Comments my gp left on my health record

[watermelonlipbalm]

Hi all, I'm just wanting an opinion as to whether it was appropriate for a GP to note these comments on my health record.
I've only just really realised that you have access to your medical records via the NHS app so I was having a nosy through them this morning and I was just a bit shocked to see what a GP had wrote.
I had a telephone call with a GP a few weeks ago. I actually obtained the contact details from the practice as to how to put a complaint in about the doctor because she really upset me with her attitude towards me and my worries when we had our telephone appointment. Unfortunately I just haven't gotten around to actually write the email yet, but nevertheless, the conversation did leave me feeling upset.
I won't go into exact detail, but I've been really worried about bleeding between my periods. It was completely unusual for me, it started faintly but ended up being quite heavy and I was passing a few clots aswell. Last year I had some bleeding between my periods, albeit completely different to this. I spoke to the Doctor Who referred me for bloods and a scan immediately. So I don't think it's surprising for me to not expect this to happen again. So when I had a telephone call from her I requested this and she shot me down pretty much straight away. She said that she would want me to bleed for three cycles before they would investigate further. I was quite surprised and just said that I didn't really agree with this and I would like to have bloods and a scan like I did last time. She became very abrupt with me at this point and despite agreeing to refer me she made it abundantly clear she wasn't happy about doing it and even said to me "i'm not gonna sit here on the phone arguing with you when I have other patients to call". The conversation wasn't an argument. It was me expressing my concerns and her not reassuring me enough for me to feel happy leaving the call. Whenever you see Doctors on telly, online, in magazines they're are always telling you that they are happy to help your queries. I did not get the impression from this doctor. And it just really upset me.
Anyway going back to the app this morning I noticed that she noted that the call was "a difficult call". Now I know that that isn't exactly an offensive term, but I don't really see the relevance of putting that on my health record. The call was a difficult call because she was clearly in a bad mood that day and wasn't that interested in my concerns. It's frustrated me even more than what I already was at a worrying time for me. I'm just after opinions really. Is this a relevant thing to put on a health record?
I work with vulnerable customers albeit in the financial industry and not medical. We would never be allowed to make a comment like that on somebody's file. You can only really state facts and not opinion. I mean I suppose is a fact that it was a difficult call, but I don't really see what relevance that has to my health and why it should be documented for other professionals to read. Insinuating that I was the one being difficult and not her which is what the issue actually was.

Yes they can be taken out of context like you have.
It was a difficult call. It's a statement, the notes are the doctors to remind them of what occurred and this includes writing this for when you complain and she has to spend and time answers the complaint and recall you from the 40 odd people they spoke to that day.

Look at it this way you have just written your "notes" on the consultant and you have been a lot more critical than writing "difficult" which by your own admission you were.

If your test results were negative quite recently, maybe they didn't see the value in repeating the tests so soon. Seems wise to observe and then decide.

It's not an assumption, it's an observation from reading the thread. I think maybe the facts are getting a bit muddled because you are very concerned, but it does seem like you are struggling to see the doctor's perspective as well as your own. As I said before, I wish you luck and I hope you will at least sleep on making a decision about lodging a complaint.

@MichelleScarn I didn't tell her anything, I asked her for a referral. But hey if she's going to have that reaction following a complaint then she absolutely definitely shouldn't be a doctor and I have done everyone in our district a favour!

I asked if I could have the tests she agreed to them but then became very abrupt with me about it and started making inappropriate comments.
She's a doctor, she should be able to identify health anxiety and felix with that appropriately but she absolutely failed to do this.

She agreed to refer you for the bleeding and then you refused to end the call keeping her from other patients that were waiting for their phone appointments. I don’t think it was inappropriate for her to call your attention to this at all.

You were completely unreasonable to get your referral and then try and get her to give you an on the spot therapy session for your health anxiety! You want therapy for it, make a separate GP appointment and ask to be referred to a psychiatrist- the type of doctor that treats health anxiety.

I think she was actually quite restrained and professional in noting only that it was a difficult call.

@Discovereads I actually have no idea where you're getting this information that I refused to end the call...
it's such a bizarre angle you're going in here...
But please don't feel the need to add context to my thread when you weren't involved in the situation!

@Ghislainedefeligonde the service is funded from our taxes! It's not something benevolent favour, we do actually pay for it.

I don't want to derail your thread, @watermelonlipbalm, but can I just ask...

After reading, I went to go and look up my records on my NHS ap, and I can't see any notes.
Just a list of prescriptions I've had.
Where on the ap is it?

This! If your attitude on the call was anything like your attitude on this thread difficult isn’t even the half of it. You seem to have a massive sense of entitlement not to mention arrogance and a view that you know best. I echo posters that have pointed out you are likely wasting NHS resources by asking for tests that aren’t clinically indicated and making complaints that seem to be almost entirely baseless. There is not a chance that you will acknowledge this though given the aforementioned arrogance and entitlement you seem to have.

OP patients like you absolutely are part of the reason the system is struggling. You have proven the point that GPs are cornered into making unnecessary referrals as they know patients will make complaints if they don't. Even though these kind of complaints don't ultimately change anything for them professionally because they will demonstrate that correct clinical pathways were followed, the stress and time involved is not worth the risk.
And so defensive medicine is becoming the norm which is adding hugely to the demand on the service.

@Rogue1001MNer No problem at all! It is under consultations and events on your health record!

I've had the app for a while and this section definitely wasn't active when I first downloaded it. I think someone else mentioned on here that they can't see their details?

Not professional of a gp
I work in a surgery
Never seen this before unless patient is really abusive / mental health issues

”…despite agreeing to refer me she made it abundantly clear she wasn't happy about doing it and even said to me "i'm not gonna sit here on the phone arguing with you when I have other patients to call". The conversation wasn't an argument. It was me expressing my concerns and her not reassuring me enough for me to feel happy leaving the call.

She agreed to refer you. So why would the GP then say she needed to end the call and then you say you didn’t feel reassured enough to feel happy to leave the call if you were not keeping her on the phone longer than strictly necessary?

This^

Did the GP refer to your recent results being clear? Did she try to provided reassurance that nothing serious showed up therefore you should wait snd see how things go?

One of the big factors with health anxiety is the sufferer tends not to reassured by test results.

@Eastangular2000 my attitude one this thread?
When I have a handful of wools saying I have "demanded tests" when I have made it abundantly clear that I didn't demand anything. I asked for tests because that's what happened last time so I didn't understand what had changed - she didn't reassure me at all.
I have a few people telling me I'm the reason the NHS is in its knees... which seems extremely dramatic. I had been unwell and I contacted the GP. Isn't that what they're there for?
I have someone telling me that I've refused to end the call which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever!

If you have an attitude then that's your opinion and you're free to have it. I'm not a bad person and I know that. I have spent a lot of time worrying about something and I just wanted to know everything was ok.
Just because she's a doctor doesn't mean that she can speak to me like crap.

@AyBeeCee the doctor did make reference to my last tests but that wasn't a reason as to why she didn't want to refer me. She said that I was granted tests last time because I bled for 7 months. My appointment last year was in person and we had a very long chat and she was crystal clear the bleeding went on for 1 month. I've also checked my notes from last year and it says 1 month.
That was the only reference to the tests last year!

I feel sorry for the GP. Perhaps you could just request a different GP next time?

I have really bad white coat syndrome and a few years ago was having a blood pressure test and panicked and it went through the roof. I was asked to be fitted with a device that measured it through the day but the pain in my arm was indescribable. I ripped it off and gave it up as a bad job, but was in a lot of discomfort when they were fitting it and I panicked, as I was also late for work. I knew I was probably upsetting the nurse, and I apologised for that at the time.

When I went back for something else I saw a doctor had written on my notes that I was "unpleasant". I complained about it and got a ridiculous written letter through the post saying that if the medical professional thought I was unpleasant then that was their prerogative. I CBA to follow up any more, but I will never see that doctor again.

Spot on. I gave up general practice to work in another area of the NHS where my skills, knowledge & experience are valued, I don’t work my arse off for 12+ hours a day, have sleepless nights worrying about not being able to give patients the service I want, and being unable to please anyone despite my best efforts. My GP friends are all looking for a way out too. It’s not a service industry. You are seeking a professional opinion.

This must've been such an upsetting response to a complaint for you :(
I don't blame you for not wanting to put the energy into pursuing it further!

It’s no big deal, honestly. It was a difficult conversation for you and for your GP. It’s not a judgement on you, just a neutral record that it wasn’t an uncomplicated call. If you believe you have grounds to complain about the GP’s attitude during the call by all means do so, but don’t hang it on a single word in the GP’s record of the call.

Many years before having access to medical records was normal, my very progressive GP practice gave patients the beige envelope with all their notes in to read through while they were waiting for their appointment (it was all paper, in those days). My obstetrician started one letter ‘This peculiar woman…’. I was hopping mad at the time, but now wear my peculiarity with pride.

Or the GP could ha e said "ah yes, you were referred straight away last year but the protocols have changed now and the recommendation is to wait for three cycles. I'm reassured that your results last year were clear, so as your GP I'm happy for you to wait for three cycles. If it gets worse though don't hesitate to come and see me again.

I believe it's called transparent and honest communication. Too often doctors do not communicate well with other humans.

We need more doctors. This all seems very minor for you to try to get her to loose her job. Seems that you are now being vindictive. Please reconsider

I expect she recorded that it was a 'difficult call' to justify why she was referring you for tests that other people have to wait three cycles for, even though you had them a year ago. The rules were waived for you, maybe she needs to explain why.

What were you hoping to get out of this thread OP? You do not seem like you are in a position to take on board the alternative perspectives provided by people who see the situation differently.