I can’t sort this out can I?

[MustBeInthewater]

Many many years ago I lived with someone (friend) We were the same age and they had a lot of MH issues. Some very specific things and there were some incidents that happened relating to MH.

I recently decided to get life insurance - pretty straightforward claim (I thought) until they requested a gp report. Documented in MY medical notes are presentations at a+e for things that never happened but the times dates and details are the exact medical history of my friend. I can only assume that my name and dob were given on arrival. This was such a long time ago and I’ve had no idea at all. It’s never been mentioned and seemingly was buried in my notes but the gp doing the form had gone through everything with a fine tooth comb and uncovered this .

my GP will not entertain the idea at all that this is not my history. Short of getting a confession from the person involved (which won’t happen) I’m now stuck with serious inaccuracies on my record.

I don’t know what to do. Repeatedly telling my gp has now resulted in a situation where they are saying that I’m in denial and that this is a potential issue as I am not dealing with things and they would have hoped I would say ‘yes this happened but I’ve worked through things and it was a long time ago and I’m in a better place now’ but WHY would anyone admit to something they didn’t do . For one element of it I said I could go in and show that I don’t have something that was in my notes as proof but they said no.

i don’t really know what the point of me posting this is but I feel so frustrated. It also made me think how on presentation at a and e obviously ID isn’t checked and this had gone unnoticed for so many years that it’s too late for me to rectify it. I’m feeling very angry and let down

Thankyou. I have requested a SAR as I’m also worried what else might be incorrect.

I honestly can’t believe the mess al because I thought I’d get life insurance and what I thought would be a simple application and process has caused so much stress. Having this now dragged up too I’m concerned as it was quite serious - I have children and I don’t want to be considered to have the issues that are documented wrongly

Or if you were out of the country a time you were meant to be at A and E? Stamps in your passport perhaps?

Very big long shot. But these dates, are any of them significant in your life? On holiday, a big birthday bash with photos, a day you completed a big project in work. Just anything. I know its not easy over 15 years ago. But if you can prove you were out of the country. Bank statements to say you were not in area.

Cross post! Great minds...

What do you mean by you gently approached it?

What did you say to your friend and what did she say? Have you gone over how serious this is?

If she signs an affidavit then you can get it sorted but you need to have a frank, adult conversation. No pussyfooting about. Do it in a public place and record it for a start.

I can see it from the gp’s perspective - it does seem far fetched to an outside especially when this probably rarely happens . I’m just so frustrated and angry

Oh I see it from their view too but if someone was being so insistent it was a mistake I would be at the very least inviting them in for them to show me the lack of whatever it is!

She was basically denying most of it and then greatly minimising the MH issues she had at the time . She told me she’s actually checked her records herself and there’s no record of anything on hers (because it’s all on mine!) so I can’t say it was her. It was a conversation that wasn’t going well.

It’s so hard, we have had people who have challenged things that have affected insurance - it’s common. People do not want certain issues on their record and get upset about things documented from years ago that they are frustrated are causing issues with documents and insurance. We refused to take something off a record last year because it was 20 years old and no way of proving it didn’t happen, but if someone clearly wasn’t that person or the entry was coded incorrectly we would fix it

Data they hold must be correct. That's the law. They have to remove it.

It's just going to take work to make that happen and your friend needs to step up and fix her fuck up.

I wouldn’t have been abroad then, we were living/working in the same area so it was obviously very easy for this to be done. I have to say I would have thought there would be follow ups or MH appts so I’m now thinking was my post intercepted - were other apts attended as me?? This is why I requested the SAR

I think you are going

I'm wondering if its worth reporting to the police?!

They do not have to remove it. They can add a note to it saying it’s been challenged. Many people challenge their records as things like mental health issues can affect insurance or future job opportunities. The GP was sent a document from another provider in good faith that it was relevant to the patient. The other provider did not have to check ID to see someone in A&E. OP perhaps could get it removed via the correct channels but I would get advice from NHSE or PCSE

the proof part is the issue

there are lots of articles online about this and it is not straight forward

Blummin phone!

I think you are going to have to go identity theft route, report in then provide evidence.

First port of call - police, identity theft.

I was going to ask what she came into a&e with... Can you prove you have none of those symptoms / injuries?

I did say I could go in and show parts of my body that were referred to and that I had no evidence of what is documented but the gp said no.
One allegation was something that wouldn’t have left physical mark so that is harder to prove

https://www.nhsx.nhs.uk/information-governance/guidance/amending-patient-and-service-user-records/

https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/your-right-to-get-your-data-corrected/

https://www.patients-association.org.uk/seeing-your-medical-records

https://www.gponline.com/responding-request-amend-patient-records/article/1462317

but the times dates and details are the exact medical history of my friend.

How do you know this OP, did you go to the hospital with her? Did she confide these details to you?

I think a SAR is the correct first step. What you want included is all medical test results, X-rays, description of injuries etc. Just one test with the wrong blood type would start to cast doubt. As you say you can prove one is not accurate e.g. you don’t have a scar, again this builds up the doubt. Also check what GP contact details were given etc.

Personally I might also try and record a conversation with your friend asking why they gave your details not theirs.

Would they have taken any blood samples and have found out what blood group she is? If so, pray that your blood group is different because that would prove beyond doubt that it wasn't you.

I feel like I don’t have any option but to take this further. I’m concerned at how long ago it was though.
I feel anxious that this could have an impact on me and my family though. Insurance aside , I’m not too bothered that’s an inconvenience but this could have repercussions in other areas ? I keep having scenarios going round my head eg what if I have another baby and for example developed PND- this medical history would flag me up as a MASSIVE risk and it worries me to the point I’m thinking do I change my plans in life ?
Even for the existing dc I have - what if my gp now thinks I have current issues as iam denying what they believe to be my past so strongly, I’m losing sleep over it

I tried via text but she was not engaging and not replying to anything just saying ‘can’t help sorry ‘ I feel like she was aware I was trying to get something recorded.
In a face to face conversation she was saying she ‘has nothing’ on her records and how she ‘was fine’

I have no idea I’m going to be checking everything when I get the SAR

Contact a medical solicitor and get the ball rolling. Start with the info you have right now and the parts you can prove do not match your body. Hopefully once the other information you have requested comes back, there will be more things you can prove do not match your physiology.

If you messaged her to tell her that you've made an appointment with a solicitor and will be making a police report for the identify theft since she wont engage with you to correct this, would that push her into talking?