To challenge this incorrect information on medical letter?

[ACOTAR95]

I have an autoimmune condition - rheumatoid arthritis.

I saw one of the practitioners last week and I’ve just received my follow-up letter and there are several inconsistencies on there about the appointment.

I was under the impression the appointment was to start medication, as my appointment before that had been going through the different medication options - there was absolutely no record of this in the notes so they didn’t even know what I was there for.

The letter states that my stiffness only lasts 10 minutes in the morning whereas I specifically said it lasts 30, it said that none of my joints were tender however I told them multiple times that my knees hurt and my fingers were tender when he pressed on them. It also states that I don’t warrant a certain type of medication when I was already approved for it?

I’m so sick of going to appointments and not being listened to - and clearly the practitioner wasn’t listening to a thing I said and just made up his own narrative of how the appointment went.

AIBU to complain about this and who would I complain to?

This is very annoying. Are you sure they haven't got you muddled up with someone else?!
Complaining won't serve you at all. But I think you should contact them to have the proper information recorded. Is that something PALS could advise you on?

Absolutely follow it up and have it corrected. I’d probably complain by saying “you’ve obviously mixed me up with someone else as none of this is factually correct - this data protection error is very serious in my eyes”… that will get their attention.

I would have it corrected because if you do claim PIP or need to in future it might impact that, because that would be part of your evidence.

Absolutely complain and get it corrected. But complain in writing or email.

Write to the practice manager

This happens with literally every single consultant's letter and discharge letter for my DS. Initially I wrote to request errors were corrected, but since they never acknowledged, let alone made the corrections, I stopped bothering (which was a mistake, in hindsight, particularly when they got medication doses wrong).

So, yes, you should write to the consultant you saw (put it in writing, so you have a record), advising them of the inaccuracies and requesting your medical records are corrected, and the letter is corrected and reissued. Copy in everyone who received a copy of the consultant's original letter (e.g. usually they copy in your GP).

If you have the energy, you could complain to PALS, but it will get you nowhere and nothing will change.

This has happened to me so many times it no longer surprises me.