Social Workers access to my medical files

[MissKegs]

Does anyone know exactly what information Social Services are allowed to obtain from your GP/HV and what they are allowed to put in reports?

I realise that Child Protection issues play a part in this and because I have been diagnosed with PND they will continue to monitor my files but what confuses me is when my Social Workers starts including in reports details of my visits to GP regarding a Urinary Tract Infection, another visit regarding pain relief for Gallstones and the most recent report stating that I had attending a consultant appointment regarding the insertion of the Contraceptive Implant? Are they allowed to include all this irrelevant information in reports regarding my children's well being?

[scurryfunge]

pipsqueak, WV is deluded, I am afraid. Ignore.

[Resolution]

WV said:
"They do not have the power to take your children away from you without sufficient evidence. Therefore do not give them any information."

The less forthcoming WV is about himself the more I am inclined to believe that he's had a bad experience with social workers. Has that included losing his kids?

You are a deluded fool WV. I've had enough of you posting on this thread. I now believe you know that you're giving awful, damaging 'advice'.

Failure to provide the SW with information they reasonably ask for can give rise to care proceedings. Naturally they will think you have sonething to hide.

[WestVirginia]

Many social workers are incapable of understanding medical reports.

They do not give people appropriate help and support. The communications between health professionals and social services are extremely poor.

[WestVirginia]

Even when you give social workers information they are unwilling to help and support you.

[WestVirginia]

If, and its a big if, I am a deluded fool it is because I was not given accurate information by social workers.

[WestVirginia]

Social workers have not got the professional knowledge to be able to correctly interpret medical files.

[Marjoriew]

WV seems to be able to get away with posting whatever he likes on MN - unlike other sites he has been on.

WV, I don't suppose you feel that you may have been responsible in some way for your own situation?
If you are as confrontational in your dealings with other professionals, it doesn't surprise that you got a negative outcome.

[scurryfunge]

No one takes any notice though, Majoriew, despite his broken record way of commenting.

[floatyjosmum]

my advice as a SW is be up front and honest because as some1 else has said is people dont tell the truth we wonder what they are hiding.

With regards to your medical records we can only get the info with your consent or via a court order. Childrens medical records can be checked with consent or if its child protection concerns and the consent can be dispensed with but most sw will still ask just to be polite.

If the only concern is PND then my advise is to access the support and help offered and then no1 can say your doing anthing wrong

[LoveBeingADaddysGirl]

Maybe vw is/was a social worker or tried to be one and they wouldn't have him.

Op you sound like you have your head screwed on, any chance of asking the sw why she felt it was relevent, you know in a 'i a bit thick but you are all knowing' type way?

[onadietcokebreak]

LC/WV you really should get counselling for your feelings towards authority figures.

Once again more crap advice.

[melvinscomment]

Re MissKegs' original question "Does anyone know exactly what information Social Services are allowed to obtain from your GP/HV and what they are allowed to put in reports?"

I think the answer to that is that the medic can tell the SWs anything he or she decides to tell them, so it is probably best not to say anything too alarming to any medic. If you need and want treatment, including mental health treatment, go and get it, just be careful what you say!

As regards a child's medical info, the same will apply, but from what a SW said above it seems a SW can demand to see a child's medical file if there are child care concerns.

Maybe a SW can demand to see an adult's medical file if there are mental health concerns? SWs will know the answer to that!

[Bideyin]

There are agreements in place to share information between agencies where appropriate. This is so all professionals involved in the care of vulnerable adults and children have the knowlege to fully assess and minimise risk.

[Bideyin]

sorry should say agreements and protocols

[melvinscomment]

@ Bideyin et al ..... I wonder how many adults know that what they say to a GP, or other medic, may well find its way to social workers, without the adult knowing if that has happened or may happen?

[Resolution]

If a solicitor receives information to suggest that a child is at risk, we are under a duty to inform the relevant authorities. I assume the same applies to the medical profession. Hopefully everyone understands the reasons for that!

[melvinscomment]

@ Resolution .... Re "a child is at risk". Presumably it is a question of how significant the risk (of harm) is perceived to be by the solicitor or medic. By "the relevant authorities", I think you mean Local Authority social workers.

[Baffledandbewildered]

Social works cannot be trusted they twist facts and make up senarios in their own heads. I know it is a hard job but most seem to look for easy targets as they dare not approach people who might physically attack them. Normal families who try to be open seem to be their latest play things


So no time for social workers at all waste of space and wages.

[scurryfunge]

Someone else with their own agenda, eh?

Or are you namechanging again, Baffled?

[labradoodleandproud]

I am not a sw but a professional who works at SS (not in childrens services but adult disability).

We cannot access medical infomation unless written permission has been given and the GP's do ask to see this. We get people to sign a data protection form which includes this so you would have had to sign to allow access to your medical records.

[labradoodleandproud]

however in child protection cases I assume this policy differs for obvious reasons

[Baffledandbewildered]

No scurry no name change just a confused person who like the op cannot see what my past illness cystitis asthma ect have to do with a social worker or indeed how many partners I had before husband!!!!! They do pry into things that are of no concern of theirs . We had one who wanted to check my husband could speak the language of his ethnic back ground!!!!!!!! Never been taught to the children so WHY is it relevant ????? You seem so defensive of sw's maybe you are one or have never had unfair dealings with them

[Baffledandbewildered]

Oh and before you say if social workers are involved it must be for a reason. Not so people can make up allegations and get away with throwing the lives of innocent families into turmoil .

[melvinscomment]

@ labradoodleandproud et al ... My understanding of the situation is that a GP or other medic can tell the social workers anything he or she decides to tell them, eg relating to the medics perception of the risk of a parent harming a child, also re an adult being a risk to himself or herself or anyone else due to the medics perception of the adults mental health. It seems that in these cases the SWs can also demand to see the child's or adult's medical notes. In all other cases, eg the adult disability you refer to, I think the patient would have to give the SWs permission to see their medical notes. However, I think a GP or other medic could still send the SWs any information a patient believes to be "confidential" if the medic decides it relates to the risks I have referred to.

[scurryfunge]

Baffled,
Not a social worker but have had dealings with them. Just questioning your blanket statement as if that was representative of all social workers. Also do not understand why anyone would question the need for child protection protocol.

Allegations can be made easily but without any evidence nothing is acted on, so there is often little to worry about.