School Mum starting at GP

[KnowlWay]

Is there any way to ensure she can’t access my medical records? She’s very mouthy. We get on okay but I don’t want her knowing anything about my health. I don’t think I’m being unreasonable. My husband does and thinks she won’t get a chance to be nosey.

[littlepattilou]

Names are made up obvs ^

[Erkrie]

She'd be stupid if she did and you got wind of it. Her snooping leaves a footprint. I wouldn't dare do that myself.

[HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee]

You can make request to practice manager for a restriction that she cannot access your notes

[NextDoorKnobber]

@WorraLiberty

From NHS England...

Staff are only able to access your record when they have an official need to, they can't look at your record for no reason. They can only see the information they need to use in order for them to do their job properly and help you manage your health.

It was similar when I worked in a school office. I was allowed access to a pupil's file (this was paper files, back then) if I had a specific reason to need to do so. I had to ask for permission and log why I needed to see the particular file. I wasn't allowed to remove any files from the office, ever.

[TurquoiseDress]

She cannot access your records without your consent

This is definitely NOT true

The practice does not need to seek patient consent every time notes are looked at, imagine the chaos...nothing would ever get done!

[Vursayles]

Even though she has the power to access your records, to do so without valid clinical or administrative reason is in breach of GDPR regulations. If caught doing she would face disciplinary action, ditto if discovered gossiping about patients medical history.

All access to records is heavily audited to allow the practice to monitor this. You cannot access someone’s record without entering a reason (at least with the system I work with). If she has two brain cells to rub together and an ounce of sense, she won’t even think about it.

[Orphlids]

A doctor’s receptionist told a mutual friend that friend’s stepdaughter had had an abortion. Unfortunately, sometimes the people we would hope would be professional and discreet are anything but. Not to say this lady will prove to be a nosey parker, but it does happen.

[LiitleMissNotSoPerfect]

But surely, in spite of all the rules, there may be a genuine reason why she needs to access your records.

What about test results that come in? Does she not have to log them onto your records?

Or write a letter of referral perhaps?

It's all very well for people to talk about The Rules but I also think it must be quite easy for someone to bend them if they are determined.

Okay they need to log in with their PIN or whatever, but who monitors the log-ins?

I've heard about so many breaches of data with the NHS that I'd not be at all surprised if rules are broken a lot of the time and no one knows.

Many years ago in my town, they used to allow school kids to do work experience at the local drs. A friend who was a teacher knew her student was there on work experience and was really concerned. This was years ago before everything was computerised- and someone simply had to open a filing cabinet and take a look at some notes.

[Ladderclimber]

She'll do it and she won't get caught. Change GPs.

Insider info.

[Standrewsschool]

@Number3BigCupOfTea

Do they delete your record if you leave?

No, the records still stay on that practice’s system. The patient is flagged as ‘inactive’. However, they are also transferred to the new surgery.

[LiitleMissNotSoPerfect]

Surely though, OP, she would have access to a great number of other mums' records? You can hardly be the only one in that practice who she knows.

It's very hard in a small town.

On a different note, my mum was going to apply for some benefits (as a pensioner) and would have had to show copies of all her bank statements and savings. Given she's lived in the area for over 80 years and people at the council knew her and her family, she decided it wasn't worth the hassle for the small amount of benefits she might be due.

[Standrewsschool]

@Orphlids

A doctor’s receptionist told a mutual friend that friend’s stepdaughter had had an abortion. Unfortunately, sometimes the people we would hope would be professional and discreet are anything but. Not to say this lady will prove to be a nosey parker, but it does happen.

That is highly unprofessional! The friend and daughter should both lodge a complaint. She has broken every GDPR/data-protection/safe-guarding rule going.

[likeamillpond]

Its a horrible situatiiob.
Even if she follows confidentiality rules they have a system now whereby the patient has to tell the receptionist what the problem is, before gainung access to a doctor.
So embarrassing.

[ConquestEmpireHungerPlague]

@jacks11

If she is working in the surgery, whether in admin or clinical role, she is bound by confidentiality rules. If she breaks them, the consequences for her (and the practice) are severe. It does happen, of course, as there idiots in any walk of life- but it’s not that common.

I’m not sure how you could stop her accessing your records- it would be an administrative nightmare for the surgery to ensure it never happened. And in an emergency, for instance, it may be a bad idea. I doubt they could agree to guarantee she never handle information about you. If she works on reception, for instance, and she answers the phone and it’s you- are you going to demand to put through to someone else? You could hang up and call later- but if a pain for you (and you may just get her again). If she deals with admin, she may be dealing with the electronic or paper letters or results from the hospital- putting them into the correct record- she won’t know it’s yours until she opens the envelope in the case of hard copies, in the case of electronic- what does she do if that is her task? Disturb someone else to come and do yours specifically? Put it to the back of the list for someone else to do another day? Similarly if she is the secretary who types the referral letters- what if no-one else does this role? Or it might mean your referral letters are delayed if it has to be put back on the list for someone else to do. If she is a nurse or gp, it may be easier in that you can ask not to see her. But gp’s do have to deal with results from others in the practice sometimes- e.g. if the gp who ordered a test is on holiday or not in.

If you are adamant she must not see your record then I think you will have to register at another surgery.

You can apply to the practice to have your records locked, OP. This is what is done if someone is a patient at the same surgery where they work. You can stipulate who can and who cannot access your record. That way she could only access it if she uses someone else's smartcard, which would be gross misconduct. You may be asked to justify your request if your only concern is that you think she's 'a bit mouthy' but if, for instance, you have particularly sensitive issues in your records I can't think why the practice would not agree.

[Brazilianut]

Nephew worked as a receptionist at GP. They can see all the GP notes from your appointments, medications and conditions on their system and he regularly had to scan medical documents/blood results to patient files.

[ElinoristhenewEnid]

Even if you moved surgery a copy of your previous medical history would remain on your current surgery's system - would be listed under dormant.

I think they have tightened up on access to records - when I worked at a gp surgery we had access to everything and the audit trail only showed if a person added or deleted information from a patient record, not if he or she had just accessed it - this may have changed now.

[GrannieD]

She would need a legitimate reason to access your records and possibly limitations on what she can see. It's a disciplinary if she just has a nosey

[NeverDropYourMoonCup]

I've had access through employment to the records of a number of people whom I dislike or they openly can't stand me.

I don't give a flying fuck that it's their records, I just do my job (whatever one it is at the time). I would be extremely pissed off had somebody who doesn't like me kicked off and accused me of things I never had any intention of doing in the first place.

When it's possible to do so, I have passed things over explaining that there could be a conflict or seen to be a boundary crossed. However, on the majority of occasions, it makes absolutely zero difference that I know the person outside of the professional environment, as I don't gossip about people I don't know either.

[GreenHairThingy]

I'm the daughter of a retired nurse. There is barely a HCP in my locale that doesn't know my mum. We look similar so am always asked how she's doing. I am registered at the surgery where she was based as a community nurse for 15 years. These days most of the staff are too new to know me, but back in the day everyone knew me from the cleaning team up to the GP who ran the practice (having a cute young baby helped) .

It never once occurred to me to be bothered that someone was rifling through my records.

This woman you know will know countless other people in school, the local area, friends even people who work in the local shop. Why would she decide to single you out and snoop through your records?

You sound a tad dramatic tbh. I think you should move practices and take your overactive imagination with you. Poor woman hasn't done anything wrong other than be "a bit gobby"

[hellomom]

Everyone saying she'll be fired if she looks at your record. No. She will only be fired or disciplinary action taken if she was to
Get caught, they won't keep a track of everyone's record she is viewing and why, it would only be questioned if you raised it as a concern that she has spoken to others about your medical record.

[poppycat10]

@Aprilx

She works at the GPS of course she will be able to access your records. She would get the sack if she got “mouthy” about anything she sees, is she really that stupid? I think YABU.

Yes people are that stupid, which is why I don't like the idea of parent helpers at schools (who then go to their yummy mummy coffee mornings and gossip). However, the impact of the stupidity is losing their job, so while I don't think the OP is being unreasonable, I don't think it's an issue. Most people won't do things that risk their jobs.

[Larsingsong]

I work for the nhs and it may be different at the GP practice, but I can't open any records unless it's a patient I'm dealing with. If I know someone, I would get another colleague to examine them if possible.

I've never snooped on anyone I know, as it would be a disciplinary offence, every patient record access is tracked.

[HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee]

I can look at any electronic record irrespective of whether or not I directly work with a client

[FrankieFalcone]

I’ve only read up to page 2, so apologies if this has already been discussed!

Can I just ask, why do receptionists need access to your medical records? You call the surgery, they have to access your name, address and date of birth but why do they need FULL access? Even if it’s a case of calling to ask about test results, yes occasionally I’ve been told ‘negative, no further action’ but if something does require further appointments you’re always told that this can’t be discussed over the phone and an appointment needs to be made with your GP.

I’d feel the same as you tbh, OP. In fact, I’m in a similar situation at my GP surgery and would be hugely uncomfortable if the person I know, could read my medical history. Can’t change surgery either as there is one in the area I live, wouldn’t be accepted in any outside of the area.

[FrankieFalcone]

Surely there should be a better system in place, where only your GP can access your entire medical records.