Gdpr at the doctor's reception

I’ve known it be a problem too. I had to say my address loudly in front of people who were not allowed to know where I live for safeguarding reasons. I stage whispered and hoped, because of the queue behind me and the woman not understanding my concern.

@IamnotSethRogan when you are required to do so, it’s a breach of GDPR. The system is set up to effectively force you to share information you may need to keep confidential.

The worse thing I ever experienced was waiting in a long queue at Boot's pharmacy area.
I was waiting for my prescription. There was a lady stood to the side, not in the queue.
The pharmacist asked her assistant if the lady stood the side was waiting to be served.
The assistant said in a loud voice without even thinking "Oh, she's being dealt with, she's waiting for the morning after pill"
The poor woman got really upset, everyone heard what was said....

If you're that worried, you could get your phone out (assuming you have a smartphone) and write your name and date of birth on the notes app and shoe it to the receptionist. Just say 'I'll write it down, as I'm not comfortable with other people hearing me say it'. Personally, it has never bothered me giving my name and DOB to the pharmacist or doctor's receptionist.

Me telling a receptionist my DOB to confirm who I am is in no way a breach of GDPR. Someone overhearing me is not a breach of GDPR. There needs to be checks to make sure they are dealing with the correct person. Ridiculous overreaction.

No, we do not. Given the Civil Service's appalling record with IT projects, I can think of few things the country needs less.

Slightly different but I used to work in a supermarket and I would often have to tell customers not to flip their wallet completely open and leave it when they got their store card out. They would have their driving licence in the front with their full name, address and date of birth, quite often their card PIN written down in there, and other personal information which they would lay down on the counter while they faffed about swiping their card, for anyone with ill intent to take a furtive photo of or just memorise.

I would know which of my customers were having regular medical treatment as they'd have their appointment card from the doctor visible, quite often a medical card which said what treatment they were having (if it needed to be quickly available in the event of a collapse). We all carry a lot of personal information on us, and need to remember how little it can take for someone to copy and steal at least part of your identity.

I don't think this lady understands GDPR. It would be a breach if the practice staff loudly announced it without the patients permission, but it's not a breach when the person whose information it is states it.

It's not a breach of GDPR to ask name or DOB, it's for patient safety.

Who is going to finance this and more importantly where is the money tree growing?

We need a national identity card. There’s a good reason in most places to have checks on who you are. You surely don’t expect medicines to go to just anyone? I’d just get a thicker skin and accept people around you don’t care. As presumably you don’t care about what they say.

I can see this is an issue but it’s difficult when there needs to be some verification of who you are to get information or a prescription.

The hideous plastic screens that went up in Covid haven’t helped.

I’ve worked in practices and some patients have their ID ready to hand over so that the don’t have to say their details out loud.