Can I get in trouble for doing this

[Dopeydoris44]

I'm mid 40s . For a long time I have been trying to find out why I went to a school for children with learning difficulties. I know i have learning difficulties but I don't really know what they are.

So I heard I may be able to find out via my medical records we are talking 35+ years ago though. Anyway I went on to the Web site thing for my gp surgery. It said to access my medical history I would need to send photo ID it gave the common ones for driving licence. Passport ID card. Then it had the option of other so I pressed on that abd it gave me other options. I did not understand what it was really.

So here's what I done I recently sent for photo ID on the government site that will allow me to vote. It has a photo of myself and other personal details. So I took a photo of that and sent that to the gp as my photo ID. It wasn't even on the list as an option.

Can i get into any sort of trouble for using it?

That link does not suggest a birth certificate needs a signature if you supply one of the other documents - do you receive benefits or have a payslip with ni number for example

I think the school is possibly more likely to know. I once taught a lovely bright boy at college who had been to a special needs school and was on an entry course at college. He was dyslexic ( undiagnosed) but I was told that part of the reason he had been placed and kept there was because of a very unsettled home life..the special needs school could look after him better,

I understand why you want to find out, finding out what specific learning difficulties you have can help you. I recently went down a similar path to you of finding out some specifics and I’d echo going into the gps in person and reaching out to the school to find out if they still have the records.

It's likely those records won't exist anymore. Schools keep information until the child is 25 then get shredded.

How additional needs is classified is different now to how it was back then. I'd work on narrowing it down, you dont have to answer these just have a think about some of these examples, there are of course others.
Complex Medical needs
Physical disability with mobility needs
Sensory needs, hearing / vision
Speech and Language: Late talking, situations mutism
Social and communication: Autism and ADHD - Look at the Autism Girls Network and see if anything on autism fits, it may have been called child schizophrenia then, often struggle with loud noises, like routine
Academic struggles: dyslexia if you struggled to read, dyscalculia if you struggle with maths
Processing speed - slower on the up take of things as it takes longer to process

Often children will have several conditions together or will be given a label like 'moderate learning difficulties' because they haven't assessed something specific. Research into additional needs have moved on a long way in 30 years.

Sometimes it's much easier to just pop in and ask for help. My surgery sent me a bloods appointment link the other day but I couldn't access the site. I went in and they sorted it all in about 3 minutes plus giving me bottles for a urine sample, - not sure how I could have managed to source those online. There's always a way. Good luck

Hi OP

Most posters are lovely but you alway get one 🙄

There was a school in my local city in the 90’s for children that would struggle in mainstream, but didn’t struggle enough to go to a school for children with profound/multiple learning difficulties and disabilities.

I guess children that had severe dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, ASD etc and those kind of SEN. They closed it down though because of funding, so now it’s either mainstream or a specialist school, as mentioned above.

There are kids in mainstream that really struggle but the spaces for the specialist school are limited so only the children with the most severe need get a place.

If you were at school now, you’d have probably been placed in mainstream.

Can you remember what it was called? Is there anything on Google?

That's what's annoying. It should be easy to ask the GP but it does not feel like its that easy or simple vit always feel like there's something in the way

Also I have the NHS app and I can only see new records not old ones.

Do you know literally anyone who is a civil servant? Who works maybe as a benefits coach and knows you as a friend rather than through work? They can sign a passport form.

No I have not been to the gp for many years probably over 15 years. I didn't have a gp for about 6 of them years . I have only had the recent gp for about a year ish . I had 1 appointment on the phone about iron levels and that's it.

Yes - I'd try speaking to your surgery in person or over the phone. Explain you want to access your medical records and ask what your options are without the required ID. You won't be the only person in this position, and hopefully they can help.

No there's no one

I agree with going in to the surgery and speaking to them. Also did you know that GPs can add you to a list of patients with learning difficulties, this means you get a health check-up every year, you can nominate another adults to speak with them on your behalf if necessary and the staff are aware of your conditions and can take them into account when communicating with you, it would be worth asking about this.

So sorry - the thread had moved along quite a lot and I hadn't seen all your answers. My bad. I am sorry if my answer was insensitive. But surprising people are civil servants and it might be worth asking around.

Seems pointless when i don't actually know what they are

It's worth trying the school just in case. A couple of years ago I got a copy of my O-level results from my old school, so they may still have something from that long ago. You've nothing to lose by asking.

I hope you are able to get the information you're looking for.

This is a bit random but I’m just thinking outside the box. You mentioned your children - do they have any learning difficulties? Because some things are hereditary. It might help add a piece to the puzzle. or might your sister know anything?

also, what do you remember struggling with at school?

I can totally understand you wanting to find out. I hope you can get some answers

Seems pointless when i don't actually know what they are

It is not about diagnosis but the vulnerabilities your difficulties cause.

@Dopeydoris44 what do you struggle with?
How additional needs are classified are different now anyway but we could probably help you build a shortlist of you wanted some closure. I've listed some common ones above, and then there are others like Foetal Alcohol Syndrome if your mum was a drinker etc if that's why you are non contact.

If it's generally finding things overwhelming and struggling in social situations then it's likely to be autism which was (is) massively undiagnosed in girls many were diagnosed eating disorders or bipolar instead.

@Dopeydoris44 thanks. Passports are very annoying! It can be someone retired.
A neighbour who's a civil servant, or even an ex teacher at yours or kids school?
I hope you get it sorted.

Could you go to the GP surgery and talk to them ?
They might have been offhand on the 'phone, but will probably be more helpful face-to-face.

Knob

There is a small possibility that the GP website hasn’t updated to allow for the Voter ID. It’s a fairly recent thing.
If it’s rejected go along and speak to the receptionist or ask for the practice manager. Take your birth certificate, and something like a Council Tax bill that’ll have your name and address on it.
Hope you get the info you want.

OP - you can ask your GP surgery for a full copy of your paper records - you may need to ask them in a formal letter. You should not need ID (online access is only for helpful records going forwards, although you should be able to see 'codes' for existing diagnoses).

Or, alternatively, if you don't know what you are looking for, or if you think you might be flummoxed and not be able to see the wood for the trees, I would make an appt with a doctor and ask them to explain any diagnoses and significant events to you so that you can understand your own medical history.

I know, as a GP, I would take enormous pleasure in such an appointment. I hope you manage to find what you need.

Could I do anything with freedom of information?