Horrific errors in NHS notes

[Dragon888]

I tried to get a full set of my nhs notes from birth to current date including all letters only to be given a heavily redacted copy with some horrific errors.

I am teetotal and a buddhist but an NHS GP wrote that I am a "heavy drinker"!!!!!!!!!!!! (I would note that a full blood count had revealed ZERO percent alcohol in my blood!)

Also my child was born via caesarean section and was not breathing at birth it was traumatic (but my child is healthy now) born in 2001 so an adult now but a few years ago when my child was 17yrs old someone had accessed my nhs notes and changed it to "completely normal birth in completely normal case".

There are many more AWFUL errors too.

GPs keep saying "oh, you have a sensitivity to morphine, dont you"
No I am ok with morphine, I have had it twice due to operations and not had any bad side effects. I STILL have no answer as to why they keep stating inaccuracies. My response is always no I don't why are you saying that? they end the conversation and end the phonecall or end the gp appointment

Other GPs had clearly followed the incorrect narrative and the reason that I had been requesting my nhs notes for the last six years only to be repeatedly ignored and or given heavily redacted notes is due to the bizarre way that gps have been behaving towards me.

Stating inaccuracies and being rude to me.

Before all of this I was an nhs volunteer - I still have the badge. My paid employment was at a dementia care home. I deserve a LOT better than this.

According to the GDPR we are supposed to have the legal right to view our FULL nhs notes unless a valid reason is provided for the redaction (which would be VERY rare, even dementia patients are usually allowed to see things). We are supposed to be able to have FACTUAL inaccuracies deleted and if we disagree with a gps comment a note should be added.

I complained to the GP surgery who totally mugged me off and told me that since it was added by a previous practice there was nothing that they could do about it! - which is NOT true, the GP practice who holds your nhs notes are the ones who are responsible for the keeping of accurate notes; then I contacted the ICO who have not been helpful at all and so I turned to the local MPs office for support and the complaint is now with the parliamentary health ombudsman

I am now refusing to see NHS GPs due to what they are doing to me. unless they address my complaints regarding my nhs notes.
This of course will have long term health implications but no worse than the GPs working on an incorrect narrative.

If anyone has sensible suggestions please let me know

All sounds very weird - has someone somewhere confused you with someone else of the same name and updated the wrong notes???

I'm sorry to say this but your complaint with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman may take a very long time. The reviews I have read have been awful. uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.ombudsman.org.uk

Best of luck, it is frustrating to read inaccurate notes.

You can complain to the ICO if the trust/ practice are not complying with the U.K. GDPR including upholding your right to rectification (provided it doesn’t compromise their ability to provide the care they are legally obliged to provide- this is why they can’t delete anything you ask)

Sorry no advice to give in terms of why the issue could have happened I agree it sounds like someone has added someone else’s notes to your record? Could you speak to the practice manager?

I think that the GP is stating that it is me :-(

Mumzoo5070

yes I am worried re the reviews on the parliamentary health services ombudsman. I have spoken to someone on the phone. The complaint is in progress but unless corrections are made I do not know how I could see an NHS GP.

It sounds like the therapeutic relationship has broken down and perhaps you should look for another GP practice. Even if out of catchment there should be an arrangement for such cases.

Aprilshowers91

Yes I have complained to the ICo and yes also the practice manager. PHSO is the last stage. Factual inaccuracies should be corrected.

Sounds awful for you. Have your actually been able to ask the GP directly why they have written these things if they are blatantly untrue? I don't understand about the redacted information. Surely they are simply not allowed to do that.

The notes are a legal document..they cannot just be deleted and changed. Otherwise anyone could ask for anything to be put in or changed in their notes to anything they want (I'm not saying that you are doing this , just that people could do this) you can make changes with an explanation but the original cannot be removed completely .. things like allergies will often have been added after being on hospital discharge notes and if people have been very ill they may not remember it and removing it is then very dangerous. As I said I'm not saying any if this is the case in your situation but these are reasons that notes can't just be changed on request. But that doesn't explain the oddness and inaccuracies in your notes which you are entitled to have a say in. Redactions will usually be done if there is 3rd party information.. ie information about someone else.. family or social history of a relative etc

Asdf12345

unfortunately the NHS notes follow you to your new GP and they then follow the incorrect narrative. Current GP is doing exactly that. It sort of snowballs.

You need to contact the Data protection officer for your NHS trust/board and request your rights to rectification and/or deletion.

Didiplanthis

GDPR states that factual inaccuracies should be corrected so that incorrect narrative is not created. When they changed from c-section to completely normal birth that would then put me at risk of rupture......so that could become medical negligence
And if they refuse morphone for pain relief when i may need it that is an issue too...

MovinOnUp

How would I find out who the data protection officer is?

I had a brain aneurysm listed on mine- only saw it by chance over the GPs shoulder- had been added to the wrong notes ffs!! They did remove it.

How would I find out who the data protection officer is?

LockdownCheeseToastie

wow, that's bad. How did you get it removed?

It just be frustrating however. People that don't volunteer for the NHS or work with people with dementia do also deserve their notes to be accurate?

I would note that a full blood count had revealed ZERO percent alcohol in my blood!

Full blood counts don't test firbalcohol levels.

It looks as is there's even more amiss here

*Full blood counts don't test firbalcohol levels.

It looks as is there's even more amiss here*

Indeed.

Also, "completely normal birth in completely normal case" is very oddly worded for medical notes. Surely if it’s an addition/amendment dates 6 years ago the original correct information is still visible?

@StillFestive

*Full blood counts don't test firbalcohol levels.

It looks as is there's even more amiss here*

Indeed.

Also, "completely normal birth in completely normal case" is very oddly worded for medical notes. Surely if it’s an addition/amendment dates 6 years ago the original correct information is still visible?

This.

What an odd tale.

My late DM was allergic to morphine. She was given a red wristband before her nephrectomy, but was still given morphine. When I went to visit her after the op she wasn't there - staff said she was in the loo. Half an hour later it transpired she had collapsed in there. Fucking useless. There was a pile of vomit at the top of the stairs the same evening, which I reported. It was still there three days later.

RevolvingPivot

Yes Everyone deserves accurate notes

StillFestive

Exactly. Part of the complaint involves requesting whom has accessed my notes and more..........phso has complaint now

My notes said I had ovarian cysts (never been mentioned to me) an abortion (news to me) and DD birthday is incorrect.