Aibu to not send doc a pic of private area

[Pud26]

Bit of a long winded one sorry!!

My 2 year old son is having issues down below.

He's red raw and blistering and complaining about it being sore. (Don't blame him it looks horrendous)

This has been going on for a week now, he's not sleeping at night because it's sore and itchy and is itching it like mad! He is now hating have his nappy changed or going in the bath it's traumatising!!

I phoned the doctors today and got a student who said take photos of it and send them through! I absolutely refused as I wouldn't take photos of my sons bits regardless. The doctors then said they had no appointments available and if I didn't send through photos then there was nothing they could do.

Aibu to not send photos to a email address???

I have a toddler with various skin problems and the phone/video GP consultations are an absolute joke and usually prolonged my child’s misery by him being constantly misdiagnosed. Most skin issues need to be seen up close by a dr not on a blurry photo. Even if you did agree to send a photo, how the hell are you going to get a clear shot of a toddlers crotch without them moving!? Push for a face to face or go to a walk in clinic.

Thank you all for your messages!

I just kind of wanted to make sure I wasn't being stupid by refusing because it just doesn't sit right with me at all!!

The chemist did give me a cream to try so hopefully that will work!

I will definitely be moving Dr surgery after this and putting in a complaint about it.

I wouldn't mind taking him into the docs to show them in person but definitely not a pic.

I think sending them a photo has got to be better than having an unhelpful conversation about ‘down below’ ‘bits’ and ‘private parts’.

@Cbtb

Images of adults are not illegal. Embarrassing and need to be confidential yes but not illegal

I've asked for you pp to be removed, think it was in error.

Agree, my surgery allows no photos of genitals.

Our GP online consultation says that under no circumstances pictures of intimate areas should be emailed to them. Your GP is an idiot. It’s against the law.

I agree with you op. Sending photographs of children's genitalia is not on, no matter the reason.
Could he have thrush?

Please don’t. My gp surgery specifically states to their online page to not send any below waist images so you are right to be concerned.

@toothpicklover

I work in a GP surgery we are not allowed to ask for photos of genitals of adults let alone children. I would complain to the surgery.

I absolutely would not send pictures of a child’s genitals to a doctor or anyone else for that matter.

Definitely not. If you take a picture on your phone it could get automatically synced up to the cloud and it was in the news recently they are adding automatic detection for images like this so it could end up on a list. No thanks. No rude pictures on my phone ever.

I wouldn't send photos. It doesn't matter how secure the email is....you just don't know who people are. A local Dr here got done for having child abuse images a few years ago. They need to see him for something so sensitive.

@Flufferty

You're stopping your son from accessing appropriate treatment

No. The DOCTOR is preventing them accessing appropriate treatment. Asking you to send pictures of children’s genitals is completely inappropriate. There are times and places for telephone consults. This isn’t one. I am a bit depressed about GP resourcing when I read MN (having left UK medicine a year ago)

My GP is currently doing initial consultations over the phone only.

If any pictures need taking so they can see the issue in advance, my GP sends a secure link via text, which you upload the pictures to, no emails involved. I would have thought something like that would be common practice across the NHS. Email sounds odd, as obviously you have to send it from your personal email to them.

I don’t think you are being unreasonable although I don’t know if it is illegal, plenty of medical textbooks with such images and images are obtained through medical photography and kept in notes. I know many GP practices have rules about this - ours do (no genitals or nipples). Just because email is encrypted/secure it doesn’t mean things cant be saved onto unsecure computers.

I would put in a formal complaint - your concerns are legitimate and you should not be denied access to a face to face appointment.

@RoomOfRequirement

You're being ridiculous. This is a medical consultation not a pedophile ring.

The ignorance is ridiculous. Paedophiles aren't trolls who live under bridges you know. They can and do work in all kinds of professions.

And beyond this, pictures sent by email can end up anywhere through carelessness, hacking, etc.

YANBU

We avoid aking for pics of private areas. Never would we expect private pics of kids

@ControView

Just send the pic without a face. I mean what's the worst that could happen, a pedo finds it and gets off on it? So what? How would that affect you or your son, especially as you wouldn't even know about it?

Are you serious? Why don't you post a photo of your genitals, no face, onto a porn site so people can get off on it. What's the worst that could happen?

@ControView

Just send the pic without a face. I mean what's the worst that could happen, a pedo finds it and gets off on it? So what? How would that affect you or your son, especially as you wouldn't even know about it?

Revolting

@Theredjellybean

I'm a gp and I can tell you absolutely the guidance from the GMC and NHS England has been no pics or video consulting that involves looking at sensitive areas of anatomy. The systen that should be used is a specific bit of tech that sends the pt a link from the gp, the pt replies with a photo which uploads and saves straight into their medical records. Its very secure and there is no screening or going to a generic inbox etc.. However even with that, we shpukd never ask for photos of genitals, female breasts, etc. If it was a student or trainee then they need better supervision, I'd ring and ask to speak to the practice manager. And it sounds like thrush... You can buy over bthe counter canestan cream and try that first

If you're talking about AccuRx it CAN be viewed through the main generic inbox

Don't send no photos and get some Dr. Bach Rescue Remedy Cream from Boots, or wherever.

It works.

Our practice says not to email any "sensitive" photos.

@TheHouseILiveIn

I wouldn't send photos. It doesn't matter how secure the email is....you just don't know who people are. A local Dr here got done for having child abuse images a few years ago. They need to see him for something so sensitive.

I wouldn't send a photo but I'm not sure I'd think seeing that local doctor would be great either. Might be a bit sensitive as I was assaulted by a doctor when I was a child, my mother was in the room but he sort of positioned himself to block her view.

You did the right thing by refusing to send the photos. I think the junior Dr didn't have enough experience to advise. Get an emergency appointment tomorrow, if not call 111 and they can book you in with ur gp or any gp connected to your surgery. I have in past refused to send a photo of lower back area of my child and my gp immediately agreed that I shouldn't send it if I am not comfortable. I was seen in a few days though. Poor child, I do hope it gets sorted soon.

Afaik possession and distribution of such an image is actually criminal?