Doctors have lied in my notes: I have been... - Thyroid UK

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Doctors have lied in my notes

Bioluminence profile image
35 Replies

I have been preparing some test results for an appointment i have with a nutritionist tomorrow...and as i went through my medical notes i came across a few entries from last year by the doctor i left...he stated that my anger, low mood and weight gain was due to coming off antidepressants and excessive drinking!!!

WTAF??? i haven't had a drink in 16 years!!!!!!! how are they allowed to write this stuff and get away with it?

Here is a link to an article written for the Telegraph about one of the partners at this surgery......this is truth...what they have written about me is pure lies and written because i challenged them....to say I'm angry right now would be an understatement.

telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews...

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Bioluminence profile image
Bioluminence
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35 Replies
Clutter profile image
Clutter

Bioluminence, write a letter to the practice manager pointing out you haven't drunk for 16 years and insist that the reference to "excessive drinking" is removed from your records and that it is noted you have been a non-drinker for 16 years.

galathea profile image
galathea

I have a friend whose records state that she has has TWO hysterectomies, despite the fact that she hasn't actually had one...

You definitely need to write to the doctor and the practice manager and insist this slur is removed.....

Xx g

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to galathea

Is this 'double-billing' for non-existent procedures? ;-) Couldn't make it up!!

in reply to galathea

That's interesting..did they think she had 2 wombs? They made themselves look silly there lol x

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to

Yes, I would have asked for a scan, photocopied it and sent it to them... 'My Womb' ;-) Their carelessness with even note keeping is rather scary when it comes to decision making about our bodies! x

bluebug profile image
bluebug

Unfortunately notes like that aren't removed from your records. Doctors interpret Data Protection legislation to mean incorrect records can only be amended not deleted especially if you left the doctor.

So you need to write a letter asking it to be included in your notes stating that you are teetotal and have been for 16 years.

If you have some blood tests that show normal liver function from a few years ago and this year include those results in the letter as factual information overrides opinion.

I had a specialist write rubbish about my family members' deaths. She couldn't get it into her head I have more than one sibling who has died due to my age. The GP, a young helpful one, saw the notes and said that's the only thing I could do.

Thyroidmeg profile image
Thyroidmeg

That's shocking but not surprising :(

Justiina profile image
Justiina

That is awful. I had a bit similar experience.

I filed a complaint of a doctor that didn't do anything and treated me like piece of trash. Took 6 months to get the respond from the manager and she defended the doctor by quoting him saying there is no reason to do anything as I have had enough tests during the years. I went to see online database and there is no record of me even going there so I could not read his statement.

The worst part is that I told this doctor and in my complaint that I have NOT seen a doctor for 10 years. So how have I been tested numerous times over the years?

Sigh.

But from their point of view patients always lie :(

MrsRaven profile image
MrsRaven in reply to Justiina

I was put on a new medication to replace one that had been stopped because it was no longer practice policy to prescribe it. I took it for 3 weeks, and reported nasty side effects. They ignored me. When I complained to NHS England the practice told them I'd only taken the meds for 3 days

LindaC profile image
LindaC

Wow Bioluminence! Many years back there used to be a TV programme called "Your Life in Their Hands" (a kind of forerunner reality show) on medical interventions and surgical procedures - see link below on the view of medics re the general public back then in comparison to programmes shown today. Clearly attitudes towards patients have not changed, looking at some of the comments above!

I was a young child but my family used to watch this. Just a few years later, my father who then became ill for twenty years and died at 54 of MND, suffered at the hand of many an idiot doctor (as a lot of my family have... oops, then it was my turn - what a surprise), used to cynically say, "Yes, 'your life in their hands'... the ones we get are often those who 'just scraped through exams', i.e. the rubbish" :-(

The fact that notes like those above even exist today sound as if these are written at the hand of some little soap gossip Queen, not a professional at all. Snotty, arrogant little nobodies, who couldn't be trusted with the school magazine! I fear that you can only ask to have something attached to your notes. In these times competence in record keeping should surely be taught and tested [regularly]? These people are permitted - in more ways than record keeping - to run riot with the lives of patients. And as for making a complaint about one of them... the good doctors are hounded whilst the half-wits are protected by one of the most dirty systems in existence outside of politics and law (and are protected by both).

birth-of-tv.org/birth/asset...

Please keep us updated on any progress. Best of... :-) xx

Isn't that defamation of character???

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to

Fraid not... they can and do say anything... we have no 'rights' :-(

in reply to LindaC

That is diabloomingbollical !

eeng profile image
eeng

I wonder whether there are two patients with similar names at your surgery and you are being confused with the other person (the one who drinks too much). If so then it needs sorting out for your sake and hers.

000ggg profile image
000ggg in reply to eeng

Yes, this happened to me also. First the doc who failed to tell me that I had osteoporosis sat with me when I was in early dka when he should have been putting me in the hospital, and showed me the bone density report of another woman with a similar name, same first name, similar last name, who was 30 years older than me. Then he failed to ever tell me the result of my bone density scan done that day. When I went to pick up other records there after getting out of the hospital, they gave me this woman's records!

You just can't make this stuff up.. I have to write a book one day...

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to 000ggg

Eek 000ggg, me too :-(

000ggg profile image
000ggg in reply to LindaC

It's pretty horrifying :-( I get very upset when I think about everything that happened.. this is only a small part of it. I guess I should consider myself lucky to have survived it all.

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to 000ggg

I do understand how upsetting it is and if it is worse than that... oh my, do take care. It seems almost like being called a liar but with nowhere to go for accuracy to be properly established. Just have to push it to the back...

Yes, I must complete my 'Family Health Horror Tree'... it is a catalogue of arrogance, ignorance and sheer neglect. Waste of time trying to do anything about these people who are left to run riot, often with their own personal little ideas on people.

Yes, many are lucky to have survived at their hand. :-( xx

000ggg profile image
000ggg in reply to LindaC

There are unfortunately a lot of incompetents & psychos in the medical profession and we need to be aware.

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to 000ggg

Certainly power-crazed! How sad to have to live that way instead of using the skills you are meant to have as a doctor... not that I'm feeling too sorry for them these days!

debjs profile image
debjs

There is a patient at my surgery with the same name as me and I have had entries in my records which are hers including a letter from the local hospital saying I was admitted with an overdose of psychotropic drugs even though I was not admitted to hospital on that date, have never taken an overdose and never been prescribed nor taken psychotropic drugs! Goodness I can't even tolerate a sufficient dose of thyroid replacement to be well so am hardly likely to take anything I don't need! To be fair my GP was shocked & said well that's clearly an error but we can't remove it only write that it's an error. Needs challenging though. Records should be accurate.

000ggg profile image
000ggg

I know how you feel. I was mistakenly or not sent notes from one of my former docs when I requested a test result- he said I was a hypochondriac and worse.. it's really unbelievable because he knows what happened to me and what I've been through.

Now that I have a new doc to replace him I will be making a formal complaint against him and ask that these notes be removed from my records. I should probably get the whole records to see if this was the only thing he did to malign me. He wrote these notes after my telling him that his friend who treated me for the same condition should have done blood work on me which would have diagnosed my diabetes but he himself is also one of the many doctors who failed miserably when they failed to realize and diagnose a serious systemic disease which nearly killed me and from which I had serious complications and damage. I mentioned something about suing in this convo too which also resulted in the lies I'm sure. He pretty much smiled to my face that day too while he wrote a bunch of crap about me. I really wish now I had just sued all of my doctors and the hospital because I had a case.

I don't know if the complaint will make any difference, I will write an online review also detailing everything so future potential patients can be warned away- there were many other things he said to me in the conversation that day which made me realize he is bat **** crazy. I think online records are possibly viewed by other doctors now so this could potentially hurt my relationships with other doctors if they were to see his notes.

Trina profile image
Trina

I would definitely be making a formal complaint in regards to this matter as the doctor has proved he did not listen to the patient and blatantly made an incorrect diagnosis. This will get him into very serious trouble with the G M C, If you go down this route you need to ensure that the G M C see the article referring to this doctor along with your medical records that has this slur written in it.

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Trina

Totally agree Trina but I've sometimes said that a doctor would need to be caught 'flashing his ar*e in Fenw*cks window [we're in Newcastle] and doing stuff with a beast'... look what the GMC has done to certain doctors yet not others! They all P in the same pot and only turn on one another IF there's any chance of it backfiring on them. They say things like, "Don't quote me on that or I'll deny it" [in full knowledge that the patient is not going to be believed over them... this instance was not personal but concerning the running of a charity!]. A slur is merely their opinion to which they will claim 'fair comment made in good faith'. More I see and hear, the more I now think... "Can't be ill...".

in reply to Trina

Trina - my experience with the GMC is that they don't give a stuff about mistakes that GPs make. Don't forget that GPs have to pay them an annual fee 'for training purposes', more like a Mafioso protection scam so hardly surprising they defend them.

The system stinks and patients are the ones suffering.

Trixie64 profile image
Trixie64

The GP who failed for several years to diagnose my thyroid disorder lied about the strength of one of the psychtropic drugs he put me on.

Worse though was an entry in my notes by a nurse practitioner which was completely untrue and defamatory. Ther was no need for her to have made an entry at all; she was sitting in on a consultation with the GP while she was still training. I think she put it in just to reinforce the ghastly GP's idea that my physical symptoms were all psychological.

I had long conversations with the ombudsman about what I should do, because I was going to put in a formal complaint about her. However, by that time I'd moved to another practice. He said I could have a note added to my records saying that her entry was untrue, but as that would only draw attention to it, it was probably better to let sleeping dogs lie. He also said it would be much too stressful for me to make a formal complaint and have to rake up the past again (over 5 years before)

So I've let it be, but it obviously still rankles. These horrible people get away with so much.

LindaC profile image
LindaC in reply to Trixie64

Oh you mean the "Ombudsmouse"... they do anything to put people off! Worked within mental health and advocacy... waste of time BUT unless try to correct, it never, ever goes away. Yes, they are horrible people and they do get away with way too much... unaccountable is the problem :-(

korkykat profile image
korkykat

I recently found out that all my health problems had been put down to anxiety! This even continued in the GP notes AFTER I had finally got my Hashi's diagnosis. Course I was anxious....I was getting sicker and sicker and no one was listening. Still battling on. Ho hum!

Cos they took so long to diagnose me I developed IBS, pelvic vein congestion, oh too much to go into.

It's truly shocking what happened to you but, and this is just my personal take, it's best that we put our energies into healing ourselves cos the so called medical 'professional's' either can't or won't.

Some more reading for you re tribunal decisions and interim order decisions. Notice anything odd?

mpts-uk.org/decisions/data/...

mpts-uk.org/decisions/data/...

My complaint has been with the PHSO for 2 years next month and still no reply. Perhaps there is a shortage of creative writers in the UK?

Ransom profile image
Ransom in reply to

That's quite a list! Wow. The only thing I noticed was that they almost all have names that I can hardly pronounce ... was this what you meant, Cinnamon_girl?

in reply to Ransom

Ransom - well spotted and, yes, quite a list!

dogtired profile image
dogtired

Having read the above post and replies I would just like to say thankyou to those few doctors who had the integrity and the courage to stand up and be counted. My partner who had several consultaions with Dr Skinner and others like Dr Peatfield have not given in ......they did not count the cost and neither should we......nil desperandum!

alifeinterrupted profile image
alifeinterrupted

Bioluminence, that is appalling. I would urge you to write a letter to the practice to make it clear in writing that it is totally inaccurate.

I also noted an error on my medical records a few weeks ago, I have a diagnosis of OCD and noticed someone has written 'obsessive personality' on my notes. I have never been diagnosed with an obsessive personality and it is a totally different condition to the one I do have. My OCD rituals and obsessions are very specific to certain situations, it is not an innate part of my personality. I'm currently building up the confidence to take my own advice to you and write a complaint. Really terrible that I feel I have to tiptoe around this, but don't want my medical care to be compromised as punishment. I've just had a lengthy and exhausting battle to get my GP to agree to a therapeutic trial of levothyroxine so am scared to rock the boat.

Let us know what you decide to do.

silverfox7 profile image
silverfox7

I once had an appointment to see a Physio and so collected the printout they ask you to take along of your medical milestones! I had my 3 children after I had been put on HRT! They changed that but thought it was funny! I wasn't amused.

My previous doctor complained to the GMC about the late, great doctor Skinner because he never wrote to her as was demanded by the GMC. After his untimely death I obtained a copy of his notes and a letter he wrote to my GP. I felt sick, I must have given him a wrong address! Lower down the pile I found her reply! Thankfully she had retired by this point.

There are more which are what happened to me but aren't the right dates. One was something that happened in a pregnancy so I must have been carrying an elephant and the date was over a year out!

Sitting waiting to have a blood test one day the nurse called me something different. It wasn't me she was expecting. I'd left the appointment card at home but she asked me to bring it back and heads would roll! As someone said you couldn't make it up!

Pastille profile image
Pastille

unbelievable!! What does he lecture about now then? Rave dancing? absolute madness

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