Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Horrific errors in NHS notes

91 replies

Dragon888 · 18/12/2021 19:37

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

OP posts:
Original poster
Dragon888 · 18/12/2021 21:57

BitterTits

That's horrific. And medical negligence too. And not good news for the other kidney.......sorry.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dragon888 · 18/12/2021 21:58

GetInThereLewis

wow that's bad. Would they correct the untrue "information" ?

OP posts:
lostinthoughts · 18/12/2021 22:01

You sound paranoid and I suspect there is a lot more to this story

TreborBore · 18/12/2021 22:04

Following because I’ve just accessed my notes on the NHS app and there are some errors.

DropYourSword · 18/12/2021 22:06

@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?

Agree with this. None of this sounds right at all. There would be no way in the world an actual health professional would write that.
DumplingsAndStew · 18/12/2021 22:18

GPs keep saying "oh, you have a sensitivity to morphine, dont you"

In what context? Why are you regularly discussing morphine with various GPs?

Thefuturestory · 18/12/2021 22:19

So OP what led you to accessing your notes?

DeedIDo · 18/12/2021 22:19

I obtained my notes some years ago and they are very incomplete and pretty much a work of fiction. Of my three pregnancies, only one made it to my notes.

And so it goes on. Our local hospital thinks I am on HRT. If only. The GP flatly refuses to give it to me - thinks I am too old!

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 18/12/2021 22:21

Nobody has picked up on this part of the op:
‘
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 this is true it is extremely unwise and a disproportionate reaction to errors in your notes, given that you could need healthcare for many reasons not connected to any of your particular errors and since you know they are there you always have the option of refusing any treatment that is premised on the false information.

Unless when you say you are refusing to see NHS GPs you mean you are seeing private ones, which is probably not a bad idea given the overload to the service at the moment.

drawthelatch · 18/12/2021 22:25

I’m sorry OP, this is obviously really troubling for you, but I agree with some previous posters - this doesn’t make sense to me.

What are you needing from the GP that your inaccurate notes are preventing you from accessing? Are you having a complication from the c-section that needs sorting and they don’t believe it happened? Are you having symptoms that the GP is attributing to alcohol use, so they’re refusing to investigate? Are you asking for morphine and being refused? If so, why do you need morphine?

We might be able to give more helpful advice if the situation were clearer.

It doesn’t seem proportionate right now to respond so angrily, when the inaccuracies in your record don’t seem to be relevant to your current medical care.

CoedenNadolig · 18/12/2021 22:28

My NHS records had me down as male, and apparently they had been like this for like 24 years, wasn't till I was pregnant at 24 did the midwife notice and corrected it...I'm definitely not male 🤣

bobbie42 · 18/12/2021 22:30

Would hardly put these errors in the "horrific" category. I've seen far more dangerous simple typos in medical notes - e.g. hype-something instead of hypo-something

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 18/12/2021 22:30

In what context was morphine discussed?

I think there's a lot more to this.

Hellocatshome · 18/12/2021 22:31

Why did you request all your notes? Obviously having incorrect information on your notes is not good but I feel there is more to this story.

DropYourSword · 18/12/2021 22:33

This of course will have long term health implications but no worse than the GPs working on an incorrect narrative

GP’s don’t read page by page through 17+ years of notes.
I

thickthighs73 · 18/12/2021 22:34

@Dragon888

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.

And that makes you more important than someone else ?!?!?

MichelleScarn · 18/12/2021 22:37

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.’

Well yes, but this impacts on you, its very unlikely the gp practice will be pleading with you to come in, its not exactly a 'gotcha' to try and get your own way.

ChristmasPlanning · 18/12/2021 22:39

How did this come to light?

CiaoForDiNiaoSaur · 18/12/2021 22:43

@CoedenNadolig

My NHS records had me down as male, and apparently they had been like this for like 24 years, wasn't till I was pregnant at 24 did the midwife notice and corrected it...I'm definitely not male 🤣
Don't you know men can have babies these days? Wink

This is all very odd. Why did you request your medical notes?

Chewbecca · 18/12/2021 22:43
  • suggest you make a very clear, numbered list of each error, keep very brief and to the bald facts - quote the exact wording and state what change is needed
  • you are daft to refuse to see a GP over it
msc6199 · 18/12/2021 22:50

@Dragon888

How would I find out who the data protection officer is?
Go to the CCG. Most GP surgeries have their I.G matters managed by IG Consultants at CCGs, some may even delegate this to CSU's, either way go via the CCG and they will be able to tell you if they have a team which deal with GP IG. (Some do and some don't, they all work a little bit differently but I would say this is a good starting point)
UniversalAunt · 18/12/2021 23:02

CCG - the local Clinical Commissioning Group
I.G - Information Governance
CSU - Commissioning Support Units

Find your local CCG here: www.england.nhs.uk/ccg-directory/

UniversalAunt · 18/12/2021 23:05

@CoedenNadolig,

‘ My NHS records had me down as male, and apparently they had been like this for like 24 years, wasn't till I was pregnant at 24 did the midwife notice… ’

Oh get you, so ahead of the curve Wink

Original poster
Dragon888 · 18/12/2021 23:07

DumplingsAndStew

I wasn't discussing morphone which is kind of my point.

OP posts:
CPL593H · 18/12/2021 23:14

I am struggling to see the relevance of your Buddhism (many are not teetotal) or the NHS volunteering, or your work in a dementia care home. Also, is there a specific reason you need birth to current day notes?