Does DV marker go off GP medical records?

[Sillybillylily]

Just that really. I have a friend who is in bits after going to gp for antidepressants but now has a DV marker on her records as GP thinks she is being emotionally abused by husband. I have known them both for decades and believe that husband is just a truly lovely man. She is devastated as she genuinely loves her husband and wants to work on her relationship. Husband as far as I am aware also wants to work on the relationship and attend counselling together.

She has been contacted by HV and Social services to make sure kids are ok. According to her it was just a lover’s quarrel and not emotional abuse; knowing the husband, I don’t suspect abuse either.

However, she is more concerned about the DV marker on her and her kid’s medical records. Anyone know what happens usually?

Thank you in advance lovely ladies x

I work in a GP practice and whatever is documented in medical records stays there for life. However, SS and health visitors are separate entities and do not work for GP practices, they only work alongside them and they also keep their own records too.
It is the GP’s responsibility to document concerns, no matter how minor and make the necessary referrals and whatever concerns/ referrals are made has to be documented on medical records by law.
The GP practice has very little to do with it once the referral is made unless they are later called upon to attend a meeting or write a report. As I say, if the HV and as are not concerned the case will be closed and although it will be documented, no further action will be taken unless there are any future concerns.
I will say, however, in my experience of working in a GP practice, it is extremely rare for a gp to make a referral over a tiny minor argument, they understand that couples do sometimes have problems and and not everything can always smell of roses and that some couples may argue from time to time. However, they are highly trained in knowing when something could be crossing the line into abuse and I feel this is why the GP made a referral. It might be that your friend might not even known she was being emotionally abused or maybe she was trying to downplay it in some way but I get the feeling she will have told the GP something that sent alarm bells ringing enough for them to inform the hv and ss.

I agree with pp - she must've said something that concerned the gp enough to make referral

Also… you may not suspect abuse but you don’t know what goes on behind closed doors which is where abuse takes place. Most abusers appear to be nice people on the outside, even to people who have known them years, they manage to keep up a facade so that people would never believe the victim if they ever disclose the abuse (I’m also saying this as an ex abuse victim myself).

Everyone thought my ex was a fantastic husband. So when I eventually left him, all our friends took his ‘side’ and wouldn’t speak to me.
However, under todays laws he would be charged with coercive control, financial abuse and rape.

And I would also like to add the fact that she was given antidepressants may mean your friend’s relationship isn’t as rosy as you may think.

I would rethink the whole 'but he seems lovely to me' thing. If you look on here enough, many stories of abuse will include the fact that their abuser is 'lovely' to everyone else. Abused people often cover for their abusers to friends/ family as well. She's on anti depressants and talking about them both attending counselling, that doesn't suggest it's a singular lovers quarrel. If there's genuinely nothing going on, there's nothing to worry about re ss enquiring after her and the kids.

There is no such thing as a 'DV marker' but the record will stay on their files forever.
Also adding my voice to you don't know what's really going on in their relationship and the GP almost certainly had good grounds to view it as abusive and so abusive that they referred to children's services.

I disagree with everyone. These things can escalate easily and she knows nothing of what GP or HV or anyone else recorded. I had an issue, and when finally saw notes, it was recorded wrongly : accused of saying 1,2,3 when I'd actually said a,b,c. I would ask to see notes. Read first. I then made an appointment to see the Practice Manager and took my mum to advocate. Was the best thing I'd done. There was an investigation. Notes can't be changed but my mum requested an extra note was added, and it was.

I have known them both for decades and believe that husband is just a truly lovely man. yes most abusers do though. You don't see what happens behind close doors.

My ex was a highly respected professional that everyone declared “lovely” “charming” and “such a kind thoughtful man”. He was still abusive. I minimised it for years.

I !listened to a podcast about a middle aged woman who murdered her dad, everyone thought he was lovely but it turned out he'd been sexually abusing her for 40 years, so as PP have said you never know what some.people are really like

HCP in primary care. All healthcare professionals within this setting have a duty to record information and if that triggers a safeguarding issue then wouldn't you rather that was followed up?
The record will not be amended.
Perhaps your friend is upset because she knows her partner may react violently if he knows this has happened?

if the GP has made a referral to others then there has been more than a lover quarrel. People don’t refer to social care and HV over minor arguments. Like others I would think twice about assuming. Because he seems like a lovely person he cannot possibly be an abuser. Lots of abuser are very charming people.

My friends ex was a lovely man. Until one day she turned up in my doorstep covered in blood. She'd smoked his last cigarette apparently so she deserved the beating.

To everyone else, abusers appear wonderful. You'd have no idea. That's how they get away with it.

No but she has the right to request a copy of her records. Also, as I said previously, a GP wouldn’t take a referral to ss lightly. They do realise families have minor quarrels and it’s rare a referral is made to ss unless there is a good reason to do so.
Also, working in a GP practice myself, I have seen situations where the GP has apparently recorded things wrongly according to the patient but it is always the patient’s word against the GP’s unless proven otherwise. I’m by no means saying that your GP didn’t get things wrong, im just speaking from my own experience. But yes things cannot be removed from records, there is a specific reason for that, and as in your situation there can only be an extra note added stating that you are now saying that what the GP has written is wrong. That doesn’t mean that the practice is admitting they’re at fault, they’re just documenting that you have said they were wrong.

“I would rethink the whole 'but he seems lovely to me' thing. If you look on here enough, many stories of abuse will include the fact that their abuser is 'lovely' to everyone else. Abused people often cover for their abusers to friends/ family as well. She's on anti depressants and talking about them both attending counselling, that doesn't suggest it's a singular lovers quarrel. If there's genuinely nothing going on, there's nothing to worry about re ss enquiring after her and the kids.”

This with bells on. And as this PP has highlighted, re-read what you yourself have written. Your friend is taking ADs to cope with her relationship and they’re having counselling. There are clearly quite serious problems here. If you research DV at all, you will discover that many abusers are lovely to the world at large - they present a very pleasant and respectable public face. It’s a smokescreen that helps keep their victims trapped. There may be nothing here but your friend may need you to be more cynical about her domestic situation than she is being.

Thank you all. I think I have a bigger picture now of what abuse looks like now. I will try to console my friend and encourage her to be as open and honest with the authorities as possible.

Her kids are thriving and have no hint of any tension in the family. I only know as they friends with my children and often come over to play. Ideally the HV and SS will probably just assess her and shut her case down when they find no concerns. If that’s the case then they won’t flag her as DV victim in her medical records perhaps.

Thanks again to all who replied x

It will still be there in her medical records no matter what. It may not flag up as her being an abuse victim but medical records are like a life journal and so when you look back through them, that entry made by the GP will still be there. Yes her kids may be thriving, some kids can still thrive but still witness certain unpleasant things in their home environment. My child saw my ex hitting me but somehow still thrived at school.
Im so happy to see that you are taking all our comments on board. It might be your friend tries to cover things up and downplay it but at least you have another perspective of what could be going on and to just be there for your friend if they need you

Do GPs does DASH assessments? If he did then it's her answers and the subsequent scores which will mean he does the referral.

I do DV referrals and the DASH assessment is pretty detailed. But also, experience goes a long way to identifying DV even when the victim won't believe it.

I would be very careful what you tell your friend.

You litterally have no idea.

For safeguarding reasons this is left on records - this builds up a picture.

Your friend is depressed- don't assume she is telling you everything- she didn't get perscibed anti depressants because she had a row with Dh.

I would advise listen rather than give advice.

You have a stero image of how the children and wife would respond to a dv situation.

My GP suggested it years before I admitted it to myself…

Have you read the previous posts? You're burying your head in the sand. Best thing to do is to let her know you'll be there for her and support her no matter what.

You can request a copy of your notes, and challenge anything you disagree with.

Same.

No-one knows someone the way their victim does. Never assume, OP.