Does a Bank nurse have the ability to access people’s medical records?

[Strawberrysunset]

Quick question.
Don’t want to go into much detail as it could be outing, but does anyone know if Bank nurses can look at anyone’s medical records if they wanted to?
I know anyone working in such a field is never supposed to look without a very good reason, and I’ve been led to believe that bank nurses cannot access notes even if they tried to, but I’m not sure if that’s true?

It depends how they are employed - and who they bank with.

However, if you are concerned then you can ask for the "access record" to be checked as anyone will need an NHS log in to access the notes (unless there's a small chance that they've borrowed someone else's but that's a sackable offence).

Disclaimer: I'm a clinician but not a nurse or a manager.

If a bank nurse is looking after a patient, they should be able to see the full record. They should not look at patient records they're not involved with.

They can look at the records of people registered in the organisation they are working for. They can't just access anyone's. Eg, if they were working a shift at your GP surgery they would be able to access your records.

As above, I have access to patient records. However I am not allowed to access records unless I am working with the patient in some capacity.

Sorry, I understand it’s forbidden to access anyone’s notes who aren’t a patient of there’s, but if the bank nurse was the type who could be inclined to snoop on anyone they know, could they?

I may just look into this thanks

Yes they could, but not in all settings.

Which notes is it that are of concern, GP or Hospital?

Depends if you are doing Bank in your own trust and already have access. I do agency in another hospital and do t jace access.

But if they have access then yes they can snoop. But risk loosing their job if caught.

This person works in my local hospitals, not my surgery though.
I’m concerned about both really, although maybe they can’t access GP notes if they are hospital based?
This person has form for gossiping about the health of people she knows, and has mentioned conditions that she shouldn’t know anything about.

They could access, but it leaves a digital fingerprint that can be traced back to them and is a sackable gross misconduct offence for someone contracted and bank-staff being blacklisted from any NHS work.

Test

Oh brilliant, you can change your username on the thread.

You should contact PALS and let them know you would like to see the access trace - I would also make a note of when and where things have been said.

A member of staff did this to me and she did lose her job.

There was a thread about this a few weeks ago - someone was concerned about their mother/MIL seeing her and other family health records. It was well explained what you can and cannot see, and the implications of breaking the rules.

Found it: www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4495469-to-fear-a-family-member-is-accessing-our-medical-records

Thanks for the link, I think I read that thread before but I can’t remember seeing anything in particular about bank nurses ability to look at records.
I’m my situation, a friend implied to the nurse that she was suspicious she might have been looking through records, and the nurse assured her that she wouldn’t look through records and that she can’t access records anyway being only a bank nurse.
We’re not sure what to believe.

Thanks for the link, I think I read that thread before but I can’t remember seeing anything in particular about bank nurses ability to look at records.
I’m my situation, a friend implied to the nurse that she was suspicious she might have been looking through records, and the nurse assured her that she wouldn’t look through records and that she can’t access records anyway being only a bank nurse.
We’re not sure what to believe.

Bank staff are no different to fully employed staff and beholden to the same professional standards. However it's how and to what extent you think they are accessing someone else's info? In a hospital or community team setting you will often hear info relating to patients you are not directly caring for - whether that's in the office, in team meetings/case conferences, handovers,for education purposes etc. Most professional staff know full well not to "gossip" about info they have or haven't directly had access to. Is this someone you know personally and do they know the people they are gossiping about personally?

Yes they can.

Yes I know her personally and she knows the people she’s gossiping about.

just to clarify I've worked as a locum (albeit not a nurse)and hence would need to access computor-based notes both to read up patients history and to enter my assessments/treatments...can't imagine a situation where a bank nurse is caring for someone and doesn't have to access the patients notes to document care given??

That’s what I would have thought, any nurse could access patients notes in their care, and could access notes of people not in their care too, which would obviously be absolutely forbidden.
By reading these comments it seems then that the bank nurse in question COULD actually access notes of people not in her care, despite saying she can’t.

If people are in her care she can access them.
if people are cared for by her organisation but not in her care and she accesses them
that is a breach of confidentiality and misconduct.

if she gossips about people conditions based on confidential information that is also against trust policy and also code of conduct of registered.

Not a nurse but a healthcare professional here: my access gives me the notes of everyone ever treated at our hospital, and their associated clinic and referral letters. I can also access results on samples sent from GPS to our hospital with any information on that request. I can’t access GP notes. I am however a full time member of staff and not bank.

It is a requirement of my professional registration that I do not abuse this, and if found to access patient notes without professional reason I could be struck off. Also, if for any reason I had someone I knew came within my professional scope I would ask a colleague to handle it and never mention it to anyone.

Short version: she probably has access but it’s worth her job and her career if she’s accessed it.

If you're in the hospital system you could look people up and if they've been treated there you'd be able to see some records. You can't just look up random people and see their medical notes if they haven't been a patient at that hospital (even if they've turned up in A&E and you need their medical history!). GP records and hospital aren't linked up. At least, not where I work.

In my trust Bank staff can, but agency staff can't as you need a login to the system to access, which someone sent from an agency wouldn't have.

So if she's registered with a hospital staff bank (NHSP or similar) then yes, but external agencies, no. However I would expect it's the bank as agency staff use is a last resort.

And yes, report if you have any suspicions. I also know someone who lost their job for this reason. Confidentiality and data protection rules are there for a reason.