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Original poster

Medical records

22 replies

user1487194234 · 07/02/2022 22:05

Is it ok for a Health professional to access records of a family member if they work in the department the family member is being treated under

OP posts:

GinIronic · 07/02/2022 22:16

No. Sackable offence.

DistrictCommissioner · 07/02/2022 22:17

No. Categorically not.

Nocutenamesleft · 07/02/2022 22:18

Nooooo

This is a huge data protection breach. Sackable offence and easily found out too.

Calyx72 · 07/02/2022 22:19

It's not ok ESPECIALLY if they work in the department the patient is being treated in.

Shouldbedoing · 07/02/2022 22:20

No. Leaves an audit trail too.

LouLou198 · 07/02/2022 22:26

No of course not. You can only access the records you have good reasons to access ie you are providing that person with care. Wanting to have a nosy at someone else's record is not a good reason!

hashbrownsandwich · 07/02/2022 22:32

No, we just wouldn't. We aren't allowed to. Everything we do is logged, it would just be plain stupid to do it.

StirredWithATwist · 07/02/2022 22:33

Is this about you or someone else?

Original poster

user1487194234 · 08/02/2022 02:40

Dad has been getting tests
The advice is to leave things as they are at present,keep under review and not to do a further invasive procedure
Family member who works in the hospital has checked notes and thinks the further procedure should be done
Has only told me but I would have to tell my siblings one of whom will definitely not be happy about what has been done
Don't want to get anyone in try
Dad is happy no further tests to be done
But maybe he needs this procedure,which is risky
Don't know what to do

OP posts:

Original poster

user1487194234 · 08/02/2022 02:40

Trouble not try

OP posts:

Original poster

user1487194234 · 08/02/2022 02:42

Would wanting to help a family member be a good reason

OP posts:

lljkk · 08/02/2022 03:10

It's not a permitted reason OP.

Family member who works in the hospital has checked notes

Did they "check notes" electronically on hospital computer or were the notes on paper?

Electronic checking will get your family member sacked, the family member would know that. Reading a paper document that your dad shared with FM is ok. Why would your FM check hospital records, it makes no sense, can't they just talk to your dad & offer to sit in on his consultations to help ask questions? Your dad can ask to see all his test results, no need to sneakily look anything up.

Original poster

user1487194234 · 08/02/2022 03:18

They accessed the records at work
Think they were trying to be helpful
If my sibling finds out they will report
But I can't make a decision about whether to ask for more tests without telling siblings

OP posts:

hashbrownsandwich · 08/02/2022 06:53

That's proper dodgy ground!

Does your dad have capacity to make his own decisions?

hashbrownsandwich · 08/02/2022 06:53

I don't mean in your opinion does he have capacity, I mean legally.

LouLou198 · 08/02/2022 06:57

What a difficult position for you to be in op. Is the family member qualified to have this opinion? Are they a nurse/doctor?

notagainnotagain · 08/02/2022 07:25

Looking at any notes, when you do not need to in order to do your job, is rightly a sackable offence.

Original poster

user1487194234 · 08/02/2022 07:27

He has capacity
At the moment he is just so pleased that he has finished with the tests
FM is a nurse,experienced but the doctor has said no further tests are recommended at this stage
I really don't want to keep all this from my siblings,we are close and it's pretty central to our relationship that we are totally straight with each other

OP posts:

lljkk · 08/02/2022 08:20

You have a right to a 2nd opinion, afaik. Maybe you could ask for all his test results & go private to get another doctor's opinion, if NHS would be too slow to ask for another opinion. This sounds like you'd be going against your dad's wishes.

My understanding is that doctors are more trained in pathways, diagnosis & protocols than nurses are trained to understand those things.

Lanie182325 · 08/02/2022 09:00

I have been seeing my scan results on my medical records on line . Bit when I looked again today it say no tests to see to date where have they gone anyone know why this has happened

lljkk · 08/02/2022 09:29

Only you can decide if the fall out is worth it, OP.

What harm does FM think will happen if your dad doesn't have these extra tests.

FM probably isn't qualified to make that assessment that more tests are the right way forward.

If anyone tells your sibling, FM should tell them. Let FM face the fall out face on.

FM knows they did wrong, and they are putting you in an awkward place with this information. So unnecessarily -- the test results aren't secrets from your dad who could have asked for & given them directly to FM !

Respect what your dad wants to happen right now.

hashbrownsandwich · 09/02/2022 07:01

Your father has capacity and as such can make his own decisions. If he doesn't want to continue with further tests or treatment then no one should interfere.

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