp said. So in medical record terms your sons previous history doesn't exist.

This is actually a complete pain in the arse if you have a child with significant medical history as it can often get lost in the system. I've had to apply, with extensive paperwork, to have my child's medical records released - in order to prevent him having a second exploratory operation because nobody was quite sure what they'd done the first time .As Devora says, wild and wonderful (I also work in NHS environment!)

Complain about the receptionists manner and lack of respect for confidentiality, and ask practice manager for assurance that they will sort this out correctly. It matters!

[Threesocksnohairbrush]

Ah - interesting. System certainly WAS to give a new NHS number but it appears the vision is to change that:

systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/stafffaqs.pdf

2011 guidance says they are looking to move to a situation where child keeps old NHS number, change of name recorded, and if LA deems it necessary they can shield their location with a 'sensitive' flag. All to be implemented when they've got it sorted, timescale unknown ...

Clear as mud then

[Threesocksnohairbrush]

This is quite a useful suggested practice protocol that you might share with your gp

files.mylmc.co.uk/websitefiles/1/73/Adoption%20Protocol%20-%20QJS.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJDOVGFMJQAUSYZ2A&Expires=1427745889&Signature=TbSF%2Fbe46J0%2FQi1s9zBKzCg2HEM%3D

[Threesocksnohairbrush]

Shutting up now but - present situation evidently is that you still get the NHS number, they appear to be consulting on it.

BAAFs response is here www.baaf.org.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/consultations/150129_-_dh_nhs_records_management.pdf

They are advocating the keep the NHS number / shield the info option. Tricky call.

[colleysmill]

morethan I am way out of my comfort zone here and I hope that someone more knowledgeable comes along but my understanding is that the old medical record is not allowed to be linked (legally?) to the child/person post adoption so once a new record is made the old one still exists but only under the old name and no new info can be added. Anyone accessing that record would need a jolly good legitimate reason. Once a new record is made the summary should provide as much necessary medical info as needed for the care of that person but shouldn't provide any link to the person's original name.

I understood that this was to prevent anyone searching not being able to link the old name to their new name and address to protect the child and adoptive family. And (and I am purely surmising here) if there was anything about their life and the circumstances around their adoption that might be detrimental to them in the future?

I do apologise if this is incorrect - as I say I only use medical records in a work capacity and and have not experienced this as a parent - I just hoped to be helpful to the original op :)

[colleysmill]

Ah that's interesting threesocks I'm sure locally a new nhs number and record is provided (we were discussing it in a recent meeting regarding who should write the summary attached to the new record) so are we behind or ahead of the times!!!!