To think these comments left by my gp were rude

[Ispy9]

This isn’t really relevant anymore as I am in a much better place now than I was but I’m still quite annoyed about it. A year ago I was suffering quite badly with anxiety and depression so I went and saw my GP about it.

I recently downloaded the NHS App and I thought I’d have a look through my notes. I saw that on the appointment about my mental health my GP had wrote these notes.

‘Examination: Not sleeping, not looking after herself. Unkempt, looking down, shoulders hunched, not wearing a bra, hair not brushed’

aibu to think these comments on my file are quite rude?

And that’s perfectly normal for you, so probably would t draw comment. It sounds likely that it’s not how OP usually presents, hence why it was noted.

This is why for years people were unable to access their medical records, because they’re unable to read them in true context

So just to check I've got this right: if you use the NHS app, you can see notes from every GP appointment you've ever had, and what they wrote about you?!

I know that when I've had hospital consultant appointments in the past, I've sometimes made passing comments just to make conversation, which I've been shocked to see mentioned in the letter to my GP and got a bit annoyed about it as I didn't feel the comment was relevant, just making conversation.

Goodness knows what all my GP comments say.

Doesn't surprise me from an HCP, though, to comment in a completely unboundaried, dehumanising way.

There was a Twitter thread on this exact thing recently - a child protection social worker commenting on a mother's lack of wearing make up while evaluating her parenting ability.

I’m so glad you’ve found contentment, mostly. I’m mostly glad I stayed around too. Thank-you for your good wishes, I’m touched. I wish you continued healing as well

That's horrendous. So going without makeup can literally be used against you by a social worker. Wow.

So just to check I've got this right: if you use the NHS app, you can see notes from every GP appointment you've ever had, and what they wrote about you?!

I can see:
Medications, Conditions, Tests etc as separate sections but under Events and Consultations there's each consultation but literally like 'medication review' etc. no detail. There's a section called messages where it says consultations and communications will be but there's nothing there.

OfficiallyBroken on my report from a PIP assessment the assessor wrote that I was "casually dressed in clean clothes" I had a coat on that covered my from chin to below my knees that I never unzipped & knee high boots.

The bra comment is really off. There's loads of reasons you might not be wearing a bra that don't link to your mental state!

When I looked back at mine after an appointment recently they had put "alcohol smell". I hadn't had a drink in about 4-5 days so god knows where they got that from! Maybe I should ditch my new perfume....

I'm amazed that so many of you are actually getting face-to-face GP appointments. 99% of mine have been telephone appointments during the last couple of years so they wouldn't even know what I was wearing.

Most women wear a bra or are covered by a coat so for a gp to make that obvs is good. IMO shows the patient is not taking care of self etc in situations like this.

If the OP had gone to the GP for a head ache or sim;ar I bet you the gp would have never mention the no bra.

I'm shocked that some people think those comments are normal. I would never comment that my client/patient isn't wearing a bra. That's not right. The hair not being brushed comment is a bit off too.. 😳 i would write that you were struggling with self care. End off. The noting down you have no bra on as so out of order. Quite obviously a male doctor OP. I've had people come to speak with me in bad states and would never note down something like that. I find people hardly ever request a copy of their notes but we all know you can so all notes must be professional. That is unprofessional and rude.

So many people so ready to take offence at factual observations. Being unkempt is ONE of the classic signs of depression, it’s not a judgement if it’s a fact

The point is that not wearing a bra is not the same thing as "being unkempt". For plenty of women, not wearing a bra is normal. Just like for me, not wearing makeup is normal.

Rubbish. The people who do the assessments are often useless and she should have requested a mandatory reconsideration. Of course people that wash can have awful depression. The assessors are randomers used to filter out the applications and shouldn't be allowed to decide. They often make extremely poor choices. Unfortunately they have been given the contract but people can ask for an MR and then appeal the decision and it will be looked at by people who know what they're actually doing.

I've logged into the NHS app (you can do this on the website - you don't literally need to download a phone app) and it says that if I want to see details of my GP appointments, I have to agree to share my information with something called Patients Know Best. Is this legit? Otherwise, all I can see is the moment is just stuff I can already see on Patientaccess anyway, so just medication and the dates of past appointments.

No, they are observations about your presentation which is used (along with what you say and other tests) to form a full and thorough assessment. The care (or lack of) in how we present ourselves can tell people a lot about us, particularly if different than usual. For example, I once had a patient whose nails were always immaculately painted and matched to her outfit. Once she arrived with chipped polish and I knew immediately that she was not in a good way.

But surely it's only relevant if normally individual is neat and tidy conforming to social norms. I have a friend who regularly presents like that but she is not struggling with anything. Could just suggest a free spirit who is not restricted by social norms

During my worst mental health breakdown, I probably looked the best i’ve ever looked.. I felt like had to in order for no one to know just how bad i was, including drs. I think it is rude to write in such detail. Looking unkempt, no eye contact is plenty to get the picture..

'Not wearing a bra'. Blimey, I haven't worn a bra since my teens, not even when I was bf'ing.

For example, I once had a patient whose nails were always immaculately painted and matched to her outfit. Once she arrived with chipped polish and I knew immediately that she was not in a good way.

I certainly have immaculate nails at the beginning of the week, chipped & messy by the end of it!

I also don't believe if the OP was a man his "unkempt" appearance would be so detailed.

It's not about how women should present. It's about noticing that a patient may be expressing distress using non-verbal cues.

I work with homeless people. Many of them sadly have no option but to present without showering and in dirty clothes, and that is to be expected. No one judges them. But if someone who normally looks clean and well-presented comes in, looking dishevelled, I take notice. It might mean mental illness. It might mean substance misuse. It might mean they have been sexually assaulted. It might mean they have been robbed. It might mean they have just had a crap morning and CBA. But it's not something you ignore. If I waited for some of my patients to articulate their symptoms, as you suggest, quite a few of them would now be dead. You are phenomenally naive and ill-informed if you think that that HCPs should overlook non-verbal cues.

Most women wear a bra or are covered by a coat so for a gp to make that obvs is good. IMO shows the patient is not taking care of self etc in situations like this.

Well the coat depends on the time of year & loads of woman don't wear bras.

Facts aren't rude.