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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Comments my gp left on my health record

163 replies

watermelonlipbalm · 17/08/2022 21:44

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.

OP posts:
Longtimeposternc · 18/08/2022 09:12

TheUsualChaos · 17/08/2022 22:46

And this is why we get so many unnecessary referrals from GPs these days. Under increasing pressure from patients for "something to be done" when often an initial watch and wait approach is perfectly justified in many, many situations. Fear of complaints from patients if they don't get their own way. Lack of time due to massive system underfunding to properly explain/discuss their reasoning to patient particularly when a patient isn't getting the answer they wanted/expected. Result of all this = quicker and easier to just refer for a scan or other test and so the waiting lists for said tests get longer and longer.

This

Longtimeposternc · 18/08/2022 09:15

AnImaginaryCat · 18/08/2022 07:11

No we don't know "the full details of the call" and also it's true "nobody in this thread was part of that call to undserstand how I was spoken to."

Works both ways though, we have no idea how you spoke to the GP either. Though we can get an idea from your responses on the thread. After all no nobody retells an even on AIBU with the truth, and generally go to great pains to let people know how reasonable they were.

From what you have told us it appears you demanded, though you seem to disagree with "demand", so let's say "strongly requested" repeat tests because the last set hadn't shown up the cancer you're convinced you have (which you admit you feel because you have (self-diagnosed?) health anxiety.

Your GP informed you you'd need to wait three cycles but you disagreed because last time you didn't have to wait and you wanted that again.(Despite the fact that last time you hadn't already had a scan, so it's not the same situation.)

The GP, goes against her advice of waiting and agrees to the scan, because you strongly requested it so much.

You the "aren't happy to leave the call" (in other words refused to leave the call, but another word you objected to) until the GP reassures you that you are right to want a scan and that you could have cervical cancer. (It also comes across that somewhere along the line you mention that you think you might have cervical cancer and the GP doesn't think that.)

So now there's a scan happening that the GP advised against that she'll need to justify having booked. The reason it's booked it because of you requesting it during a 'difficult call' call, and that fact is recorded in your notes.

Would you prefer it written that you demanded it because you are convinced you have cervical cancer?

Show quote history

Also this

i am very glad I am not a doctor!

xogossipgirlxo · 18/08/2022 09:29

We did put "difficult patient" on record, to warn other medical staff. Nothing new to me.

HoppingPavlova · 18/08/2022 09:41

*Whenever you see Doctors on telly, online, in magazines they're are always telling you that they are happy to help your queries.

🤣🤣🤣 Meanwhile, in the real world …….

neverbeenskiing · 18/08/2022 09:41

In addition to documenting the facts, HCP's are absolutely allowed to give opinions in a patients notes as long as in doing so they do not say anything offensive, untrue or unprofessional. It was, by your own admission, a "difficult call" for you, OP! The GP is entitled to note that she also found the call difficult, in fact this is sensible so that if a colleague has any interaction with you about the same issue they will be aware that it needs to be handled sensitively because you were likely unhappy with the last call. She has not used any inappropriate, offensive or insulting language to express this, nor has she written anything that was factually incorrect so I don't see how you have any basis to complain about what's written in your records.

TheOrigRights · 18/08/2022 09:43

On a tangent I read my mum's old take a break etc magazines and I don't think a week goes by without at least 1 case where someone has been severely affected by medical mismanagement

I wouldn't rely on articles in Take a Break to make informed decisions about anything medical issues

LetHimHaveIt · 18/08/2022 09:51

Alltheprettyseahorses · 18/08/2022 08:29

The doctor sounds very judgemental imo. On a tangent I read my mum's old take a break etc magazines and I don't think a week goes by without at least 1 case where someone has been severely affected by medical mismanagement, mainly symptoms being ignored and made to feel a nuisance. I hope everything is fine with you OP, you've just questioned one of the mumsnet Sacred Cows so I'm not surprised by some of the responses.

This takes the bloody biscuit, this does. 'Take A Break' magazine? Are you actually serious? 'Hubby said he was delivering Chinese takeaways - but it was his prawn balls getting dipped in sweet 'n' sour!' 'Nightclub toilet horror - 48 abdominal stitches after being slashed with a bottle of toffee vodka!'

Yeah - I bet their desks are positively groaning under the weight of Pulitzers and Paul Foot awards. Investigate journalism at its best.

yikesanotherbooboo · 18/08/2022 09:58

OP,as many have said the comment wasn't a judgement of you but of the interaction.I can guarantee that future hcps will see it in that light.Best of luck with your investigations.

bakebeans · 18/08/2022 10:18

Ncfreely · 17/08/2022 22:23

OP in the gentlest way, it was a difficult call. She did not say YOU were difficult. She has to accurately record the conversation. In my job I have to do attendance notes of every call and I always accurately record the conversation in case it comes back to bite me later.

I do think that if you are worried you should push or get a second opinion though. Always always worth getting checked out. Your concerns are totally valid.

👏👏 I second this!

Alltheprettyseahorses · 18/08/2022 21:43

LetHimHaveIt · 18/08/2022 09:51

This takes the bloody biscuit, this does. 'Take A Break' magazine? Are you actually serious? 'Hubby said he was delivering Chinese takeaways - but it was his prawn balls getting dipped in sweet 'n' sour!' 'Nightclub toilet horror - 48 abdominal stitches after being slashed with a bottle of toffee vodka!'

Yeah - I bet their desks are positively groaning under the weight of Pulitzers and Paul Foot awards. Investigate journalism at its best.

Show quote history

Yes I am serious. These are real people suffering from medical mismanagement, many have died, some are children. They're not your joke of the day. Like I said, I hope OP has nothing to worry about because according to too many posters she should ignore her worrying symptoms and fade away in the corner so as not to cause trouble.

TheWillow · 18/08/2022 21:53

Alltheprettyseahorses · 18/08/2022 21:43

Yes I am serious. These are real people suffering from medical mismanagement, many have died, some are children. They're not your joke of the day. Like I said, I hope OP has nothing to worry about because according to too many posters she should ignore her worrying symptoms and fade away in the corner so as not to cause trouble.

Show quote history

No, the suggestion is to see if it happens again in the next month. It's often normal to have one off bleeding. This isn't mismanagement.

Often stories in those sources aren't reliable

LetHimHaveIt · 18/08/2022 22:49

'They're not your joke of the day.'

Then they oughtn't to have sought a platform from the sort of publication which treats all its 'contributors' as one. The sort of crap peddled by rags like this veers hysterically between mawkish and sensational, and if you think the stories therein evidence some sort of endemic clinical negligence, then you're off your rocker.

Alltheprettyseahorses · 19/08/2022 08:55

It's not one-off bleeding for a start, reading the OP is always a good idea I find. As for endemic clinical negligence, I suppose all the recent scandals have just passed you by not to mention the stories often finish with the healthcare trusts' own statements of apology. But yeah, you attack the source not the evidence, maybe you'd be happier if it was in the guardian instead.

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