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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:
Lught · 30/09/2021 23:54

OP, exactly the same thing happened here, except it was for teenage son. I told trainee GP that no photograph would be sent of no matter how secure they said the connection was. In the end, he was prescribed a cream. I meant to complain to the practice manager but I never got round to it.

TrampolineForMrKite · 30/09/2021 23:59

For those saying it’s illegal, surely that doesn’t apply to medical pictures?! That law is to stop the production of child pornography, not to stop legitimate photographs being used for medical diagnosis. Some of the reactions here feel a bit hysterical.

Your son should undoubtedly be getting a face to face appointment and I would push for that, but if there aren’t any and this is your only option then I really don’t see the issue. The photo will be sent to a secure NHS inbox; you can take it in such a way that it’s concentrated on zooming in on a patch of skin rather than zoomed out so that it’s clear it’s a penis; it will be deleted once viewed (double check this with the surgery, but it will be. All of ours are, genitals or not).

Your only other option if you can’t get a F2F appointment and won’t send the photo is to go to an out of hours if you have one, or phone 111 and try to get a F2F or telephone appointment that way (although they’ll want a photo too I would imagine).

hangrylady · 01/10/2021 00:01

GPs are taking the piss now, just see patients it's your fucking job! Is there a walk in service you can take him to? Hope you get it sorted OP

TurquoiseDress · 01/10/2021 00:04

Sounds like he needs to be given a face to face appointment

GP surgeries do have lots of photos coming through but am sure the recent text I got said not genital or breast area...so I suppose he'd need to be seen in person

MyPatronusIsACat · 01/10/2021 00:05

@hangrylady

GPs are taking the piss now, just see patients it's your fucking job! Is there a walk in service you can take him to? Hope you get it sorted OP
100% THIS! ^
HollaHolla · 01/10/2021 00:40

His ‘private area’ could cover quite a bit. Unless it’s actually on his penis and/or testicules, can you just cover up what you feel is too ‘private’, and take the photo of the skin wherever it’s relevant?
I do think there’s too often a cry of horror, and whilst it’s not great, if it means he won’t be in pain any more, on balance, I’d probably do it.

SandAndSea · 01/10/2021 01:05

Some of the reactions here feel a bit hysterical.

Wow! Interesting word choice.

There is literally no way this photo lark would have been considered a few years ago.

I'll keep my privacy and dignity, thank you.

ellyeth · 01/10/2021 01:07

I think you should be able to get a face-to-face appointment. I wouldn't be happy doing this, mostly because it is a child and I think a doctor should examine the child properly.

Iloveabourbon2 · 01/10/2021 05:26

@hangrylady

GPs are taking the piss now, just see patients it's your fucking job! Is there a walk in service you can take him to? Hope you get it sorted OP
Exactly. You hit the nail on the head.
sbhydrogen · 01/10/2021 05:39

Surely common sense should prevail... A two year old with painful private parts? Why isn't the immediate reaction "come and see the doctor at the surgery"?

AlphabetAerobics · 01/10/2021 05:57

For those saying nhs email is secure - you’re missing the point.

Every single time an email is sent outside a secure network (your gmail/office to nhs or your office to your husband’s office) it’s ‘out there’.

It’s like sticking a letter in a red postbox where EVERYONE has the key - not just the mailman.

More than 25 years ago I was running what were called ‘packet sniffers’ pulling out strings of credit card numbers - would be hella easy to scrape for .jpg.

Uploading to a portal is different.

Looubylou · 01/10/2021 07:06

YANBU - however it is usually possible to take a picture of affected surrounding skin without including or covering genitals in some way. Personally I think skin issues and rashes usually need to be seen to make accurate diagnosis. Have you got a walk in centre? Or 111 might help you get a face to face. Is a pharmacist not willing to actually look? Fungal infection sounds quite likely.

shouldistop · 01/10/2021 07:11

GPs are taking the piss now, just see patients it's your fucking job! Is there a walk in service you can take him to? Hope you get it sorted OP

It is ridiculous isn't it. Ds2 was dehydrated 6 months ago due to diarrhea. He was 3 months old and the gp wouldn't see him. Said he'd be fine as he was still feeding a lot. He was fine so the gp was right but we're talking about a tiny baby, he really should have seen him in person.

MuffinsAreJustCakesAtBreakfast · 01/10/2021 07:15

What they have asked is absolutely insane an hei height of stupidity.

Email is only 'secure as they can make it' until it is compromised. And if you understand mail low then you know email travels a long way until it reaches the other destination. Compromised security is sadly always a possibility.

The photo they have asked for is indecent and obscene and I would sooner take the child to A&E if your GP surgery are being so stupid.

tiggerwhocamefortea · 01/10/2021 07:16

I had this a few weeks ago and was expected to take a photo of a lump on my breast!

DrManhattan · 01/10/2021 07:28

Go to A and E. At least you will see a doctor in person. GPs need to sort this out now

Clarice99 · 01/10/2021 07:31

GP surgeries are taking this 'non face to face' thing too far. It's absolutely dreadful that they'd ask for a photograph of a child's genitals or (anyone's genitals).

And WTF re: photo of breast lump Shock. I was seen at my GP surgery the same day I found a breast lump last (during the pandemic) and was referred to the breast clinic on the same day.

I feel very fortunate that my GP surgery are offering face to face appointments when they deem it necessary following a telephone triage appointment.

I sincerely hope that you manage to get a face to face appointment for your son OP. YA definitely NBU.

C8H10N4O2 · 01/10/2021 08:09

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

Well for a start its illegal. The law doesn't say "no genital pictures unless the GP doesn't want to see a 2yr old F2F".

The issue here is that a 2yr old in pain can't get a GP appointment and the GP is given instructions to parents to break the law rather than see the actual patient in their care.
Any A&E department can tell you the problem GPs in their area, those who are still refusing to see patients. They are generally the same practices who made work for the A&E department before the pandemic.

NHSWoes · 01/10/2021 08:13

@JackieChiles

If the alternative is bringing him into the office to be exposed to Covid I would do it.
FFS!
TheCatInTheChat · 01/10/2021 08:14

YANBU, this would be making and sharing indecent images of children. Please don’t do it!

Caffeinefirst · 01/10/2021 08:20

I used to work IT security. There is no way you should be asked to do this. There are just so many issues with this both for a technical and data security perspective I don’t know where to start. I’m sorry but “it’s as secure as we can make it” comes from someone with no knowledge at all. The NHS has not exactly been great with IT security. They’ve only just stopped buying fax machines.

….And putting all that aside your son needs an in person appointment for his health.

C8H10N4O2 · 01/10/2021 08:26

The NHS has not exactly been great with IT security. They’ve only just stopped buying fax machines

Well exactly. Its not long ago that we had critical NHS systems still running on Windows XP Pro. Nor is it just lack of budget, its the refusal of all the mini fiefdoms to work together on any kind of modernisation.

Walkingwounded · 01/10/2021 08:31

Ffs. GPs are taking the piss.

This system is not working! Send photos of a 2 go’s genitals via email? What are they thinking?

Call the practice OP, demand an appt and complain. This stuff has got to stop.

MuffinsAreJustCakesAtBreakfast · 01/10/2021 08:31

I would also write to your MP

Brefugee · 01/10/2021 08:41

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

interesting. The two are not mutually exclusive.

I'd be extremely uncomfortable about this and email the GP again.

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