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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dr breached my confidentiality

105 replies

wishes1111 · 14/04/2021 15:42

Hello

I have a long history of being fed up with this doctor, since I was 16 and went to him with a bad cough and he told me I was depressed, I ended up in hospital that night with pleurisy.

I have depression and anxiety anyway and when I was 18, he accused me of buying diazepam off the internet (something I have never done). Growing up with addict parents, I am very careful and have never taken drugs that have not been prescribed to me.

After this, I requested that he didn't contact me again.

I put a request in last week online for some propanalol which I have on a repeat prescription and I gave the reason as "anxiety".

My regular dr gave me a call to check I didn't need anything stronger as I have been under the community mental health team. I said I was okay and just needed some more propanalol, she was happy with this and sent my prescription through as requested.

I went back onto my work calls and whilst I was working I had 4 missed calls from my DH. I called him back and he was panicking as he said the Dr (the one I had trouble) with called him whilst he was out at work and said "I can't get hold of (name) and she put a request in for anxiety medication". I hadn't spoken to DH about this as my anxiety wasn't severe and it was just my usual prescription request.

I am angry that he called DH, his number is not on my file as confirmed by a receptionist but he is listed underneath my address. There is no consent given for him to be contacted to discuss on my behalf and the receptionist said the Dr must have searched my surname and address to obtain his phone number.

Am I right to put a complaint in about this? I wouldn't know where to start. Is it a breach of my data protection? AIBU?

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 14/04/2021 16:49

Absolutely outrageous.

Complain as loudly as possible - practice manager & CCG as others have said.

I'm so sorry.

I would change practices, personally. He sounds awful.

Notaroadrunner · 14/04/2021 16:52

Definitely complain. He's an arrogant wanker who needs to be called out for his unprofessional behaviour.

Deedeedocket · 14/04/2021 16:55

A few years back after I had fled my abusive husband, I found out I was pregnant. My doctor despite me updating my address and going to her with a broken nose courtesy of one ex husband, phoned him to tell him my folic acid prescription was waiting for me. So in one swoop told my ex husband I was pregnant something I had to tried to keep from him.

I complained to the surgery and left them immediately I wish I had followed it up but didn’t have the strength and frame of mind to deal with it at the time.

Follow it up.

TheOrigRights · 14/04/2021 16:56

Please complain.

As an aside, I just enter "repeat" in the 'note for GP' part of the online medication request.

pointythings · 14/04/2021 16:58

Absolutely do complain. This GP has crossed so many lines it is unreal. Unless people complain, nothing will ever change. There are many situations where an action of this kind could have put someone at risk, i.e. in a domestic violence situation.

TheVanguardSix · 14/04/2021 17:01

Is there a possibility that your DH's mobile number is listed on your contact page? For example, could it be listed as an additional number to contact you on?
Is it possible your DH is listed as N.O.K. with your practice?

Sorry. I'm just trying to see if there is something reasonable behind this doctor's idiocy.

Billben · 14/04/2021 17:09

Wow, I’d be livid at this. I share everything with my DH but the one and only thing that I always want to keep private is my medical record/history etc.

I would complain without a doubt.

TheDaydreamBelievers · 14/04/2021 17:09

@TheVanguardSix even if that was the case, when they reached the DH they should have asked "can I speak to x?" and when DH said "this is their husband" they should have then just said can x please call us.

AdaColeman · 14/04/2021 17:14

Yes, it's a flagrant breach of your confidentiality, even a trainee GP would know this. You should certainly report it.

EL8888 · 14/04/2021 17:15

Definitely complain and report. He’s certainly Mr arrogant and interfering. That’s even before we get to the GDPR breaches Confused

Chwaraeteg · 14/04/2021 17:18

It's a bit of a grey area whether the Dr has broken any rules. Dr patient confidentiality isn't absolute. Dr's are allowed to breach confidentiality for certain reasons e.g. where there is a risk of harm to the patient/ if it is in the patients best interest to do so etc.

However, I would be really frigging angry about this too. There are other routes the Dr could have gone down to make sure you were OK. Trust has been broken

endofthelinefinally · 14/04/2021 17:20

The practice manager is usually the designated Caldicott Guardian. An email to the practice manager to confirm this, with your complaint attached, is the first step in the process. you don't at this point, need to share your information further unless the PM does not respond, or you are not happy with the response.

MakeMathsFun · 14/04/2021 17:21

Read www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-complain-if-you-re-unhappy-with-your-gp-or-doctor-s-surgery-a2fyc8v0Q7Nj

It describes how to complain about your GP

AuditAngel · 14/04/2021 17:22

Under GDPR medical information is special category data.

GP has breached your personal data by revealing the prescription to your DH.

However, they have also accessed your DH’s personal data to contact him without permission.

Youdontknowwhatyouronabout · 14/04/2021 17:24

Appalling. Yes, complain in writing and have an alert added to your notes that you don’t want that dr dealing with you in future. Under the circumstances they should bend over backwards to make sure another GP deals with all your requests in future.

KaleJuicer · 14/04/2021 17:24

He’s in the wrong on two counts:

  • breached common law duty of confidence. The professional duty owed by doctors to their patients : a matter for the GMC
  • non compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 / UK GDPR. A matter for the ICO
KoalaOok · 14/04/2021 17:25

Absolutely both of you should complain.

Youdontknowwhatyouronabout · 14/04/2021 17:26

Is it possible your DH is listed as N.O.K. with your practice?

Still not a reason to discuss op’s request with her DH.

KM38 · 14/04/2021 17:26

@Deedeedocket

A few years back after I had fled my abusive husband, I found out I was pregnant. My doctor despite me updating my address and going to her with a broken nose courtesy of one ex husband, phoned him to tell him my folic acid prescription was waiting for me. So in one swoop told my ex husband I was pregnant something I had to tried to keep from him.

I complained to the surgery and left them immediately I wish I had followed it up but didn’t have the strength and frame of mind to deal with it at the time.

Follow it up.

This is awful @Deedeedocket 😓

My midwife called my DP while he was working offshore in the Middle East...3 missed calls and rambling message about how she really needed to get in touch with me urgently to discuss something but couldn’t get hold of me. When he heard her message he called my work looking for me terrified that something was wrong with me or baby (we were waiting for some test results). I checked my phone...I’d had one missed call an hour before from the midwife...no message or anything left 😐
The urgent matter that warranted the international search for me??...my appointment the following week was being moved to the afternoon instead of the morning 😡
DP wasn’t listed on my maternity file as emergency contact etc due to him being abroad a lot. She had gone and checked under my address on the GPs system to find DPs details and called him 😡 I was fuming!!

KaleJuicer · 14/04/2021 17:27

@Chwaraeteg makes a good point. Duty of confidence can be set aside in some circumstances. The GDPR also has exceptions but usually has to be a matter of (near) life and death. The dr here may have been seriously concerned about you.

Topseyt · 14/04/2021 17:27

Yes, complain long and loud. This is surely a breach.

I wonder why this doctor is so invested in you given that they are no longer treating you and no longer involved in your case? Very strange.

meercat23 · 14/04/2021 17:28

When our GP practice rang to speak to my husband they wouldn't even tell me who they were as it was confidential. They just asked me to ring them back on the number they gave. That GP may have had good intentions but what he did was absolutely a breach of confidentiality.

PattyPan · 14/04/2021 17:32

Honestly I find it hard to believe that a doctor who isn’t even treating you would care about you that much Confused

poppycat10 · 14/04/2021 17:40

Something similar happened to me - way before GDPR but still contrary to patient confidentiality - my GP phoned my parents after I'd had a smear test (in my early 20s!!) to say I had a cervical erosion and I needed something doing to it to avoid cervical cancer (now we know it doesn't cause cancer). I wasn't very impressed and should have complained but didn't.

But now we have GDPR as well, it really isn't acceptable.

And I also agree one doctor shouldn't be undermining another doctor. If you don't agree with your colleague's decision discuss it with THEM not the patient.

poppycat10 · 14/04/2021 17:41

And yes duty of confidence can be set aside - I've spoken to doctors and dentists on behalf of my parents but no particularly sensitive data was shared in either case.

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