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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About patient's confidentiality

63 replies

GuendalinaCatEyes · 13/03/2015 18:04

I don't get it. I went to the cardiology clinic for an echocardiogram last month. It's taken 4 weeks for them to write a letter to my GP. I haven't been sent a copy of the clinic letter.
I spoke to the GP's receptionist today and she said that she couldn't let me have a copy until the doctor had agreed to it.
Are we fucking kidding here? It's MY LETTER. Why would I not be allowed to see it?? Am
I missing something? Hmm

OP posts:
Nomama · 13/03/2015 18:07

Yes. You can't have the letter before the GP has seen it. They need to appraise the info and decide how to pass it on to you.

Now, you personally may not be worried about the content, you may know what it will say and understand all the ins and outs of the contents. But many others don't. So the GP gets to translate, reassure, signpost on to the next step, review meds etc.

Nothing to do with confidentiality, just common sense.

Lyndie · 13/03/2015 18:09

Actually your medical notes are the property of your health board.....

countessmarkyabitch · 13/03/2015 18:12

It's not your letter at all. It's to your GP from the cardio doctor. It may be about you but its not to you and its not for you.
Any results will probably have to be interpreted by your GP for you anyway.
yabu

YesIDidMeanToBeSoRudeActually · 13/03/2015 18:17

Surprised at the replies here!

Surely if you made a request for your medical file/notes under data protection, everything would have to be passed on anyway?

I always get copies of scans, letters between GP and consultants etc.

How patronising to think OP isn't competent to read a letter written by a medical professional about her own health.

YANBU.

DoJo · 13/03/2015 18:17

It's MY LETTER. Why would I not be allowed to see it?? Am I missing something?

Yes - it's not YOUR letter, it's a letter to your GP about your condition, but that doesn't make it yours.

calmexterior · 13/03/2015 18:18

YABU

The letter was probably dictated and needs to be checked and signed.

YWNBU to hurry things along though, hope you get it now and all ok.

YesIDidMeanToBeSoRudeActually · 13/03/2015 18:19

Dear god. OP, look here for correct info.

www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1309.aspx?categoryid=68

Lyndie · 13/03/2015 18:19

Of course you can get copies and view but there is a process and not before it has been seen by a GP. You can't just walk in and demand your records!

ScrambledEggAndToast · 13/03/2015 18:20

When a request is made for medical records, the doctor has to decide what is released to patients as sometimes it isn't appropriate. As others have said, it has to be reviewed before the patient can have it and then there is no guarantee you will be allowed to see it.

calmexterior · 13/03/2015 18:20

Misread.

You can request a copy of the letter, yes, YANBU after all. But I think you may have needed to do this at the time.

Wailywailywaily · 13/03/2015 18:23

Actually you can just go in and demand your records. And no the gp cannot edit out the bits he doesn't want you to see

sparkysparkysparky · 13/03/2015 18:24

In most cases you can see everything on your files but there may be reasons why GP needs to filter it. Or some consultants filter it through GP as a matter of course. Talk to your GP. Doctors' receptionists are not the people you should be speaking to about this (whispers - even if they sometimes act like they are)

Lyndie · 13/03/2015 18:25

No you can't Waily and yes the gp can if he or she thinks the information would be harmful to your health.

Original poster
GuendalinaCatEyes · 13/03/2015 18:26

I do feel I'm being patronised.
I've always been copied in consultants' letters (aka clinic letters) about me to my GP and that's how it should be IMO.

OP posts:
YesIDidMeanToBeSoRudeActually · 13/03/2015 18:26

As I understand it, information can be withheld only if it relates to a third party, or the HCP has genuine reason to believe certain information will be harmful to the patient.

I wonder if any of these posters are GP's receptionists...

Sorry, this is a sore (ha) subject for me at the moment.

lunar1 · 13/03/2015 18:27

It isn't always appropriate for medical notes to be handed over. Even if it was it would be very unfair for the poor receptionist to have to make decisions and deal with all the ramifications it can cause.

Delphine31 · 13/03/2015 18:27

All my consultants (three different clinics) send me a copy of all correspondence with my GP. I don't think I even requested it. I like having the letters as I can look back and see what meds/investigations I've had in the past.

But it's the hospital that's responsible for not sending you the letter OP so yabu for being pissed off with the GP receptionist who quite rightly can't just share it with you in case there's info that needs carefully relating to you by your GP.

Original poster
GuendalinaCatEyes · 13/03/2015 18:28

Calme - I may have needed to do what at the time?
When I attended the cardiology appointment I was told they would write to my GP and copy me in within 3 weeks.

OP posts:
pocketsized · 13/03/2015 18:28

I always ask consultants etc to copy me into any letters to the GP as we move a lot and I don't trust all the information to get there.no consultant has ever refused (it often takes ages though, as they are usually dictated, typed, checked, signed and then posposted)

OurMiracle1106 · 13/03/2015 18:30

Legally under data protection I believe you are entitled to a copy of your records. They can filter out potentially harmful information if its into the best interests of the patient.

pocketsized · 13/03/2015 18:31

Oops, cross posted. Sounds like you need to speak to the cardiologists secretary and chivvy your letter along if they said they would send you a copy.

Coffeethrowtrampbitch · 13/03/2015 18:54

I would contact the cardiologist's secretary to ask for a copy.

I was meant to receive letters directly from my consultant after a letter he sent to the GP wasn't properly read and as a result I was not put on the correct dose of medication.

They are still not copying letters to me despite this, but I think this is an oversight, I can't imagine it is in their interest for me not to know as I meet with the consultant and discuss my treatment with him, the letter only informs the GP which treatment has been agreed upon.

CallMeExhausted · 13/03/2015 18:59

OP, I request that notes are copies to me at the time of the appointment if the consultant is OK with it .

It sounds like that is what you did as well. If the cardiologist agreed to it (as it sounds) then you should be asking the cardiologist for a copy. The note is written to your GP, and possibly copied to you per your cardiologist, but for the GP to provide you a copy the GP must be aware of what is in it, too.

I hope this makes sense. In the US, many patients have access to results/reports immediately. However, they have neither the training not the facility to deal with these results. This causes no end of problem (I can't tell you the number of private Facebook messages I have had from acquaintances flipping out over results just barely outside of parameters that they have accessed online but cannot get in to see the ordering physician for clarification).

Contact the cardiologist, or sit tight. If there was something life threatening to really worry about, I assure you would have heard about it already.

HoraceCope · 13/03/2015 18:59

i woudl ask the cardiology dept to be copied in.
I had to recently ask orthopaedic dept to be copied in and I understood patients are always copied in for at least the last 2 years.

Nomama · 13/03/2015 19:02

Of course you can have a copy, you are entitled to see it, have it. But not always prior to your GP reading it, for some fairly obvious reasons.

Nothing is being kept hidden. If you want to get a copy at the same time as your GP ask... find out what your consultant/GP do as standard and see if they will do as you ask.