Doctors receptionist called my husband because I missed app

[deadsexy]

OK random I know but this has been bothering me.

I had an appointment today for a asthma review, was at 4pm.

I knew around 3.30 there was no chance I was going to make it, was stuck at work and for various reasons I couldn't get away. I tried to call them no less than 20 times but they were engaged.

All forgot about left work at 16.30, came home, DH arrives home at 17.30 to say doctors have called saying you missed appointment and you need to call them.

I was quite surprised but now I think I'm abit miffed about data protection/privacy/confidentiality.

I'm going to call them tomorrow....

You completely wasted an appointment that someone else could have used. I don't see what you have to complain about.
The fact someone has missed an appointment doesn’t mean they have also waved all their rights to confidentiality.
THANKFULLY.
Can you imagine if it was a woman in a absuive relationhsip not managing to get to the GP she wanted to see because if the abuse and her H was getting a message about it?
Or if she was going because of some STD he had given her etc etc...

I agree, the two issues have nothing to do with each other. The real issue is also that workplaces don't take the health of their employees seriously and make reasonable accommodation for appointments.

I'm surprised that receptionist rang about a missed asthma check up at all. I imagine they are too busy to chase that kind of thing.

It's not clear from OP that her husband was told what the appt was for, only that she missed it. But even if caller said asthma review... I care most about actual harm done (which was none apparently).

If OP's asthma was very badly managed this review might be important; if we're going to hypothesise about hypothetical harm to imaginary someone else at this surgery who might need to keep this info top secret. Then maybe OP is the hypothetical person who really shouldn't miss a review.

So much pressure on NHS staff & then all these extra constantly moving admin hoops to jump thru. I hope OP is gentle in her complaint.

That's appalling! I've given verbal consent that the mental health practitioner I'm under can leave a message on our landline and I'm fine if my husband picks up the message. They explained that they had to ask because they're not allowed to leave messages without consent. They still try not to leave messages unless strictly necessary.

In my experience the only time you'd contact the NOK would be for something urgent like a patient getting very concerning test results to the point of needing an urgent review or to be considered for hospital admission.

You completely wasted an appointment that someone else could have used. I don't see what you have to complain about.

She tried to cancel it!!!!!!

She tried to cancel it!!!!!!

With half an hour's notice. That's really not much use.

Maybe you gave them his number as your bh accident?

Cancelling at short notice is just as bad as not turning up from an admin point of view but that's not a green light to flout confidentiality rules

Is it confidentiality breach to say someone had an appt?

Yes it is. The golden rules: unless you have confirmed the person on the phone is the patient, you don’t tell them where you’re calling from, you don’t say why you are calling and you don’t leave a message on voicemail unless it’s stupidly vague ‘My name is XXX, calling for XXX, please call me back on XXX.’ Patient confidentiality has nothing to do with GDPR and serious breaches can put lives at risk and cost the NHS a large fortune in fines. It should be blatantly obvious on the notes of the patient had given permission to be discussed with a family memeber/friend.

like they can be late, but if your late it’s the end of the world, you try calling them 50 Times before you can get through but if you miss the call by a second they start getting sketchy. Rant over

Oh dear. Why do you think GPs are always running late? They are running late because all of the people that don’t turn up, because of the people that cancel last minute, because of all the people that turn up late, because of the people that need telephone appointments that rarely stay within the time limit, because sometimes you can’t deal with someone within the time limit. Is it reasonable in your eyes to to say for example ‘I’m sorry you’re dying of cancer and you’re struggling with that but you’ve had your 5 minutes now so I need you to leave’? No, didn’t think so. That’s a lot of variations to that sentence there too. No one cares if you missed a phone call from a surgery, we just can’t leave you a super specific message or phone someone else to talk to them about you. Trust me, no one in their working day is sitting in a consultation room chowing down on a MaccieDs breakfasts and having a chinwag with their bestie whilst you’re out there waiting for your appointment. They’re there trying to keep people alive and well. If you can’t be self aware enough to take the extra time when using a over-used, underfunded public service to keep you healthy, then put your hand in your pocket and pay for it privately. The option is there.

OP in regards to how you would word it, write an email or a letter to the practice manager outlining what happened and that you are sure you haven’t given permission for your medical records to be discussed with your husband and ask them to update your records if there has been a mistake made to say he should be contacted.

It's weird. If I ring Virgin Media they put me through a security check just to tell me whether there is an outage in my postcode area (no personal data at all).

Yet I have called dentist and GP on behalf of both my parents and they've been quite happy to talk to me!

Personally I think if someone calls you on the number you have provided they should be ok to leave a message. If you don't want them to you need to tell them to make a note.

"With half an hour's notice. That's really not much use."

News Flash.......................some employers are cunts and will kick off if you need an appointment in work time on the NHS yet wont put their money where their mouths are and pay enough of a wage so that their employees can afford to go private and pick and choose their times.

When i worked in retail i had one try and stop me from attending an appointment on the day It was meant to be my day off but the same bitch had changed that with no notice

How do people not turning up for appointments cause GPs to run late? I'd have thought it was the opposite - ie they get to make up time by "skipping" the slots where there has been a no show

Personally I think if someone calls you on the number you have provided they should be ok to leave a message. If you don't want them to you need to tell them to make a note.

This may be hard to believe but there are people out there that simply cant tell anyone to make a note that no one is to leave a message and that is a risk that just cannot be taken.

I work in a surgery it is a breech wearing able to confirm anything to another person if we have their permission in writing to name another person we are able to speak to. They should not have told your husband anything at all we are allowed to say it's the doctors and that's it. If you walk into the surgery and then 5 mins later your husband walked in as long for you Wed and even confirm you are here unless you told us too. It's taken very seriously and whoever did it needs training

Because Olenna you give them a very short amount of time to turn up, you’re looking through their notes to see if you can figure out why they may not have turned up. Is there a welfare issue? Maybe you’ll try giving them or a carer or a nursing home or the hospital a call. Maybe they needed a repeat prescription and you find you can just issue that without seeing them and get the receptionist to let them know. How would you know that without looking? And it goes on... so no. No catch up time and like all the other tasks for the people they actually see, it might take longer than the measly allocated time.

Do GPs ring round to find out why patients haven't turned up? I assumed it would be other staff at the practice who would do that, rather than a GP.

I used to go to a practice where the doctor would come out of their room to collect their next patient - if Mrs Smith wasn't there when called, the doctor would then call for Mrs Jones instead and start their appointment. They would check if Mrs Smith had arrived later, having seen Mrs Jones, but there was certainly no sense that the doctor was rushing back into their room to review Mrs Smith's notes and see if she could be tracked down

Thanks everyone. I called today and apologised but explained I had tried to call and couldn't get through. The girl on the other end seemed distracted and could hear someone else speaking to her so decided to not bring it up. She didn't ask me to remake the appointment, My asthma is very very mild and only expertise induced.

I have wrought a letter and will post it tomorrow.

It's been an interesting read, thanks for everyone's input