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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to not send doc a pic of private area

192 replies

Pud26 · 30/09/2021 20:45

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???

OP posts:
WishingYouAMerryChristmasToo · 30/09/2021 22:04

It’s illegal to send or distribute photos of children under 16 so if refuse on that grounds and ask for face to face

tillytoodles1 · 30/09/2021 22:05

Just send it rather than let your son suffer.

SnackSizeRaisin · 30/09/2021 22:08

Damn. I sent a photo of my fanny, how long do you think I'll get?

Are you under 18? If so suggest you go and speak to your mum or responsible adult about this.

Fluffypastelslippers · 30/09/2021 22:11

@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?

Surely you cannot be serious here Sad

SnackSizeRaisin · 30/09/2021 22:11

If the alternative is bringing him into the office to be exposed to Covid I would do it.

Well unless the child is to be kept isolated from all other children forever they are going to be exposed to Covid. A doctor's surgery is a less likely place to catch it than nursery, school, a friends house, softplay etc

KaleJuicer · 30/09/2021 22:11

Another poster where who’s GP’s econsult won’t allow photos of intimate areas to be sent.

You need an in person appointment.

Mumoblue · 30/09/2021 22:12

You absolutely were not being unreasonable, and they were unreasonable to request it.
Email is not safe.

My son had a severe nappy rash a while back, and my doctor said over the phone that for most issues they’re having people send in pictures but that obviously they would not ask for a picture of that. They saw him instead. Keep at them, or see if you can see a pharmacist.

DaveDave · 30/09/2021 22:12

As happened upthread it is too easy to send/upload the wrong photo. Can you imagine If you forgot to delete the photo from your phone? GP needs to see him, poor little thing

Finallydonewithhim · 30/09/2021 22:17

@DaveDave

As happened upthread it is too easy to send/upload the wrong photo. Can you imagine If you forgot to delete the photo from your phone? GP needs to see him, poor little thing
I have reported that mistake.
YouTubeAddict · 30/09/2021 22:19

I would definitely feel uncomfortable too. Is there any way of taking a picture so that you can just see the sore bits and crop out anything else? You could always add in arrows with an explanation to help the doctor know what they’re looking at.

I do agree with other posters that an in-person visit would be more appropriate though.

Neonplant · 30/09/2021 22:24

@MajorCarolDanvers

Please complain to your MP and the NSPCC

This is just awful.

How fucking dramatic. Honestly mumsnet is the gift that keeps on giving.

What do people think is going to happen? I'm actually embarrassed as the dramatic replies. I don't know how most of the people posting function in the world.

SandAndSea · 30/09/2021 22:28

WTF??!!!! I can't believe what I'm reading here!

OP, I agree with you. Of course we shouldn't have to email photos of our genitals to our GP surgeries!

Moneysavvymam · 30/09/2021 22:29

Noone ever heard of a phone camera before? don't do it.

Moneysavvymam · 30/09/2021 22:30

By not sending pictures of our children's bits presumably.

Marmite17 · 30/09/2021 22:31

More selfish thinking but I would be uncomfortable sending pics of my own private parts, never mind a child's, from my e mail or phone. Not only would I have indecent images but would the subject really be anonymous if tagged with my phone number/ e mail plus message for surgery.
My gut reaction, regardless of legalities, would be no.

someonesomewhere7 · 30/09/2021 22:34

@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?
Uhm pretty sure that fall under creation and distribution of child porn...
Merryoldgoat · 30/09/2021 22:39

My son had something similar sounding and it was extremely difficult to treat. He needed an antibiotic cream and 4 courses of oral antibiotics and the doctor told us thar we were to take him to hospital if he got a fever or seemed otherwise unwell. It was Strep A iirc.

He needed swabs and the doctor never hesitated in seeing him and would not treat over the phone.

Even if they can’t see you a first line treatment like trimovate could’ve been prescribed as it’s a steroid, anti fungal and antibiotic.

I would take him to a walk in centre and complain about your doctor.

LegoLady95 · 30/09/2021 22:39

I have a similar issue. My son is 14 with severe learning disabilities. At his learning disability review a nurse at the surgery told me on the phone to book a GP appointment and email photo of his privates. I asked if he was sure about that and he said yes. When I rang for the appointment the receptionist said definitely not! They offered an in-person appointment straight away, but I won't be able to get my son through the door (very challenging behaviour and bigger than me). So we agreed I would attend an in person appointment and show the doctor the pictures on my phone...

BrilloSolar · 30/09/2021 22:42

Came on to say as others have done about the law on this. If you have to speak to the GP practice again, please ask them why they are requesting you do something 100% illegal. They're literally asking you to commit an offence.

My second point is something that I think completely passed by the UK news. Ireland is just about coming out of the effects of a Russian-based cyber attack on the health service in May. They hacked the system and held the health service to ransom. Appointments, radiotheropy and surgeries were cancelled. Hopsitals couldn't turn their computers on. Births and deaths couldn't be registered for months. Everything was completed on paper forms for weeks and months after. So all those saying that it's secure because it's the NHS... It's really not.

BungleandGeorge · 30/09/2021 22:47

I think the student has made a mistake, pics of child genitals should not be sent in, I’d ring and ask to speak to practice manager or clinician tomorrow. Possibly if there’s an affected area like upper thigh you could send that, but not genitals

RavingAnnie · 30/09/2021 22:47

@Cbtb

It dosent matter if it’s to a dr. There is no defence in law “for medical reasons” creating and sending an indecent image of a child is illegal even for the best of reasons. There has been some debate in the medical community about this but the law is clear. It is illegal and could result in prosecution. Do Not Send
That's really bizarre. So pictures of your children in the bath or running on the beach naked are illegal now? And her should be an exemption for clear medical reasons. I wonder why there isn't.
RavingAnnie · 30/09/2021 22:49

@Samuraisammy

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.
So no pictures of legs, knees or feet? That's unusually restrictive.
Voice0fReason · 30/09/2021 22:50

Even if the link sent by the GP surgery is secure (which has its limits), it is illegal to take the photo in the first place and pass it on anywhere.

It is completely unacceptable that any surgery would ask for this. They should be better informed of the law.

And as for the question of, what harm does it do?
There is a huge market for images like this. That market feeds the demand for more. That puts more and more children at risk of abuse.
That is why the law is so strict.

BungleandGeorge · 30/09/2021 22:50

@BrilloSolar Republic of Ireland don’t have the NHS

Movingsoon21 · 30/09/2021 22:52

This would be a clear breach of data protection rules! Photos of children’s privates is about as sensitive a type of data as you can get and it needs to be kept secure. There is nothing secure about email!! The practice would be hauled over the coals by the regulator if they found this to be their standard practice!