To be so cross and upset that I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow

[ScrotesOnFire]

And try and get an item removed from my medical records?

I can't go into any detail for fear of outing myself, but I saw my midwife today and she brought up an item on my records.

From many MONTHS ago which means that she must have been nosy and been rifling through my medical history in order to come across it

I was not aware that this information had been shared, I would not have given consent for it, it has no relevance to my health, was dealt with long ago and can only possibly be used to cause me distress, not improve my care in any way, shape or form.

I am absolutely furious that she has been rifled through my history like this, who else is this information open to?!?!
Any midwife, nurse, doctor, receptionist etc could read about it.

I haven't been able to relax all day about it, I am so upset and distressed.

I feel like not seeing my midwife ever again. Or the doctors.

Feel violated actually.

Herecone I think that's exactly my point. The snap out of it attitude comes because they are not trained to deal with issues that are not disorders but that do affect mental health. I can think of a number of examples like this but it would be intrusive and unfair to the OP to speculate, so I won't. Medical training appears to be about 'fixing things' and issues that affect mental health cannot be 'fixed' in that way. It just seems absurd to me that the go-to place for mental health is staffed by many people who have practically zero training in it (according to various statistics online by medical bodies like the BMA 25%/40%) and possibly even higher than that do not have sufficient training to counsel a person who needs it and to know the difference between normal levels of distress and disorders. And yet more than 20% of people go to the GP with some kind of (in its broadest sense) mental health issue.

Whether or not the OP is acting from an emotional standpoint or not, I believe the midwife handled it really badly,; didn't take into account the OP had already had another DC without issues; and caused the OP a considerable amount of distress. It seems to me you can cause more harm than good by blundering in, uninvited into someone's painful past; that's what appears to have happened here. That's what happens when untrained people think they're experts. You may think the OP should just accept this, I empathise with her.

I hope rather than 'making her see this' the practice manager shows some empathy.

I was so in to replying that I forgot to point out that the OP's 'complaint' was against a midwife who can write prescriptions for some tests and can refer you directly for some tests.

Pinkginandolives

I think you misunderstood me.

Firstly, of course medical training should be about fixing things, mental or physical. Somethings can't be fixed and can therefore be managed eg. terminal diseases and some mental problems. I can't really comment on the specifics of how my case was handled as it was private and not the NHS but I was prescribed lithium and took it for several years. I haven't needed it for many years and hopefully won't again, but it fixed me at that time. Years later a different Dr asked me about my bi-polarness when having apparently unconnected issues. I didn't especially like talking about it but wasn't upset they'd brought it up.

I think that yes, perhaps the midwife did 'blunder in'. I didn't say the OP should accept that but the thrust of my point, I think that the midwife should absolutely read through the notes for an overview of their 'patient' and the mistake here was perhaps the way it was handled. I say perhaps because we don't know all the details and how pertinent it was to the situation. We also don't know if it was addressed appropriately by the midwife but the OP had an unpredictable and over the top (not blaming her for a second if it was). Humans are unpredicatable and all the training in the world can't prepare you for every eventuality.

When I said, "make [the OP] see this" I meant reassure her as to why mid wives have access to medical files, how the confidentiality / data protection works and the like. Maybe explain the pertinence of whatever it is the OP doesn't like on her file.

None of my original post was meant to belittle her feelings.

I think we're unlikely to agree herecome. You are talking about bipolar which is something that lends itself to drug therapy and can be managed and to some extent 'fixed'. I do not see the OPs issue in that light at all. It's fine if you do but I don't read it the same way. I was talking about issues that affect mental health not mental illness or disorders themselves, which is what the OP alluded to.

I would say that the OPs reaction was not unpredictable if it touched on issues that were extremely sensitive and personal and I could not say it was over the top.

Training may not help you to deal with all eventualities but an adequately trained person would handle people's personal issues in a more sensitive and empathic way.

I do not see the OPs issue in that light at all. It's fine if you do but I don't read it the same way.

But we don't know what they are. Surely anything that affects your mental health and has been disclosed to a health care professional should be available for health professionals to see in the future?

Again, the OP chose to keep a lot of details private so we can't comment specifically but I think there are three possible problems here.

1. If there was any reason for the midwife to mention it to the OP and there may well have been.

2. The way it was mentioned, assuming it was necessary and the way that affected the OP (her reaction)

3. If the midwife should be privvy to the information once disclosed.

We don't have the details to answer 1 and 2. We know how the OP feels about it but she may have reacted irrationally / atypically* as it's obviously very important to her. Re. 3. I think yes. We can only assume (as with anyone else) she understands patient confidentiality and her responsibilities and therefore 'allowed' to see the notes.

The OP said "I am absolutely furious that she has been rifled through my history like this, who else is this information open to?!?!
Any midwife, nurse, doctor, receptionist etc could read about it."

I hope her mind has been put at rest by other posters that 1) receptionists wouldn't or can't look at certain information. They could see name, DOB, NHS number, for example. 2) no one will rifle though it. There is an audit trail. Pertinent details will be available to anyone dealing with her 3) whatever the OP is talking about may have been clearly visible on the first 'page' of the notes.

*not meant to be offensive

One thing is clear, OP hasn't found peace with the original issue. I hope you do in time.

Best wishes for your pregnancy.

herexomethepotatoes in respond to your earlier post, most women and/or families don't know they can say no thank you to the hv service. It is not delivered on an "optional" basis. That is why so many families go along with an inadequate service. There is a securely held view that to decline e the service will be seen as a res flag and result in a referral to ss. Intervention can only become mandatory is there is a court order. Even HVs and SS Have to disclose the reasons for that.

A lot of women go along with hvs through fear and insecurity. The status quo is deeply wrong.

Just wanted to say OP that my midwife knew about my depression /anxiety and was great. My HV now is really good I think I might have gone totally crazy without them!.

I don't think it's the end of the world if they know m whatever it is.

Just wanted to echo mylittlearmy.
My midwife & health visitor(s) were both really good +supportive also. I suffered dreadfully with antenatal + postnatal depression during my last pregnancy.
Might be worth asking if you can switch to another midwife, if you feel uncomfortable with her.
Good luck with everything OP.