DS's classmate's mum works at my GP

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

As above, one of the other mum's in DS2's class has started working at my GP surgery. Would I be out of order asking that her access to mine and DCs health records be restricted? I work in a GP practice myself so know this can be done. It shouldn't impact on her ability to do her job or mine to get treatment.

I've had some pretty serious MH problems and feel incredibly uncomfortable about her having access to this information. I know due to confidentiality she's not allowed to discuss it, but it still makes me uncomfortable.

Am I making a fuss over nothing?

If you are concerned, please ring your surgery and speak to the Practice Manager and tell him / her your concerns.

No you are not, I'd be uncomfortable too. Get her blocked from it for ease of mind

It wouldn't be unreasonable of you, but I doubt very much she would look you up. She is likely to know lots of patients on the books. I and my family have worked in very different types of offices dealing with very personal information on people we knew. If anything we went out of our way not to pry.

Unfortunately I have learnt from personal experience that not everyone is as moral as you, Newyear. So I would definitely get her access blocked.

Am I making a fuss over nothing?

No. Perfectly reasonable request.

I did a similar job a few years ago and whenever someone I knew called I'd say it was me and ask if they were happy to speak to me or if they'd prefer a colleague. I wouldn't have looked anyone up, even though I easily could have, as it would have meant losing my job. Hopefully this mum is of the same opinion. On the other hand it can't hurt to speak to the practice manager and ask.

Speak to the practice manager asap and get it in writing that this person is not allowed access to your families details. If she does sneak a look she will get sacked.

It is an offence to access someone's health records if there is no clinical need, and all access is logged. Your friend will follow the NHS code of practice in records management, and confidentiality, why would she risk her job to look at your (or any other school parents) records www.digitalhealth.net/2017/08/ico-warns-nhs-staff-that-unlawfully-accessing-patient-records-is-an-offence/

That article that you've linked to literally says 'Brewer told magistrates Woolfe would look up friends’ records. “If her children had been invited to a birthday party, she’d look up their parents’ details....' That woman was happy enough to risk her job to nose at random parents' records.

There is another thread at the minute where a receptionist has accessed records they weren't supposed to and spoke to someone else about it, so for that reason yanbu.
As a person who works with confidential information, I can say that I would never dream of speaking about a client, sadly it seems others are not the same.

I guess you can but it would probably be putting her job at risk if she did. If she is that local, she is likely to know a large number of patients and I just cant see her being that interested to risk her job as well as waste the effort reading notes which I imagine have allsorts of technical medical details making them a trudge of a read.

Also, it wouldnt surprise me if notes werent immediately available anyway to non medical staff and needed a code of some sort to log access.

I would have thought an override for them to get into detail would be easy to do in this modern world of IT. Just like needing supervisors to void transactions in supermarkets.

If not maybe I should patent one! Sounds useful.

I know a GP receptionist who recently looked up their relative's appointments without their consent. Like someone previously said, not everyone is as moral as you might be. And just because access is logged it doesn't automatically deter someone from looking.

I've worked in a GP surgery and having restricted access was a nightmare. We would have to do prescriptions (for example) but might not have had access to create it.

Anonymised patients were worse though..

I’m in a similar situation except I’m a teacher and I discovered that the dad of a child in my class is a GP at my drs surgery. I’ve seen him many times but not in the last couple of years.
I too have some current MH issues. I’m hoping that he’s professional enough to not go digging and in any case, I’m sure he has better things to do with his time 😂.

Both my friends work as drs at MY practice.

Although I trust them both implicitly. It bothered me that as you say. They could access my past mental health records.

One of them asked me that I not see her in clinic anymore. Which I completely understood. The other doesn’t care and says it doesn’t impact her job. Which it doesn’t.

But yes. I didn’t know you could do that. Had inof know that. I would of done it. For sure.

Yes get it done especially if it is affecting your mental health.

A mother in my sons class started to work in the school as a ‘special needs assistant’ she had access to everything and apparently on a WhatsApp group shared private information about children in our class such as who has epilepsy, what medications kids are on etc. One Mum told the school and showed the messages to the head but nothing could be done because she hadn’t had safeguarding training yet. I have suffered really bad anxiety since and often wonder what was said about me and my children, I’m currently awaiting Counselling it has made my anxiety unbearable. Protect yourself and your child.

Talk to the practice if you are uncomfortable with her just knowing your details. She could find out legitimately (not just through nosiness) for example if she was getting ready a repeat prescription or typing up a referral letter.

Kez200 and ChittyChittyBoomBoom all NHS staff have their own NHS ID smartcard to login with at work, this tracks and keeps a record of all documents accessed.

I'm not so concerned about her looking me up when she has no need, but I don't feel I even want her seeing my records in the course of doing her job.

My friend is registered at the practice I work at and I immediately told her when I started working and asked she wanted my access to her notes restricted. She was fine about it but I felt obligated to let her know.

You are not being unreasonable at all OP.

My friend is registered at the practice I work at and I immediately told her when I started working and asked she wanted my access to her notes restricted. She was fine about it but I felt obligated to let her know.

@MyGhastIsFlabbered I understand your concern, perhaps ask the practice manager if this person's access you your records can be restricted?

*to your records