Hi owdsod, you are right about your medical records/history it is supposed to be confidential. However this info can be shared with varied departments that deal with health issues. I have experienced info coming out amongst persons who should not have had access to the info in the past so no longer worry what comes out which allows me to discuss things freely with who ever. But feel sore the same as you about the fact that to access my records I have to pay and they still have the right to withhold access if the dr feels the info could harm the patient or a third party, which means there is little point in seeing the records as it is only what the dr chooses to let you see.But no one else should be seeing it without your permission. I agree this as changed a lot since computerisation so is safe to presume medical issues are not as confidential as some might like and even less so if you have a mental health record.As you see your experience is not unusual
Thankyou Katieoxo60, you made me smile, I wondered if you give a meal ''Man appeal'' Remember the advert from the 50s?
I realise that many organisations have some of our medical records as they need them to process certain things. However, what annoys me is someone who cold calls me on the phone (even though I signed up to the telephone preference service) They tell me details about myself, and they refuse to tell me where they got the Information from.
It dilutes the trust we have in anyone, and as I do not know where the information was got, means that I now mistrust everyone.
Patients notes were all held at one time on paper, and were then very difficult to access.
(When I was a night Charge Nurse I often had to go into dark cellars of old Hospital archives to retrieve notes that were almost impossible to find. Now it seems they are at anyones finger tips who can operate a computer.
By what I have found out, these people are not exactly who they say they are, and have nothing to do with the NHS. Scary or what?
Well Owdsod, I agree with you, information has become freely available at the press of a key as you say. Plus mobile phones are linked as well if you have one, must admit I object to cold calling apparently they buy our telephone numbers and info. The NHS is now run like a business so maybe that's how some basic info gets out???? The current system is scary as security of info is highly doubtful. Sad to say I am another one who has joined the ranks of those like yourself who have lost trust in the NHS , both in respect of info and also in respect of supplying medical needs. But I haven't given up on them, I still champion the cause to save NHS services especially for older persons who have no provision to go else where. But the issues are a cause for concern don't you think????
PS Owdsod, Yes I do give a meal "man appeal" that's why I am known as katieoxo, I was a chef/cook for NHS, social services, the city council plus several private company's in my younger days, before the invention of microwaves, take aways and ready meals.(smiles)
Unfortunately Microwaves have a lot to answer for. there is nothing quite like a proper cooked meal served on a hot plate (not thrown) by dedicated chefs and cooks.
I feel so sad now for many Patients who's meals can often be to say the least disgusting. I thank you most sincerely for your input.
I wish you all the best. May your OXO always crumble!
Contact your CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group ) and ask for the Head of Medicines Management or Head of Primary Care, they should know if the scheme is legit. Each local authority area has a CCG eg Liverpool CCG, Doncaster CCG etc.
Who Heads of? It is Head of Security who pretends you're abusive after admin units do not put you through ,sending legal letters to shut you up , having invented scenario to cover their inability to direct the medical.
Medical records were never private. They are restricted. Go for a job with IBM and some other large companies you will find that you have to give them permission to access your medical records as part of their condition of being offered employment with them. The weekend cannabis smoking you discussed with the doctor is available for the company to see. I know of someone who lost a job offer because of this.
There is I think a 1986 Police Act which gives the police full access to your medical records.
Have a accident where you need to sue someone for an injury. Your medical records are on display in a court of law and available for solicitors and barristers to study.
Under certain conditions council employees have access to your records. There was an incident where an employee of a UK city council was trawling medical records for information to give to parties to make use.
Restricted maybe to certain parties and if you have to give permission that is OK but I presume by giving permission that it is limited as to whom is allowed to troll those records not every Tom Dick and Harry in the company. Likewise Records may be used in other certain curcumstances.
Even the patient cannot access their records so easily.
but I still believe being used by a cold caller who will not tell you from whom they got the files are breaking the law We shall see I have now put it with NHS Fraud department to see if they can throw light on the matter
Well done owdsod, hope it does uncover what is happening.
I shall keep posted on this, because I believe it to be an issue that not only affects me, but could affect many other people who may just give up their details to these people.
Hello Owdsod,I too will be very interested I the outcome of your query,please keep us posted ,thanks.D.
Owdsod, I like the approach, but my understanding is that NHS (Counter) Fraud is only interested in money.
Suggest either the CCG in the first instance, the scheme may just be legit and sanctioned by the NHS, as my post above. And/or the Information Commissioner ico.org.uk/ as a data protection issue if you are still unhappy with the CCG's answer.
I realise what you are saying, but I was passed to this from the CCG, who passed me onto NHS England, who passed me on to the fraud department. To be honest I expect nothing from them, and certainainly no explanation. the whole area is such a mass of administration it would probably takes years to find the right department, If the complaint ever arrived there.
But it gives someone something to do I imagine.
Welcome to the world of snooping Britain. If you ask me the only sure fire way of ensuring confidentiality these days is to keep your mouth firmly shut and tell no one anything and never write anything down. No texting, no internet browsing, no telephone conversations. Don't speak when there's a smartphone in the room, I'm convinced that google if no one else, is listening to every conversation you ever have without even having the phone in your hand. Trust absolutely no one. What a sad and untrustworthy world we live in.
During the Last war they used to say ''Careless talk costs lives''. Nowadays, and I have to entirely agree with you, I believe there is no such thing as privacy anymore.
It is not the World that is sad, but the people within it. We have all allowed it to happen.
That is scarey! Anyone remember the old paper notes? Well I was given mine to hold once to give to the doctor and took the opportunity to look through them. I had had a breakdown as a teenager and bears no relationship to my life today but was worried medics would get the wrong idea about me. So I ripped all the relevant pages out Glad I did x
Try going for correction and watch how nobody wants to put right the downright dangerous omissions .It is person who has adapted notes for computer that has a lot to answer for - ignoring the disability and emergency attendences & contacts & lack of testing to the point of sepsis/gangrene death?When had my cardiac arrest it was a good job could give them the truth if had been comotosed oh dear ?! As for Telecare with this cannot get reasonable assistance even privately as single and solo so the time wasting & rudeness carries on.
Oh how I agree with you, it seems anyone can read our medical notes except us, I was recently told I could not see mine without doctors permission then when he signed the form I got a copy of a load of rubbish that is debatable fact plus very little current info.I am now considering a complaint in respect of being treated differently to what the law says and poor care as a result. Infact if I changed doctors it would be totally confusing for them as the facts are incorrect. Can't go into things as this is a public site, suffice to say the "trust me I'm a doctor" saying is rubbish like most of my records.
GOODLUCK WITH FINDINGOUT THE TRUTH ON THIS ONE! MY NOTES WENT "MISSING"FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS AND WHERE WERE THEY FOUND, WELL,APPARENTLY NO-ONE KNOWS! I HAD HAD A SERIOUS FALL, WAS IN HOSPITAL AND WHEN I WAS DISCHARGED TO A NEW AREA, NO NOTES. HAVE READ SOME OF MINE, INCOMPLETE, YEARS WORTH MISSING, AND I HAD TO GIVE MY THEN GP NOTES THAT I HAD ON ASSESSMENTS AND DLA THAT SHE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT!! SOME GP NOTES ARE APPARENTLY SOLD TO PRIVATE MEDICAL COMPANIES, NOT GOOD AND ANY0NE WHO IS INVOLVED IN ANY SORT OF CARE IN YOUR LIFE CAN ACCESS THEM. YOU CAN GET A FORM TO STOP THEM BEING ACCESSED, AS I FOUND MINE WERE NOT BEING KEPT PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL. WISH YOU LUCK AS AFTER 17 YEARS DO NOT KNOW WHERE MINE WENT. HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH ONE OF MY DAUGHTER,S AND ONLY FOUND OUT BECAUSE SHE HAD A SLIP, INJURED HER KNEE AND NEEDE SURGERY. HER NOTES WERE INCOMPLETE AND I HAD TO FILL THE GP IN ON SOME OF HER MEDICAL HISTORY. SHE WAS AT BOARDING SCHOOL AT THE TIME AND HAD BEEN IN THE CARE OF MY PARENTS AND SISTER (I WAS LONG TERM HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME) AND HER NOTES WERE NOT TRANSFERRED UNTIL I SORTED THEM AFTER NEARLY 2 YEARS. SHE HAD ALSO BEEN IN HOSPITAL WITH A HEAD INJURY THAT HAD CAUSED CONCUSSION BUT NO NOTES WERE MADE AS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO HOSPITAL STAFF. BASICALLY THE NHS ARE VERY CARELESS WITH NOTES AND WHEN "LOST", WHO KNOWS WHO CAN ACCESS THEM? WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR OUTCOME, ESPECIALLY IF YOU GET TO THE TRUTH, AS I WOULD LOVE TO! I, LIKE YOU, LIKE TO KNOW THE TRUTH.
There are now 3-4 online systems which you have no access to that includes the Drs & Dentists [none of whom taking hippocratic oaths ] can recount how winding you up if you try to raise fair reasonable issues often regarding safety .Even when you want to add to omit or change how viewed [ when you could see the SCR ] no access would be granted to address .
Now unless you agree to these 4 systems you cannot register with a GP surgery meanwhile they gang up to bully as a result running away ,hiding behind partitions .I have even had it in the Bank?!! Does the Information Commissioner [ just another call centre ?] want to know ? The maladministration & libel continues despite a NHS Constitution ?! How come the East eg Ukraine ,with a lot less money is more ethical & fair?
What about the pop up adverts that prevent your computer from operating this is is mugging using Cookies.
Why is it that the so call decentralised Government & Information Commissioner allowing this ? Is there an English one? Why do they all operate using these undemocratic call centres franchising out & copying the corporate - it will be robots soon .
In my NHS surgery they have set up the admin to ignore Confidentiality because most staff p/.t with Manager of 15 surgery in charge taking their side using IT to relate how winding you up .
I have safety issues re : medication in dosset boxes often for the elderly .Do they , the p/t GPs or pharmacies or surgeries , want to know ? re this & medication not identifiable as same markings & throwing it away if changes made & they delivered monthly rather than weekly .If they had to pay me watch me how their house is got in order at once ?!
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Glad I did x
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NHS Change Day 2014 - less than a week to go!
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