GDPR

[Mummyto2munchkins]

So I've rung to cancel my partners dentist appointment today to be told that I can't because of the GDPR..

I've rung another dentist practice who said if I was to confirm all details with them then they would be happy to cancel and GDPR is for having details and sharing information and contacting a person.

AIBU to think they should have canceled or am I just being an emotional mess?

The thing is, it doesn’t really matter if it’s GDPR or not. The dentist is perfectly entitled to have their own policy of only allowing you to cancel your own appointment, independent of the GDPR rules.

Not sure why that makes you an emotional mess?

Emotional mess?

Same issue arose under even the 1984 Data Protection Act actually.
However most dentists do let the family deal with these things - writing as someone with 5 adult children and I often fix, confirm etc appontments for the student two - our dentist takes a more pragmatic attitude to it particularly as we have a land line so they would be calling the home line not a personal mobile anyway.

Not a new thing. Badly explained, though.
Unless they know that your partner is happy for you to act on his behalf, why should they talk to you about his/her appointment.

Why are people so nasty. How do you know OPs partner hasn’t died and that’s why she’s an emotional mess. And is trying to cancel his appointments etc.

How he hasn’t op I’m just trying to male nasty ppl stop and think!!

Hope and make*

Is there something else going on op?

It's perfectly sensible to only allow the patient to make/amend/cancel their own appointments (unless they're a child obviously).

DP had to collect his severely disable father to take him home from hospital, unable to walk properly on his own and unable to phone as he needs to make sure his dad is safe (hospital only called us this morning to fetch him)
Emotional mess is because my stress levels are high. Had to take 3 lots of meds to the hospital for discharge (I do have another post about this) with a young baby and toddler also.

I've made appointments for him before with dentist and doctors. Doctors allow me to cancel and they also have been told I can call for him too.

Ok op, you've got a lot on your plate so don't worry about it. If your dp is able to phone and cancel himself then great but otherwise just put it out of your mind.
He could maybe get them to add a note under his name giving you permission for the future.

Then that's different. I'm sorry for your stressful situation. However, the best way to do it is to make sure that permissions are in place for them to speak to you about your partners details.

All permissions are in place for both of us so either can call.

This was before the GDPR though, so unless we have to do all of it all again...

You phoned another dentist to see how they would deal with it??

What a waste of time.

I would just have said 'well, I'm telling you he won't be there, to give you a chance to fill the slot. You can choose not to cancel, but then that slot is wasted. Your call! Bye.'

It has nothing to do with GDPR, that's a lazy explanation in their part. They had to do this before. If they are ignoring established permissions, they are wrong.

OP, I apologise for my shitty comment, I was out of order. Not having the best day myself so I should know better.

I’m really sorry x

No problem don't worry! Didn't take it to heart anyway! Hope your day gets better, x