To think this is a confidentiality issue and is not appropriate?

[SarahTeaPot]

(NC for this) My local health centre is very well run and friendly. The Doctors are excellent and the quality of care is second to none, even throughout the pandemic. I've been with this surgery for many years and never had any reason to complain. However, over the last few months the teenage DD of one member of staff (who mainly works in a pharmacy role) has been coming in after school and spends a lot of time behind the counter in the reception/pharmacy area shadowing her parent and 'helping out' in various ways, including by looking for prescriptions which involves seeing information about the medication of a lot of patients. I know the parent and the DD to some extent and they are nice but very gossipy (think Susan Carter from the Archers!) and I really don't want my personal information looked at by a staff member's teenager - AIBU? Or am I just getting old and out of touch with modern workplace culture? If anyone here works in a health centre / pharmacy, would that be allowed in your workplace?

@MilduraS

She shouldn't be doing that but if it helps, I had a Saturday job in a pharmacy from the age of 15-18. I was mostly just behind the counter taking prescriptions in to the pharmacist but also helped stock the dispensary. With the exception of really common drugs like insulin or the pill (because everyone ticked the exempt from charges box for contraception) I never learned what the drugs were for. I could name 200 drug names and tell you where they went but that was it. Nothing in the pharmacy records hints at what an illness is.

Yeah I get this but she's coming from school, in her uniform. If it was work experience or an actual job wouldn't she be in uniform?

@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff

Scocialcare yes but it doesn't follow she would be able to cope appropriately with others'.

If there are really are no age restrictions, fine.... I just find it amazing that she wouldn't be allowed to hand someone a bottle of low-alcohol beer across a bar but can be involved in knowing about life changing medical conditions etc.

She may see the medical condition listed, but she's not going to be making medical decisions or anything. I don't know what she wouldn't be able to cope with.

I worked as a physio's receptionist when I was 16. Yes I did see information like "5pm: Jenny Jones - pelvic floor weakness after giving birth", but all I had to do with that information was say "Hello Mrs Jones, you're here for your 5pm appointment? Please take a seat."

A friend's teenage daughter works in a pharmacy, and sixth formers wanting to study medicine will all be looking for shadowing or work experience in medical settings. It's unlikely to be anything dodgy, but if you're worried, I agree with a PP who suggested asking in a non-confrontational way about her role and confidentiality training.

Can you use a different pharmacy?

Thank you for all the replies. Lots of different thoughts on this and I can see both sides. She may well be volunteering or doing work experience based on her age. I know my view is coloured by knowing her and her parent and just how interested they have always been in everyone else's business!

@StrandedStarfish

Can you use a different pharmacy?

It's the doctor's surgery with it's own pharmacy and it's the best in the area apart from this relatively minor concern so I wouldn't want to change. The pharmacy isn't separate - it's within the reception area so can't be avoided.

I worked in a pharmacy from 14. You are being paranoid.

Why is she in her school uniform?
On that basis alone I'd assume she wasn't staff and complain. If they say that SHE is employed well then why isn't she in the correct attire? Why isn't there a name badge or anything else to indicate that she's staff?

Really unprofessional!

*sorry for caps

As long as the child is subject to confidentiality restrictions, this strikes me as a complete non issue.

Work experience in pharmacies is absolutely allowed.

I have never seen a prescription that lists or references the illness on the script.

Most packaging for pharmaceuticals is plain with a brand name/drug name, with no reference to the purpose of the medication.

If you’re buying over the counter, you have to say out loud what you want anyway- so the whole waiting room would hear that the person needs Ovex or Hedrin (and assume they have worms or head lice) or whatever …

I’m not sure what the problem is?

Op a bit off subject but how do you know she is coming in every day after school? Do you also work there?

@GrapefruitPink My point wasn't that she must be working/work experience. I assume that because she's in school uniform she isn't and shouldn't be in there. My point was that even though I did work at one (and did more than just sit behind a counter talking to my mum) I rarely had a clue what prescriptions were for. Medicine names are so generic that I'd need to have asked "what's this for?" every time I took a prescription to the pharmacist. Even as a teenager I knew that would be rude and it was none of my business.