Group therapy and a positive COVID result being shared.

[TheMortalWombat]

I don't know if I am right to feel annoyed by this or that it simply isn't acceptable. I tested positive for COVID recently - I explained that I wouldn't be in a group mental health session as I was isolating. I hadn't seen the group for two weeks, and whilst I am unsure what the actual timeframe is now for Test and Trace I have logged it as a positive test and uploaded the code for the NHS COVID App so that Test and Trace could be done (I actually thought this has finished but seems not).

So, was it appropriate for staff to share with other patients that I had tested positive for COVID and also that I have an underlying health condition so that they would probably not be affected?

I can understand it if I had been in the group the week previously, but I wasn't - and I also had no warning this information was going to be shared with the group, particularly about me having an underlying health condition.

I wouldn't have done this.
Even in a situation where people were likely to find out from one another what was wrong, I've said something vague.
Where does it end? Do you tell the group if a participant has a miscarriage/is mugged or sexually assaulted/is arrested?
It should be up to you what you disclose, i would have thought. (As a counsellor who has facilitated groups)

I suppose you could say that it shouldn’t even be shared that you had Covid, but I personally think that’s taking privacy too far. But, absolutely they shouldn’t have said that you ha underlying conditions. It’s not something I’d lose any sleep over myself - but I probably would tell them that they shouldn’t share that info.

Is this something to get wound up about? It's unlikely there was any malice or ill effects from telling the group.

@SuperLoudPoppingAction Thank you - this is how I feel; the reason I wasn't there the previous week was really personal (involving my partner) and now I am worried they shared that with the group. Where does it end?

I hadn't seen anyone for more than two weeks so there is no risk to them, the one person who had my phone number has given it to people in the group I have never met through the group / only met once. I'm just feeling really let down by it all.

@Testina there is no need for them to share about COVID though as that is the work of Track and Trace - if people want to have information about contacts it should come through a source that is anonymous and protects my privacy surely?

@NutellaEllaElla Well yes it is - I don't want my medical information shared with people I barely know - to me it feels like a huge breach in confidentiality.

so that they would probably not be affected?

They were wrong to share especially the health condition. I didn't understand the above line. But you have every right to be annoyed.

@SummerHouse I think (or how I have heard it) is that it's unlikely they will have caught it because they aren't immunocompromised? It's odd hey.

I don’t understand why you think having Covid is big secret? It’s not like they told the group that Wombat couldn’t attend group due to a private or embarrassing health issue.

Because I would expect an NHS organisation to stick to confidentiality of their patients?

"private or embarrassing health issue."

And the underlying issue I have is both of these...

I think sharing any medical information without your consent is unacceptable and would be very annoyed in your situation. I also have an underlying health condition and those who know this are those I choose to tell. It's not appropriate for the staff to share this and also to 'reassure' the group, either directly or indirectly, that they were unlikely to catch it from you.

You are entitled to medical confidentiality, of course. However, (assuning you are in UK) you didn't need to test and you definitely don't need to isolate, so just carry on with your life as normal.

I run NHS therapy groups and wouldn't tell other group members why a person was absent unless they had given me permission to. I can see it might be easy for it to happen in that setting though, but I think it would also be reasonable for you to raise it with facilitators.

@Hbh17 - except if you are at risk of being seriously unwell due to said underlying condition then yes, you do need to test to access anti viral medication.

Absolutely wrong of them and I'd put in a formal complaint

If you had a cold, chest infection, broke your leg, would you care that it had been shared that that was why you weren't attending?
If not then why is covid any different?

Id be furious if anyone shared my medical information whatever it was about with anyone without my consent.

Sharing your medical info without consent is a breach of data protection. So yes you’ve got every right to be wound up by this and they should know better. Just because it’s covid doesn’t give them a right to share. Even if you had seen them within a timeframe they should have said ‘a member of the group has tested positive’ not named that person and most definitely not given info about a pre existing condition

@DaniCalifornication Yes - I would be angry that my confidential information had been shared.

@Darbs76 Exactly my thoughts too.

Do you think you could be self sabotaging? Finding a way to stop group therapy. If you are upset they shared your covid positive result then talk to them about it and how you feel they broke your confidentiality.

If I was self sabotaging I would not be asking for other people's opinions - I am hot and feverish and want to see what other people think.

Clearly a lot of people have no issue with confidential information being shared; I do - as the second poster stated - where does it stop.

And, I definitely don't want to stop group therapy.

All the way through everyone has been aware of who has covid.... we can then avoid them or test if been in contact

Can't see the issue like most on this thread can't

54% can see an issue so check your use of the word "most"- and no people I barely knew have not been aware I have had covid before when I previously had it.

The Test and Trace system did not give my personal details out to people before. No one has as far as I am aware. The only time people have known I have covid has been because I have chosen to share it with some of them.

I wouldn't have an issue with the covid information being shared to be honest (in the same way I wouldn't care if they told people I had broken my leg) but it probably wasn't necessary given the time frame- they could just have said you were unwell.
However the underlying health condition I would be annoyed at that being shared as it sounds like it's more personal and also it's completely unnecessary.