Should I complain after a nurse shared my 16-year-old's medical details?

[Midglet]

My 16yr old had an incident this week that required medical intervention. They didn’t want people, even immediate family and close relatives, to know until they had underwent the operation and we respected those wishes. However a theatre nurse recognised their name and before my child was even under anaesthetic, the nurse had texted a distant relative of ours and divulged that not only was our child in for an operation , but the nature of such. The child was in theatre for four hours but within twenty mins of them being taken in the distant relative , who doesn’t have our mobile numbers, then started calling the hospital demanding details of our child’s prognosis and treatment. Thankfully we had been tipped off very quickly as the relative started contacting other family members ( who themselves weren’t aware of the situation until they themselves contacted us to see what was happening) and were able to request staff to refrain from divulging such. After several failed attempts the relative then turned up at the hospital and demanded access to our child, by which point they were out of surgery. The ward staff asked our 16 yr old ( with us present) if they would like the relative to gain access and our child immediately burst into tears with the thought …the relative is particularly difficult at the best of times and the children try to avoid all contact by their own choice . Thankfully again the staff were able to refuse the relative entry into the ward (Although our child is 16 and should have been in the adult wards a lack of beds had resulted in them being housed in the children’s ward with better security) . Anyway I am sitting stewing about the actions of this initial theatre nurse divulging private medical information to a third party . I know this is a huge breach of confidence and I hope such would be a disciplinary if I was to raise a complaint but I don’t know if I should . The nurse is a friend of the relative hence why she reached out and my family are divided as whether to take action as it will cause trouble within the wider family. Hubby thinks I should just forget it to keep the peace but I think the theatre nurse should be made aware her actions were totally unacceptable. I’ve never complained about anything before . Your thoughts would be appreciated !

This is totally unacceptable behaviour and a serious breach of patient confidentiality. You need to report it, OP - if only to prevent it from happening to anyone else.

I don't understand why you think op needs to get her husband to arrange a meeting with the ward manager? She's a grown up and perfectly capable of organising a meeting herself.

Yes and to add to that that - OP should be filing a written complain in the first instance, even if is just a very brief email outlining the bare bones of what’s happened.

There’s no need to have a face to face meeting to see their reaction lol I mean she can do that later if she wants but in this day and age the first step should be in writing.

ALWAYS ensure there’s a paper trail!

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In these circumstances that nurse was way out of line and deserves to lose her job if that is what happens. She cannot be allowed to get away with it. Your DH is wrong I’m afraid. The hospital will have a PALS - Patient Advisory and Liaison Service and you can either call or email them. Please don’t leave it.

As a former NHS manager I'm not sure I'd want PALS dealing with this.

It's a serious breach of patient confidentiality and undermines trust in the NHS.

If i were the OP I'd be complaining in writing to the Trust Secretary and I'd cc in the Director of Nursing and the Chief Exec (and possibly the Trust Chair)

If they want to re-route it via PALS they can, but I'd want senior management to be aware now of the potentila risk to the trust's reputation (if it has a reputation worth keeping).

I'd also complain to the ICO [Edit and to the NMC]

This is a serious breach of patient confidentiality and a sacking offence.

I agree ..
but the OP is hand wringing and unlikely to do anything of any use unfortunately-
i was hoping PALs may appear a more palatable option ?!

I am sorry but what happens to her is not your problem by not saying anything you are enabling her to do this to another family. Your husband sounds spineless if he is more concerned about the backlash in the family than the privacy of your child.

This bit is absolutely shocking

T'he aunt confirmed to the other relative she was informed of my child being in hospital, the incident that caused the required medical treatment AND the nature of the operation required by her ‘friend’ ( who she named) who was present in the operating theatre.'

She really shouldn't be employed in a position of trust. You absolutely must report what she did. You can say in your report that you don't want her to lose her job (I think that she absolutely should lose her job as she is a danger to her patients) but you are scared of your husband's reaction so if he has a go at you, you can truthfully say that you don't want her to lose her job but she needs re-training and a formal warning.

Your husband sounds absolutely awful btw. Are you scared of him and his reactions?

I'd report it anyway. You don't have to tell your husband you're doing so.

The nurse was wrong to do this and you would be entirely justified in raising a complaint.
Only you know what the ramifications of that might be within your family however, so I guess it's for you and the 16 yo to weigh up the pros and cons

I admit I haven't read every response, but agree with everyone who says you must report this! Assuming she works locally to where she lives, she could be gossiping about hundreds of people every week! Tell your husband it's shocking what she did and ask him if he was having an intimate procedure or being treated for an std, would he be happy for her to be telling all and sundry? Or if you or your child were having an abortion?? Show him this thread if he has doubts about how serious it is.

I think that OP is putting her fear of her husband before the rights of her child. I'm sure that if he supported her, she would definitely report.

She is obviously wrong to do this and her child should come first and all the other patients whose privacy may be breached by this completely unprofessional health care worker.

Things have to be terrible for me to complain, but I would definitely complain about this.

No medical professional should be giving personal medical information out about their patients in this way.

Have been keeping an eye out for your update OP.

I’m an NHS hospital matron with over 20 years management experience, for background.

If this is the Theatre Nurse’s first offence, (or first time being caught), then it’s extremely unlikely that she’ll lose her job.

I’ve been involved in hearing or investigating loads of disciplinary cases, including one on inappropriate access to patient’s records, and it’s depressingly difficult to dismiss anyone in today’s NHS.

With a half decent union rep and a show of contrition she’ll most like get a formal warning. However if nothing is said then her behaviour will undoubtedly continue.

We rely on people like you to tell us when things do wrong in order to tackle such behaviour. Ask your husband if he’d be happy for this to happen again to your daughter.

I’m the original scaredy cat but I can’t believe you’re not going to report it.

How are you going to explain that to your daughter?

She will remember that you didn’t stand up for her rights.

I think you've missed my response and nobody seems to be agreeing. But as a Senior Nursing Manager I reiterate:
Nursing Staff are aware of this breach of confidentiality!

So whether or not you make a complaint Staff should have completed incident reports and the staff involved with the incident; your child's Nurse, whoever spoke to your relative on the phone, refused entry etc should all have documented this.

I originally wrote will have changing to should have. Because what concerns me even more is how this was dealt with.
You should have been receiving an apology, told incident forms had been completed and given information on PALS and how to make a complaint.

By your post this wasn't done.
Which horrifies me.

This Nurse is a discredit to our profession and the NMC code of conduct we must adhere to. You really must make a complaint and contact PALS stating the above.

If she did this to you, imagine who else she might. If staff have a culture of not reporting incidents like this then what else do they cover up?

Please please Google the complaints procedure on the hospital and contact PALS.

I'm just praying this is not in my hospital. I'm dreading going in on Tuesday now!But if my it is and my Nurses are practicing like this, I need to know.
I can guarantee I will follow the correct policies and procedures and ensure changes are made.

It is really hard to complain when it isn’t in your nature. However this is a really serious incident. I do wonder if you just contacted the hospital PALS department and explained the situation, perhaps as a learning point rather than make a song and dance etc. the outcome would still be the same for the staff member and you would have protected your child. This shouldn’t happen to someone else. Medical staff are trusted with the most sensitive information when people are at their most vulnerable.

Useless at complaining? You are reporting a very serious breach. You are not simply complaining.

@Whyamiherenow There's really no learning point here though. There is no way on earth the nurse didn't know what she was doing was wrong. The importance of patient confidentiality gets absolutely drilled into you during training to the point I was nervous about answering the phone when I was newly qualified in case I accidentally said something I shouldn't!

This is what makes this story so bizarre. I once worked with a nurse who was struck off for looking up the medical records of several of her friends and family. She was sneaky about it because she absolutely knew she shouldn't be doing it. It took ages for her to get caught and, by that point, she had looked up over 25 records she had no business looking at. This nurse just openly texted someone confidential medical information and then that person told other people exactly who she got the information from? It's astoundingly stupid behaviour.

This.

Honestly, this is a hill to die on and what kind of a parent is your husband that he doesn't want to report it? Protect your child FFS.

Take it as far as you can complaint wise!! This nurse ahould be sacked and charged by the police!!!

It’s not up to your husband what you do!!! Protect your child and report this awful woman!!!!

OP - your responsibility is to your child. They were visibly distressed by this nurses behaviour and had their right to medical confidentiality breached. I would consider what lesson they will take away from what you do know, and what memories they will hold from this incident. And the potentially impact on your relationship with them if you don’t step up.

In your shoes I would want them to remember that their mother had their back and stood up for them against intrusive extended family and a stranger (nurse) who acted grossly unrpfessionally. You can model how to stand up for oneself when other people violate your rights (hugely important!). Inaction would just show your child that it’s okay for other people to treat them terribly and to sit there quietly and take it. Not a lesson I want my children absorbing.

I also find complaining stressful and I work in NHS with management responsibilities so I know most in NHS are working hard in challenging conditions. I would 100% complain here, for my child’s sake (I wouldn’t be able to look them in the eye if I didn’t). Nurse won’t lose their job if it’s first offense. But they could put someone’s life at risk by this behaviour - just one example would be a domestic abuse survivor in hospital and abuser finds out about their location/medical issue etc due to this nurses lack of boundaries and professionalism.