Secretly Recorded by GP

When your phone our Gp it does say in a pre recorded message that phonecalls maybe recorded.

Oh the irony, calls are monitored to actually record your ailments and to use as evidence should you decide to sue!!

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The doctor may say that you are being recorded by an AI programme, the receptionist may say something when you book, or it may be a generic part of the patient t&cs. The recording isn’t stored anywhere, just directly transcribed.
In an age when surgeries can’t afford enough doctors, this is a way of seeing more patients and cutting back on admin staff costs.

That reminds me of a time I went into repeat medicine request on patient access and wrote a separate request for something I don't usually have.

That medicine appeared the next day in ads on my Facebook page, grocer order page and elsewhere.

@LadyRoughDiamond How do we agree to allowing things to be written by an AI programme? I’m curious if I missed something or if I gave tacit approval somehow.

It’s possible that your surgery records all calls and maybe even appointments in order for your notes to be accurately updated by an AI program. Many surgeries are moving over to this model to save time, improve note accuracy and ensure that the GP is giving you their full attention during the consultation. You would have to have agreed to this at some point but may not have realised.

You're going to freak out then when I tell you GPs are using AI to listen to consultations and type them up for them in the appropriate format.
Its better... it gets everything from the consultation that you may have forgotten- its much more detailed for other clinicians to follow on from and therefore better/safer for patients.
Its not stored anywhere after its dumped into your records.

Sorry - I meant may be helpful to others of course. I can't edit on the app.

Just to add as it may not be helpful to others, you don't necessarily need to ask for a subject access request to ask to see relevant information.

You can also ask as "business as usual" it's a less formal process, but often quicker if what you need is a copy of a letter or report. If it's a reasonable request, it should be accommodated. (I am of course aware that not all surgeries do actually work like this).

If someone needs full access to all medical records, letters, meeting notes, consultation recordings, results and referrals then an SAR would be appropriate. The process can take 28 days once an individual's identity has been verified (and sometimes longer) and so if a lot of information is already available to the patient via the NHS app, it can lengthen the process.

They don't normally ask for the GPs opinion as what someone can do/needs, they just ask for medical notes.

They have their own PIP assessors - can be doctors/paramedics or other AHPs. This can actually include actual spying on you - theyll drop in/watch you take the kids to school etc to see if it matches up with what you tell them.

They make a determination themselves, the if you disagree with the outcome you can escalate.

But has that alleviated any of the stress you have been through?

There is a lot of considerations to be made and taken into account with PIP applications. Claimants only fill in the form with details. The benefits agencies have to follow up on references, in the same way the employers would for job applicants, so it isn't easy for the medical profession to know exactly what to put without disclosing too much about their patient's condition.

I have been on disability for a long time now, but even that does not qualify me to give advice, because everyone is different. It is easier for me in a way because physical disabilities are obvious, and equipment needed can be listed, so claims are processed more easily.

If you do not want to post the results of you application, please send me a private message. I may not be able to do much, but I don't mind 'listening'.

I am not disagreeing with you, because that is a very valid point, but reading the op's posts it seems her disability may not be physical and it is very difficult to know unless other medical people are consulted.

She would receive help from the charities for the disabled, such as Scope and Mind, but many people with non-physical disabilities find it very difficult to get employment, and they very often need as much help and care as the physically disabled. I think that is very often forgotten.

I think she has had enough stress, and hope that it all pans out well for her.

If you were making an application for a Pip benefit does the Dr need to consult with someone else to agree you meet the requirements for Pip? Also could this be to ensure potentially fraudulent claims are also recorded . Hope you get it sorted .

Has that helped you?

Obviously not, but it has never bothered me. I think the OP has non-physical issues which would cause her to be more stressed, and that really has to be taken into account with comments.

Sometimes, depending on the illness, it could be very much in the patient's interest to have this record. A patient may be on medication which causes some forgetfulness.

…that you accessed while registered with a GP practice?
You’re right actually, I don’t know a thing about you and am not sure why I’m bothering wearing my thumbs down when you made your mind up 15 pages ago. My advice to contact your local patient liaison service stands if you want to take it further, and I’ll add that it would be wise to discuss deregistration with any services that you access, before actually doing it, as it may actually stop access and will almost certainly disrupt any prescriptions you have.

Good luck to you, believe it or not most people involved in your care actually want to help you, and it’s a shame that your relationship with them has broken down so irreparably. I hope you find a satisfactory resolution.

To be fair to Op she didn’t know this and the practice doesn’t tell patients which isn’t right, and they need to make it clear to patients on the phone system and website. However some of the reactions are disproportionate and unreasonable in that people expect outbound calls not to be recorded etc, threatening HCP with making their own recordings etc

here is BMA guidance
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/ethics/confidentiality-and-health-records/patients-recording-consultations

https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/the-professional-standards/making-and-using-visual-and-audio-recordings-of-patients/recording-telephone-calls

I think OP should follow the correct protocol for raising an issue and not be dismissed but give the patient some reassurance about the systems in place. I don’t think OP should not have a GP