To not send a photo to the Dr?

[swissrollisntswiss]

DS (4) has a rash around his anus. Very red, with a very clear border. He’s had it for a week now, we’ve tried sudacream but it’s not helped. He’s now complaining that it’s itchy and getting sore. I’ve looked for worms but can’t see any so I’m fairly sure it isn’t that.

After calling the surgery all day I finally get through and I’m told that they can’t see him but to email a photo. I’m not comfortable with this, it feels too private. I’ve sent one when he’s had an eye infection previously, I’m fine with the system but not for this. Is it just me? AIBU?

For full context, I’m not in the UK, I’m British though so not sure if I’m being too British!

If there is a clear red line around it then it might be perianal strep. My son had this and it needs antibiotics. GP didn’t know about it but I asked them to swab it and it came back positive.

It's fine. It's just an arse, they see it everyday. Better to get him the help as quick as possible.

Clear edge makes me suspicious of strep. Though worth checking for worms. In the UK sending the picture would not be acceptable. Though I have had to explain to more than one overseas trained doctor exactly why that is the case.

Yeah drs do but sending a photo is different. That means all admin staff can view it and how many times have the nhs system been hacked. About half of my medical records have been lost nobody has a clue where they are

Thats outrageous. I'd nor be sending any photos let alone a childs anus for goodness sake.

I thought photos could only be viewed by the doctor? The photo wouldn't be identifiable though.

It sounds like ring worm. It's a fungle infection that's treated with anti fungal cream like Canesten. Try to keep the area dry. It thrives in warm, damp areas..

In this country you would be risking prosecution. Child images of intimate areas and sharing the image would be a criminal offence.
Do not send it.

I absolutely wouldn't send a photo.

This. It's a criminal offence in the UK.

What kind of country do you live in that deems this practice acceptable in the first place?

No. Anyone with access can see them, which is anyone who works with a computer in a practice or hospital.

Your not sending images or anything directly to a gp they go through admin first. It would be identifiable as staff need to know what patient it is so would have name, dob and nhs number on it

Our gp tells you not to photo private parts on photo uploads. I don't blame you. If I sent my gp a photo of dcs bumhole I'm pretty sure I'd be in trouble with them

Another one who’s 4 year old he exactly the same and I was sure it wasn’t worms - no sign, but doc told me to treat for worms and it got better straight away.

well said.

now think about the trip that photo takes from your phone to the surgery software. its uploaded to your phone cloud (if you have one). It goes through your internet providers network, your email provider, through then the same at the other end - surgery email provider, onto the NHS network, then possibly into the surgery database, possibly on some other NHS database. that is a lot of touchpoints to trust. some will be scanning for obscene material and this could flag up. people can intercept traffic at multiple stages. and this photo is replicated at each point. once you put a photo out onto the internet, it is never safely deleted.

I’m surprised any GP is suggesting this. I’d have thought it would be NHSwide policy not to.

I never check - I just give the medicine if they’re itchy in their bum hole.

Its not a harmful medicine.

You cannot guarantee complete confidentiality on the phone /device used to take the picture or the carrier systems scanning for potentially illegal content. Brutally, I'd be surprised if you can guarantee 100% on your own systems - you can only minimise risk.

If you are in the UK what you are asking people to do potentially illegal.

Email is not secure. Our doctors are not even allowed to send messages via email. I'm also not in the UK.

People are extremely tech naive even now.

Switzerland. The irony of this in a country with such strict privacy laws.

His face won't be in it so even if it got leaked (don't think that would happen) no one would ever know it was him.

Or we could not normalise adults taking photos of children's genitalia.

Bum isn't genitals. For a medical reason I don't see an issue. If it was zoomed in would it even be obvious that it was a child not an adult?