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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

NHS won't show me my notes

221 replies

SnowWhiteAndTheTwoKids · 21/08/2023 18:34

I've had day surgery today, just a local anaesthetic, nothing major, it was done in 15 minutes. After the operation they said there were no doctors around to do my discharge paperwork so they would post it to me. They asked if I was okay with that or did I want to wait an unknown amount of hours for the paperwork. I said I was happy to get the paperwork in the post but please could I just have a quick look at my file? Nurse said "No, the notes are confidential." I said I just wanted to have a quick look at the info the consultant had added to my file and would give it right back to her. She went off and checked with a senior nurse then came back and said I would need to make a formal information request to see my file.
Why on earth would they be so cagey about this? When I gave birth I was given my notes to look through and it was all very transparent.
YABU - you should trust the NHS and not ask to see your notes.
YANBU - you should be able to read notes about yourself after an operation with wasting more NHS resources on a freedom of information request.

OP posts:
widowtwankywashroom · 21/08/2023 18:39

Probably down to the practicalities
With maternity notes they're paper and you hold onto them.
All other notes are on the computer that you need access to
So to let you read your own notes you potentially could read other patients notes

WafflingDreamer · 21/08/2023 18:40

You are allowed to read your notes but as they said you need go apply through PALS normally so they can get someone to sit down and go through them with you. I've been qualified 20 years and it's always been like that

Original poster
SnowWhiteAndTheTwoKids · 21/08/2023 18:43

widowtwankywashroom · 21/08/2023 18:39

Probably down to the practicalities
With maternity notes they're paper and you hold onto them.
All other notes are on the computer that you need access to
So to let you read your own notes you potentially could read other patients notes

This is a paper file...I just wanted to open the physical file and see what the consultant had written by hand.

OP posts:
Original poster
SnowWhiteAndTheTwoKids · 21/08/2023 18:44

WafflingDreamer · 21/08/2023 18:40

You are allowed to read your notes but as they said you need go apply through PALS normally so they can get someone to sit down and go through them with you. I've been qualified 20 years and it's always been like that

Okay, thanks. I guess I'll have to go for that option then.

OP posts:
summertoautumn · 21/08/2023 18:47

SnowWhiteAndTheTwoKids · 21/08/2023 18:34

I've had day surgery today, just a local anaesthetic, nothing major, it was done in 15 minutes. After the operation they said there were no doctors around to do my discharge paperwork so they would post it to me. They asked if I was okay with that or did I want to wait an unknown amount of hours for the paperwork. I said I was happy to get the paperwork in the post but please could I just have a quick look at my file? Nurse said "No, the notes are confidential." I said I just wanted to have a quick look at the info the consultant had added to my file and would give it right back to her. She went off and checked with a senior nurse then came back and said I would need to make a formal information request to see my file.
Why on earth would they be so cagey about this? When I gave birth I was given my notes to look through and it was all very transparent.
YABU - you should trust the NHS and not ask to see your notes.
YANBU - you should be able to read notes about yourself after an operation with wasting more NHS resources on a freedom of information request.

Put in a subject access request - they should include a data protection email address on the hospital / trusts website.

SandandSky · 21/08/2023 18:48

It’s always been the case (well for a very long time) that you have to put in a formal request to see your notes.

Even if you work in a hospital where you are also a patient you aren’t allowed to just access your own notes, you can get in a lot of trouble.

Tinkerbyebye · 21/08/2023 18:50

widowtwankywashroom · 21/08/2023 18:39

Probably down to the practicalities
With maternity notes they're paper and you hold onto them.
All other notes are on the computer that you need access to
So to let you read your own notes you potentially could read other patients notes

Rubbish all other notes are on computer

mine were not for very recent day case treatment, nor where they two years ago as a day case. They were paper, the consultant gives the results to the go who puts them on the computer

PartingGift · 21/08/2023 18:50

Why on earth would they be so cagey about this?

Because it's part of information governance, and the staff would get into trouble for letting you read through your own notes without you making a written subject access request first.

I've told patients this before, not because I'm being cagey, but because I don't want to risk my job/profession.

Supercat100 · 21/08/2023 18:51

I had this and was furious though obviously didn't show it. The nurse was holding my file and I wanted to read it while waiting for the doctor. She refused to give it to me saying I had to put in a formal request. I just wanted to see information they hold about me. I'm medically literate as well! Not being allowed to see my own info made me feel very infantilised and patronized.

BetsyBobbins · 21/08/2023 18:51

It's not even a case of Yanbu or Yabu, imagine if every patient requested, "Please nurse, can I just have a look at my notes?", and lo and behold you'd be hogging the nurse for an unknown amount of time wanting clarification of your notes. It really doesn't work like that, either put in a request or wait for the paperwork to come on post.

Original poster
SnowWhiteAndTheTwoKids · 21/08/2023 18:55

Supercat100 · 21/08/2023 18:51

I had this and was furious though obviously didn't show it. The nurse was holding my file and I wanted to read it while waiting for the doctor. She refused to give it to me saying I had to put in a formal request. I just wanted to see information they hold about me. I'm medically literate as well! Not being allowed to see my own info made me feel very infantilised and patronized.

Yes Supercat. This is exactly my position. The file was in a trolley on the other side of the room (not exactly a state secret). I'd seen the paperwork just before the procedure as I'd signed it. But after signing it I wasn't allowed to see it again.

I could have just wandered over and taken it out of the trolley but I thought I'd be polite and ask.

OP posts:
BetsyBobbins · 21/08/2023 18:56

Supercat100 · 21/08/2023 18:51

I had this and was furious though obviously didn't show it. The nurse was holding my file and I wanted to read it while waiting for the doctor. She refused to give it to me saying I had to put in a formal request. I just wanted to see information they hold about me. I'm medically literate as well! Not being allowed to see my own info made me feel very infantilised and patronized.

If might as well be "medically literate", but like the PP said, it's a matter of information governance and you're clearly not literate on that.

If a patient informally asked me to show them their notes and I did it so, I'd lose my job faster than the speed of light

Original poster
SnowWhiteAndTheTwoKids · 21/08/2023 18:57

PartingGift · 21/08/2023 18:50

Why on earth would they be so cagey about this?

Because it's part of information governance, and the staff would get into trouble for letting you read through your own notes without you making a written subject access request first.

I've told patients this before, not because I'm being cagey, but because I don't want to risk my job/profession.

That's interesting. Thanks for clarifying.

OP posts:
Belladonna56 · 21/08/2023 18:58

SnowWhiteAndTheTwoKids · 21/08/2023 18:34

I've had day surgery today, just a local anaesthetic, nothing major, it was done in 15 minutes. After the operation they said there were no doctors around to do my discharge paperwork so they would post it to me. They asked if I was okay with that or did I want to wait an unknown amount of hours for the paperwork. I said I was happy to get the paperwork in the post but please could I just have a quick look at my file? Nurse said "No, the notes are confidential." I said I just wanted to have a quick look at the info the consultant had added to my file and would give it right back to her. She went off and checked with a senior nurse then came back and said I would need to make a formal information request to see my file.
Why on earth would they be so cagey about this? When I gave birth I was given my notes to look through and it was all very transparent.
YABU - you should trust the NHS and not ask to see your notes.
YANBU - you should be able to read notes about yourself after an operation with wasting more NHS resources on a freedom of information request.

Someone said recently that the NHS is a highly patriarchal institution, which has a tendency to infantalise patients.

This struck me as being largely true. Of course you should have access to your notes. How can notes on your own body be 'confidential?'

Original poster
SnowWhiteAndTheTwoKids · 21/08/2023 18:59

@BetsyBobbins Why was I allowed to do this after giving birth then? Are birth notes different?

OP posts:
RuppyDa · 21/08/2023 19:04

Notes are about you, but don’t belong to you. They belong to the author /hospital /gp etc ie whoever wrote them. You can see what is written about you by applying to records - subject access request as someone has said.

hellywelly3 · 21/08/2023 19:04

I used to work in health records and what people don’t realise is that the records belong to the hospital not the individual. You can request access and will be given copies but maybe not of everything. If it’s deemed that it could be detrimental to you to read certain things they will blanked out.

OHVanessaShanessaJenkins · 21/08/2023 19:05

That’s the rules. Like it or not.

Im not getting sacked and struck off because people are “furious” that I don’t let them do something that isn’t allowed, absolutely not.

You can see some of your notes, just follow the correct procedure to do so.

hellywelly3 · 21/08/2023 19:05

Hope that makes sense I’ve just taken some strong painkillers

stayclosetoyourself · 21/08/2023 19:07

You don't actually access all of your notes in the form you saw them - they are reviewed first to make sure there is no information about any other individuals in them for eg family, carers , Drs etc. and a photocopy of relevant parts issued to you.
they are a legal professional file and that applies to everyone even hcp in hospital.
What might have been easier would have been to have asked the surgeon if they could give you a copy of the discharge letter , review letter or procedure note.
Other option is to book with GP snd ask them to print off the discharge summary letter for you presuming you may need a check up anyway?
Any info or queries should have been responded to by medical and nursing staff.

GrandTheftWalrus · 21/08/2023 19:09

Slightly off topic but I broke my ankle last month and haven't seen any xrays, how would I go about getting to see them? I asked at the hospital but they were busy so didn't get a chance to show me. Thanks.

stayclosetoyourself · 21/08/2023 19:09

Yes birth notes are different I think as they are shared

PalomaPalomaPaloma · 21/08/2023 19:11

PartingGift · 21/08/2023 18:50

Why on earth would they be so cagey about this?

Because it's part of information governance, and the staff would get into trouble for letting you read through your own notes without you making a written subject access request first.

I've told patients this before, not because I'm being cagey, but because I don't want to risk my job/profession.

Yes, but why?

stayclosetoyourself · 21/08/2023 19:12

I'm not sure you can see x rays. Only a report goes to GP not the actual x Ray

AndyWarholShoes · 21/08/2023 19:15

If a patient wants to see notes. It has to go through information governance. And then it lands on my desk to have to go through them to check if there is anything harmful that needs to be redacted. I never remove anything about clinical care but I take out third party info. If a relative has given the clinicians some info, I cannot assume they consent to the patient seeing it.

I can see why it is a pain in the OP’s case but I guess deciding on exceptions could take up too much time.