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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To make a complaint about this?

45 replies

Sorcerer · 01/08/2010 13:39

Name changed to protect my identity.

Someone that I know who is a medical receptionist made a comment the other day about an aspect of my health that she could not have known about from me. It wasn't anything too embarrassing or even that interesting, but I am 110% certain that I have not spoken to her about this.

I don't think she could have got the info from anywhere else as we have no mutual friends.

I am worrying that she may have looked at my records or something - surely she can't do that?

OP posts:
compo · 01/08/2010 13:40

Well obviously she'd have access but no she shouldn't

Aitch · 01/08/2010 13:43

definitely complain. i mean i'm sure they do look at stuff, at least insofar as i can't help but read info that is on a page in front of me, but she should know better than to blether about it.

Original poster
Sorcerer · 01/08/2010 13:46

Oh I feel sick - there is some really private stuff that I have been to GP about . What if she has looked at that?

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 01/08/2010 13:49

Not only would I want to know how she got the info, but I'd also be questioning why she felt she had to let you know she'd had access to it.

It's that bit that sounds a bit weird to me, surely it could jeopardise her job, why would she do that?

compo · 01/08/2010 13:49

I'd change gps
I couldn't have a friend as the receptionist at mine
they will be told everything is confidential but they can look any time they want
it's all in the pc and they'll have the passwords as they'll need to access pc to book appointments
I'm honestly surprised you'd think she wouldn't have access

MmeRedWhiteandBlueberry · 01/08/2010 13:52

Tell us what it was about and then we can judge.

In principle, you are right. But it is really worth kicking a fuss up? What do you hope to achieve?

Is she just a receptionist, or does she do general admin work (where she might have to type up referral letters, or deal with test results)? Does the booking system in your practice bring up everything on the computer (I think this is the case in my practice).

Original poster
Sorcerer · 01/08/2010 13:52

She didn't just come out and go "Oh by the way, I know that you have been seeing the GP about xxx", it was just a flyaway comment, which didn't really register with me at the time. It was only afterwards that I thought about it and realised I had never told her! Do I confront her or speak to surgery? Wouldn't want her to lose her job or anything.

OP posts:
squirrel42 · 01/08/2010 13:53

Might she have had a legitimate reason to see the information in the course of her work? Assuming she's a receptionist at the surgery you go to, if she's ever booked an appointment for you then the "front page" of your records would have come up on screen when she typed in your details. That might incude a basic overview of long-term conditions or allergies, or something like "has an appointment for a smear test next week".

maxpower · 01/08/2010 13:57

It's clearly upset you so I would say you should complain. Ask to speak to the practice manager as they are likely to deal with complaints. It's unlikley she'd be sacked if this is an isolated incident.

Mollydoggerson · 01/08/2010 13:57

If it enough to bother you, then I would make an appointment with the g.p. and discuss it with them.

I think it is more to do with her lack of professionalism, than anything else. She may be obliged to look at records/files as part of her job, but she should know better than to pass comments.

TrillianAstra · 01/08/2010 13:57

What squirrel42 said - she booked you in and it came up on screen, then she totally forgot about it and the throwaway coment came out without her stopping to think whether she was supposed to know about it or not.

It doesn't sound as if she has been gossiping or snooping or anything malicious.

Original poster
Sorcerer · 01/08/2010 13:57

She doesn't work at my surgery - that's why I am querying whether she would have access. I'm racking my brains to think of any other way that she could have known as I could never say anything if I have even a tiny doubt. She's not a close friend - more of an acquaintance so I'm not really 100% sure what she does - all I know is that she is a part time receptionist.

OP posts:
Silver1 · 01/08/2010 14:00

If you don't want her to lose her job then don't say anything to the surgery, but maybe tell her to stop looking at your file- but if she hasn't already been snooping she may get curious.

Another scenario that may have occurred is that, in the back office you were discussed, for a referral or prescription or anything really, and she overheard.

The receptionist at our surgery divulged my son's birth name to someone I don't even like. I was fuming as it was clearly noted everywhere on his file that there were security concerns for his safety.
In the end I didn't complain because on the whole I have a good relationship with people at the surgery, and I didn't want to sour that by making a serious complaint where no harm had actually occurred, but it was a knife edge decision for me.

squirrel42 · 01/08/2010 14:03

You say she doesn't work at your surgery - so she doesn't work for your doctors at all? Not even at another location the same practice has elsewhere?

I might be misunderstanding this, but if she doesn't work for your doctors then she wouldn't have access to your medical records and can't have got them through snooping at work!

Original poster
Sorcerer · 01/08/2010 14:08

This is kind of my question you see - no she doesn't work at my surgery - the one in the next village. The reason I am so concerned is that there is no reason for her to look at my records at all, so it would be snooping in my opinion. If she has no access to them then how on earth has she found this out?

OP posts:
Original poster
Sorcerer · 01/08/2010 14:11

I have to go and pick up DD now but I will check back later - thank you for all your replies so far.

OP posts:
LetThereBeRock · 01/08/2010 14:12

I've no idea how she found out but having been a medical receptionist I know that she can't access your records if she doesn't work in the surgery you go to. It's not possible.

edam · 01/08/2010 14:16

Sorcerer, are both surgeries run by the same practice? Are you sure there's no other way she could have got this information - maybe a friend you did tell hasn't been as discreet as you expected?

I'd ask her, tbh. Say 'I was a bit surprised you asked me about X, I haven't discussed it with you as far as I remember' and she what she has to say for herself.

If she has no connection with your own GP surgery, then either you've forgotten you told her, someone else has told her, or - very long shot - she's looked you up on the NHS database. Which should NOT happen but like any IT system it's not secure. Front page would only give name, address, phone number and details of any allergies/medicines IIRC, though. Information any health professional treating you for the first time might neeed to know if you were unconscious.

agedknees · 01/08/2010 14:44

If she is not your gp's receptionist she could not get info at her work. Are you sure you have not told a third party this info who may have given it to this receptionist.

sapphireblue · 01/08/2010 15:47

if she doesn't even work at your surgery then there's no possible way she can have found out from your records. is it possible there's a mutual acquaintance you've forgotten/don't know about?

BlackandGold · 01/08/2010 15:53

If she works at a different practice then there's no way she could access your records.

Do you think she may have made an "educated guess" at something using clues from your conversation?

secunda · 01/08/2010 16:03

OK. If it was the same surgery she probably would just know, not because she's been snooping, but in the line of her work. Honestly, if you're typing up dictation for a doctor it's pretty difficult to blank it out of your mind! But if it's not the same surgery I don't know how she knew, someone else must have mentioned it.

Original poster
Sorcerer · 01/08/2010 17:23

Oh god I feel awful now. No it's definitely not part of the same practice. Thank god I did not complain about her . I don't even see her very often, and I definitely have not mentioned it to her - I would have no need to. I'm not going to lose sleep over it, but it is really annoying not knowing..........

OP posts:
Original poster
Sorcerer · 01/08/2010 17:27

edam - what's the NHS database? Would she have been able to do that?

OP posts:
Islandlady · 01/08/2010 17:55

Sorceror thats what I was thinking, as the summary care records are designed for any health practitioner to be able to look up medical info and I would assume that would include another GP practise , I would suppose it would be fairly easy for anyone to type in a name and address and DOB on the database system and get the SCR info ( even though they tell you it cant be done)

Are on on the database or have you opted out.

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