Dr breached my confidentiality

[wishes1111]

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?

The doctor sounds obsessed with you. Like he has decided who you are, and he cannot be wrong

Yes complain - that is dreadful!

I had a call earlier from GP receptionist to book ds covid vaccine.

He's 16 so they asked to speak to him. (Before she told me reason for call!)

I said I was registered as his carer at GP and so I deal with his medical stuff. They checked the system before they'd engage with me or even tell me why they called.

I think that's the level of professionalism I'd love to see everywhere because I know it protects my ds. Although part of me also gets tempted to put autistic ds on the phone 🤣🤣

Why do you need to give a reason that you need to have more propranolol other than 'I've run out'

If your propranolol is on repeat, surely you just tick the box saying you want some more?

I am wondering, not that this in any way justifies phoning your DH, you saying you have anxiety, rather than just wanting a repeat prescription, has made the GPs think this is a bigger deal than it is.

[quote KaleJuicer]@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.[/quote]
It's not that doctor's place to even be reading her file. He is not her treating physician.

Do you have a history of suicide ideation, OP?

Complain

Glad you're going to make a complaint. I had to complain about a HV who phoned the house and asked my ex if the baby was moving to X city with me next month - I'd told my GP I was going to leave my abusive partner and she told him my plans She believed him when he said nobody was moving, someone must be confused, and never contacted us again (so as well as potentially getting me killed she endangered a child).

I ended up being made to quit my job so ex could keep an eye on me 24/7 and didn't have the opportunity to leave again for over a year. I complained after I'd finally escaped and got a formal apology. The HV had left in the meantime but they did say they would make other staff aware so it didn't happen again.

To this day I am very, very wary about what I tell any HCP and I won't ever trust them entirely again.

@ragged A long time ago, I said I was suicidal to my Dr, I knew I needed help. I haven't felt that bad since, I've had new antidepressants, I work full time, I'm not on any others meds than Propanalol, anti depressant and my asthma inhaler (yes the propanalol does affect my asthma but is a safer option than diazepam apparently).

I think all gdpr can go out the window if a doctor believes you're going to harm yourself or another. That is the theory there.

I see a psychotherapist and that's what she told me. I'm paraphrasing but it boiled down to ''I won't breath a word you say to another soul unless you're suicidal or you tell me of a child in danger''.

@SelkieIntegrated even then, the professional should speak to you before they do it. Its typically only done where the person has disclosed that they or someone else are at immediate risk, and wont engage with anything to reduce that risk (so for example if someone said they were going to go home right now and end their life, and would not stay to discuss how it could be avoided and ran off, a therapist may then disclose that to the police or to a caregiver/parent in order to ensure their safety).

The gp must have been seriously worried about you. Perhaps because the last time he/she fucked up and you ended up in hospital. They must have thought you could have been suicidal and were desperate to contact you to save your life.

Really? Loads of people are on anti depressants or anxiety medication. It's not an emergency every time one of them requests a repeat prescription.

Roomba

That is so appalling. I’m glad you are out.

@Roomba 😓 This is awful!! Things like this make me so angry!! Especially in her position 😡 I hope you and your DC are safe now ❤️
My HV is incredible and I hate reading stories about awful ones like yours!

@SelkieIntegrated he had no reason to believe I'd harm myself or another. My depression is well controlled. I've never expressed thoughts of harming others ever because I don't have those thoughts. The harming myself thing was mentioned once when I said I felt like I'd be better off not here. They played around with my antidepressants and I've been in a good place for a while now. It's just my anxiety is still needing to be controlled.

A GP used to do this every year with my daughter. She used to cancel an appointment for a 'Medication review' that they sent to her every year (she had no medication to review) and he would ring up, get me, and give me a load of instructions to pass on to her.

She has left the practice and got a sensible doctor.

@AnnaMagnani

Why do you need to give a reason that you need to have more propranolol other than 'I've run out'

If your propranolol is on repeat, surely you just tick the box saying you want some more?

I am wondering, not that this in any way justifies phoning your DH, you saying you have anxiety, rather than just wanting a repeat prescription, has made the GPs think this is a bigger deal than it is.

You are actually victim blaming.

I have some medication on repeat and if I just tick the box I get interrogated by a GP who I find hasn't read my notes. (My current practice has an excuse that the reason is years old. My old practice the partner decided to try to get off treating me because as he said "they had spent enough money on me". )

If I state why it is on repeat when I put in the requested, regardless of whether it's a review or not, I get the medication without any further questions.

Other extended family members at different GPs also have to do this.

He sounds fucking dangerous! I think you need to report to the Medical Board! (Also, why is HE calling when when you are dealing with your regular GP, anyway? Can you request that your GP also complain?) *He must also be about a million years old.

@AnnaMagnani

Why do you need to give a reason that you need to have more propranolol other than 'I've run out'

If your propranolol is on repeat, surely you just tick the box saying you want some more?

I am wondering, not that this in any way justifies phoning your DH, you saying you have anxiety, rather than just wanting a repeat prescription, has made the GPs think this is a bigger deal than it is.

I agree that there is no need for DH to be involved.

I disagree that you should just tick and box and they give it.

Medicines should be reviewed yearly and intermittently if the repeat requests are more frequent or being requested again after a period of time. The OP done this with her usual dr.

It should never be a case that you request and a dr prescribes without checking your history.

We’re currently dealing with a breach of patient confidentiality at our GP practice. A referral letter was incorrectly issued in my MILs name ‘Betty Markham’ (should have been for my wife) and faxed to a specialist with accompanying paperwork about my wife ‘Sophie Markham’. A hard copy was then posted to my MIL, twice.

My wife is very unwell and now her mum knows all about her current medications, diagnoses and treatment plans. Which means the entire extended family, friends and anyone she speaks to knows too - MIL isn’t one for keeping anything private.

Oddly enough the GP (who wrote out the referral) can’t understand how this happened and is trying to shift the blame onto the front desk staff.

It would have been less stressful if the letter had gone to a complete stranger.

@wishes1111 I hope you get things sorted out and it’s not caused you too much additional anxiety.

@MaitlandGirl

We’re currently dealing with a breach of patient confidentiality at our GP practice. A referral letter was incorrectly issued in my MILs name ‘Betty Markham’ (should have been for my wife) and faxed to a specialist with accompanying paperwork about my wife ‘Sophie Markham’. A hard copy was then posted to my MIL, twice.

My wife is very unwell and now her mum knows all about her current medications, diagnoses and treatment plans. Which means the entire extended family, friends and anyone she speaks to knows too - MIL isn’t one for keeping anything private.

Oddly enough the GP (who wrote out the referral) can’t understand how this happened and is trying to shift the blame onto the front desk staff.

It would have been less stressful if the letter had gone to a complete stranger.

@wishes1111 I hope you get things sorted out and it’s not caused you too much additional anxiety.

Christ almighty....... That's really bad. If it is the GP's fault then they could be struck of for this. However I do know that GP's have admin staff/front desk staff do all admin for them. Very doubtful that it was done by an actual GP; purely because they just don't have the time!

*struck off

Stupid mini iPhone

Definitely think both you and your DH should put in separate complaints.
Sorry that one of the GPs at your surgery is such a dick.

A practice nurse once told my sister, when hearing the contraception she was thinking of asking for, ‘oh thats a good one, it’ll be fine for you, that’s what your sister has had for years’. Family were anti contraception for religious reasons. Caused an almighty upset. I’m still angry I didn’t complain.