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Original poster

Political letter from my gp telling who to vote for

294 replies

FluffyJellyCat · 01/07/2024 17:11

Is this even allowed? The gp isn't wrong in what he is saying. But how did he get my personal data to write to me? It's a proper letter addressed to me at my address. Could he access my data for a local election?

Conflict of interest? Gdpr? I'm not going to complain because I have enought going on in my life. But surely this isn't allowed?

What next? The schools head telling me who to vote for?

OP posts:
Quimjelly · 01/07/2024 19:07

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worcesterpear · 01/07/2024 19:05

If the GP used the electoral roll, everyone in the constituency would have got a letter, so it should be easy to find out if this is the case. If the GP used patient records it is obviously wrong. I also don't think schools should be doing this as they are meant to be politically neutral.

listsandbudgets · 01/07/2024 19:05

OonaStubbs · 01/07/2024 18:33

This contravenes the Hippocratic Oath.

Which bit of it exactly? Have you actually read (or sworn) the Hippocratic oath or are you only aware of it in vague terms?

Here's a link to it - look forward to your analysis as to which bit means GPs and other doctors can't engage in politics

Hippocratic Oath

NOVA | Doctors' Diaries | The Hippocratic Oath: Modern Version | PBS

(Image 2) In this interactive feature, let vintage aircraft expert Dan Taylor guide you on an audio tour of a Demoiselle #20 replica owned by Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, a museum of antique aviation.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_modern.html

peachesarenom · 01/07/2024 19:00

I think you should be interested in everyone's opinion, especially those you trust.

Then it's up to you to make up your mind. It's an anonymous vote!

cakeorwine · 01/07/2024 19:00

SpindleyDindley · 01/07/2024 18:59

Straight to the ICO with that.

Why?

Do you know where they got the data from?

BobbyBiscuits · 01/07/2024 18:59

My corner shop man claims he won't be voting Tory (for the first time ever) but maybe he just said that to placate his impoverished benefits claimant customers? Lol
It does seem off for the actual practice to send this. Does it have branding for the party in question, or is it just words he's saying that are supportive of them? I think you should complain to the practice. If you can get them to acknowledge your existence that'll be another matter?

Workoutinthepark · 01/07/2024 18:59

JurassicClark · 01/07/2024 17:24

As long as the addresses were lawfully obtained, there’s no problem with this. It’s not new.

Yeah, I could t get worked up about it as presumably it's motivated by wanting the best for the NHS.

SpindleyDindley · 01/07/2024 18:59

Straight to the ICO with that.

cakeorwine · 01/07/2024 18:59

I have access to a lot of personal information on people from work,
I can also get the electoral register

If I sent you a letter, where would I have got your details from.

It's not ok if I used the details from work.
It's ok if I used the details on the register.

ellenfan · 01/07/2024 18:58

2dogsandabudgie · 01/07/2024 18:47

This would really annoy me, if a GP has got time to fart arse about getting involved in politics, then he has got time to see patients.

Wow.

It doesn't actually take long to write a letter, and they obviously should have some free time. Unless you think GP contracts should be indentured servitude.

It's good to have doctors in the House of Commons - how are they meant to get there?

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 01/07/2024 18:58

If it’s from your own GP, or from the GP practice, they’ll have your address, surely?

TBH I couldn’t get steamed up about this. It’s a bit of a cheek to try to tell anyone how to vote, but it’s what a lot of people - not just politicians - do when there’s a GE coming up.

laydeemai · 01/07/2024 18:56

I got this GP letter today or a similar one (are you in SW Surrey)? It’s sent in conjunction with the Lib Dems and their local candidate, so I guess names have come from the electoral register. I think I read on local social media that he’d checked beforehand that sending it wouldn’t contravene any rules.

OnceICaughtACold · 01/07/2024 18:56

OonaStubbs · 01/07/2024 18:33

This contravenes the Hippocratic Oath.

How?

Chartreux · 01/07/2024 18:55

Skyrainlight · 01/07/2024 17:54

It's not perfectly legitimate action! It's a beach of the data protection act. And it's not up to OP to prove where they got her details from, because that is impossible for her to know. It's completely within her rights to register a complaint so that it can be investigated. Stop acting like you wrote the data protection act and know everything when you clearly have no idea.

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You clearly know absolutely nothing about the Data Protection Act or indeed the electoral register. The ICO would do absolutely nothing about this unless there is evidence that the GP got the address from patient records.

Sure, OP can register a complaint if she wants to waste her time. But why should she?

CracklingLogsGalore · 01/07/2024 18:54

If he’s your GP surely he got your address from the practice? If for instance it was a mass letter going out to all patients from the GP practice, they just pull the addresses provided from the system.

Floppyelf · 01/07/2024 18:54

FluffyJellyCat · 01/07/2024 17:21

No it's for one of the major 3

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If its for the conservatives. Its not okay. I wouldn’t care if its for the libdems or labour.

greenpolarbear · 01/07/2024 18:53

Doesn't seem like a real thread tbh.

kerstina · 01/07/2024 18:52

I personally am interested to know which party teachers in schools think would improve schools.
I am interested in which party medics in hospitals and drs would consider would improve the health service. They are the experts in their field and I wish politicians listened to them more.
Otherwise a lot of us are at the mercy of rich owners of Newspapers and television programmes ( The Jeremy Vine show ) who try to brainwash us with their own narrative.

Quimjelly · 01/07/2024 18:49

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HonoraBridge · 01/07/2024 18:48

That is bang out of order. Something for both the Information Commissioner and the Electoral Commission.

2dogsandabudgie · 01/07/2024 18:47

This would really annoy me, if a GP has got time to fart arse about getting involved in politics, then he has got time to see patients.

Whippetlovely · 01/07/2024 18:46

anotherHappymonday · 01/07/2024 17:22

in our local authority the head teachers sent out a joint letter to all parents / carers which was clearly telling us which party to vote for

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Wow that’s crazy. I work at a school and there is no way we would do this. Plus there are hardly any schools under local authority now most are Academies.

cakeorwine · 01/07/2024 18:45

I suppose it depends on how they got your data and if they tried to match it with your records.

If the GP got your data (and others) from the electoral records and used it to write to all people on it, then that's fine.

If the GP got your data from the electoral records AND then matched it with data from the GP Practise to see that you were his patient, that's not fine.

If the GP used your data from the NHS practise, that's not fine.

Jaxhog · 01/07/2024 18:44

It'll be a scam from an unscrupulous political group (not even necessarily the party mentioned). I'd let your GP know this has gone out in his/her/their name.

Quimjelly · 01/07/2024 18:42

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