Political letter from my gp telling who to vote for

[FluffyJellyCat]

Is this even allowed? The gp isn't wrong in what he is saying. But how did he get my personal data to write to me? It's a proper letter addressed to me at my address. Could he access my data for a local election?

Conflict of interest? Gdpr? I'm not going to complain because I have enought going on in my life. But surely this isn't allowed?

What next? The schools head telling me who to vote for?

I would report that to the ICO who would investigate, it's a likely a huge breach of GDPR and they would investigate if they have used information from patient records inappropriately, or if your local GP is writing through the party to everyone on the electoral roll, which may be legal but which feels pretty unethical to me.

That just stops you getting marketing mail. All candidates are entitled to a mailing to the full register.

What kind of letter is it from the surgery does it have the nhs stamp or is it just the letters we've all been getting and your gp happens to be involved in the political party. A few years back my physchiatrist was running and I got letters and info from her but it was what everyone got it wasn't her actually writing to me as a patient. There is a massive difference and you need to be clearer on what you mean as one is normal one is a serious misuse of power and needs dealing with.

Which ethical principle would they be overriding?

You really have no idea on data privacy. Personal data can only be used for precise purposes that have been explained in advance and consented to. A surgery could write to you using your personal data regarding medical matters but not political matters... unless OP agreed to that which is highly unlikely.
So yes an ICO matter.

I bet it isn’t. That’s illegal and traceable and I can’t imagine the GP would agree to misuse of patient data like that.

There are 31 doctors standing for election just now, so theoretically over 4.8% of MPs could be doctors come Friday if they all won.

They won’t be using patient records. Please read the thread before my eyes start bleeding.

How do you feel about all the doctors that are currently in office as MPs and the many others who have stood as candidates at elections?

And we have zero information that the surgery has written to OP who has conveniently disappeared.

Many posters have explained about campaigners and access to the electoral register. Just because it's been signed by a GP doesn't mean in the least that the names and addresses have been accessed via a breach of the surgery's records and it's highly unlikely a GP would be stupid enough to do that.

So sure, report to ICO. I'm sure they'd enjoy the laugh.

Honestly, I am shocked at how people who have a vote in elections are so illiterate about the electoral process. How can we call it democracy when so many of the participants have literally no idea how it all works?

Personally I'd love to hear from those working in public services about how the services are impacted by the government. My main priorities are health and social care. All parties are going to say they are invested in improving the services, those who have actually worked in the services for a long time could provide a good insight into which parties would make a difference.

its very unclear what has happened here
I think its so unlikely as to be impossible that an NHS GP practice has used patient records to write to all patients in support of a political party (GDPR 101)
I can imagine a local party putting out a leaflet that included 'I'm Dr Smith, a local GP in Anytown, and I believe only such and such a party can fix the NHS'
I think this would be dubious ethically but perfectly legal- and this could be sent to all voters, using the electoral roll

What makes in dubious, ethically?

Particularly in the wider context of how many doctors have held office as, or campaigned to be, and MP?

Once again for those at the back, why would they risk their jobs to use your medical records illegally when they could use the electoral roll which is totally legit. Also, the letter has probably gone out to people who aren't patients as well.

The BMA as well, though they would probably ignore your views if they're not on message.

Oh god. AIBU really is a pit of vipers. Of course GDPR is an issue in certain cases (possibly this one) but a box has possibly been ticked to agree to ‘any other communications’. That’s IF they are using addresses held by the surgery. If using an open sources of addresses, then no, it’s just highly dubious and IMHO as a person in a similar/ medically-related profession - ethically questionable.
GDPR is a fecking minefield for anyone with any type of clinical practice and I’d be questioning how my address was accessed for this purpose.

Personally I would find it reassuring that my GP was so invested in remedying the state of the NHS. At least they care. They could just go into private practice and wash their hands of the lot of you.

I think its dubious because a patient might feel the doctors political allegiance might affect their treatment

When MPs are also doctors, they only practice minimally I think
If a doctor is involved in politics (like by being a party activist) they keep that separate from their professional activities, or should do

But you wouldn't need to, as there's almost certainly enough information on the letter to tell you where the address came from. Probably in a footer stating it's a political communication on behalf of X Party, promoted by Y agent.

But the OP has muted the thread and toddled off for Horlicks in bed, so we'll never know.

I’m not a GP but hold a similar clinical position and we are encouraged to be neutral in our professional dealings with clients. Knowing which political party I support might affect how you engage with me. So, if you were a refugee and I spoke openly of my support for Reform, would you engage with me in the same way? If you are passionately anti-Tory and I’m discussing what an amazing bloke Rees-Mogg is, would it alter our professional relationship? What if I’m dealing with a mentally ill person with a political grudge?
Also, why would I want to discuss my politics with people coming to me for treatment?
There’s nothing to say it can’t be done, but it is highly discouraged in my profession.

Are they registered as a third party campaigner and are they making a declaration of expenses to the Electoral Commission?

I agree 😄

Apologies if this has already been posted - I've not read the whole thread - but assuming this is an NHS GP, here's the link to their guidance: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/pre-election-guidance-for-nhs-organisations-general-election-2024/

They're all getting desperate. My DH and DD had a joint letter today from a hospital consultant urging them to vote Tory 😂
I didn't think for one moment that they had got our address from their hospital files! 🤷🏻‍♀️