NHS decision impacted my life

[ScarboroughFairy]

I requested my records and found out I have false diagnoses made by various NHS clinicians. I can prove the reasons for the diagnoses are wrong. I also have evidence they didn't report a serious safeguarding concern. I complained and because it happened so long ago they say they can't 'investigate'. I don't know what that means for them anyway, but I don't see why they can't when all the reports and how they made the assessment are there on my records still. They wont fix the records unless they do another assessment but they've already done so much damage I don't trust them

The devil will be in the detail here. Usually you have 12 months from the date of an incident to complain through PALS. When you say you have false diagnoses is the assertion that clinicians intentionally misdiagnosed you or that it was accidental? In terms of proof, do you have medical reports to back this up from other clinicians or independent experts or is this your own research or feelings? With the serious safeguarding concern do you have your clinical notes saying that you were to be ignored or sounds like more of a story here which this forum probably isn’t the best place to elaborate. Have you been to PALS?

It must be an awful feeling, not being able to trust medical teams who you’ve relied on.

Is there anyone independent you feel able to open up to? Who might be able to help you to either take this forward or reconcile that too much time has elapsed? Someone who can support you to find medical expertise you can put your faith and confidence in?

I don't know what PALS are. I was diagnosed years ago and only found out now. They've told me they wont be investigating because of it.
There doesn't appear to be anything written down that they shouldn't have escalated the concerns from all that time ago, I can just see that they didn't.
I think my question is if they wont 'investigate' whatever that means what can I do

It’s not a mental health diagnosis is it? Cause that’s the situation I am in.

They wont fix the records unless they do another assessment but they've already done so much damage I don't trust them

It sounds like stalemate then unfortunately.

There is not much you can do. Chances are those who saw you and made the decisions have since moved on, so any investigation now would be futile. It is easier to perceive mistakes in retrospect but they may have been reasonable conclusions at the time, based on information available then. PALS are the Patient Liaison Service which operates in each hospital/trust.

The NHS policy says 12 months from date of awareness so you can argue that if it helps?

Follow the complaints procedures

That is why I am posting because that seemed to get me nowhere

Yes it is

Why would you think various highly trained clinicians are wrong and you are right? Do you have the opinion of a third party clinician to back up your claim?

Your only options are to have another assessment by another NHS clinician or get a second opinion from a private consultant.

Are they saying you do have a MH disorder, and you disagree or that you don't, and you disagree?

You are turning down the resolution to your complaint, a reassessment of the issue. What alternative outcome are you seeking?

I want the diagnoses removed and an apology

Yes I was diagnosed with various serious disorders ? And I can see the reasons they diagnosed me were false. I have proof

If you have complained through the trust and they won’t pickup / have closed it then the public health services ombudsman (PHSO) is the only other option for you outside of engaging a legal firm to take your case forward. But then the question is what remedy do you want? If financial how will you prove the harm / damage to yourself? If simply changing old medical records then they can’t - they are signed legal documents about your care that can’t just be edited or changed. They say what they say and will do so forever more.

Anything having to do with the government is screwed up

They won’t remove the diagnoses as these were determined by clinicians at the time. If they were to prove incorrect on reassessment (such as with benefit of further information or changes in practice) now they may add a note and an updated diagnosis would be added to your notes. Are you certain a historical record is continuing to be treated as fact in your treatment now? I’m not sure why an apology would be relevant if nothing has changed.

Hmm that's tricky, problem with MH (I myself have anxiety & depression, so I know!!) is the nuances of diagnosis, its all more down to opinion, and conditions spontaneously go into remission and can re-surface (mine certainly do)
Whereas, say a dodgy heart valve, well its on a scan for all to see, its black and white, it is or it isn't.
Could you get another assessment at another hospital (you can choose these days)

Two things sprung to mind that are really important that I don't think you've answered:

1. Could they actually really find out that the diagnosis was definately wrong at the time, or is it something where looking back has given different information than what they had at the time and so would lead to a different diagnosis?
2. NOW what affect would having a different diagnosis have?

If they actually made a mistake on the diagnosis, and if they corrected it now and that allowed you to do something different from now, your request seems reasonable. If they have done something that they can't undo and doesn't require on going treatment then there seems little point in changing the records. Unless the diagnosis has an ongoing impact on your life and actually changing it would change that impact. They probably can't investigate because specialists would have retired, moved on, even died. I would imagine that they need to find concrete evidence that their original diagnosis is wrong which probably won't have withstood the passing of time.

Is it a personality disorder? If so you are honestly not alone, it’s horrific the way this is happening.

i am not sure if this is relevant or not .

i had a previous diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. I was seen by a psychiatrist last year .
He wrote I had a previous diagnosis of bpd but do not meet the criteria . He thought I have ADHD . I have been assessed and do .

what I don’t know is if that was the correct diagnosis at the time .

i do relate regardless that my life would have been different if someone had looked deeper. And I am in therapy working through that

What is the proof?

When I search for your username, why can't I find any posts
edit: It's ok I can see it now when I search for your name on google