Data Protection Act and proof to my dads GP that he CAN have his blood test results!

[jbthyro]

Hi everyone,

I wonder if anyone can help me.

The NHS have let my dad down terribly this year, and now today his surgery in Crawley will not give him the latest blood results that I wrote to his GP to ask to be done! This is despite having given results to us 4 times this year with no problems!

Today they said 'oh no, we cannot give you those, you will have to book to see the GP because 2 of them are abnormal (yay, at least they are not 'normal' I guess!) but joking aside, he has been severely depressed (which I have resolved myself without any help from the surgery) and is still extremely anxious, yet they send him away with an appointment to see the GP on 28th November, 3 weeks away, and will not give him the blood test results before that!

So now, he is obviously even more anxious about the 'abnormal' bloods (even though I said not to worry because I will be able to work out the problem and probably treat ourselves etc). How totally ridiculous!

So, sorry for the rant, but I am so frustrated.

I have looked at the Data Protection Act to send the relevant evidence to his surgery to prove that he has every right to see the blood results before his GP appnt.

It looks like a minefield, so wondered if anyone has extracted this relevant piece of information previously and could send it to me?

The bloods I have asked for are Vit D, Ferritin, Folate, B12, Intrinsic Factor, TSH and a couple of others. Not exactly anything for the doctor to need to give him the results for even if 2 of them are apparently abnormal!

Thank you in advance.

jbthyro x

[Clutter]

Jbthyro,

I don't think you'll find anything to say your father's GP must release abnormal results to him prior to a consultation to discuss the results. I'm unable to get my thyroid function results prior my consultation with my endocrinologist.

[jbthyro]

Thank you Clutter,

I just thought that we have the right to see our own blood test results whether they are normal or abnormal?

[Clutter in reply to jbthyro]

Jbthyro,

Your father isn't being denied his results. His GP wants to discuss them. He can have the results after the consultation.

[jbthyro in reply to Clutter]

I would agree Clutter, on any normal basis, but his GP has not offered any care or support over the last year and despite dad suffering terribly emotionally, he only does the blood tests that I ask for him, it has been a crazy journey and has left me with no option other than to try to help and treat him myself!

Thankfully his GP has now replied to my email and left the results to be collected.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

jbthyro Does your surgery have a 'book on the day for emergency' appointment type of thing in place? If so, book an emergency appointment and the 'emergency' is the fact that your father is becoming extremely anxious about his 'abnormal results'.

[jbthyro in reply to SeasideSusie]

I like this idea SeasideSusie! lol!

Sadly my dads surgery has no such appointment system and is a nightmare to get in contact with too!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to jbthyro]

Jeez! I thought my surgery was bad! What do people do who genuinely have an emergency and need to see a doctor that day?

Mine doesn''t do walk-ins but if you ring at 8am there are a certain number of emergency appointments available that can be allocated.

[jbthyro in reply to SeasideSusie]

We have on numerous occasions sat on the phone for 1.5hrs, waiting for the phone to be even answered, and you can regularly be the same number in the 'queue' for that whole time.

I wish they would move closer to me so that I could help more than I do already!

[Marz]

nhs.uk/chq/pages/1309.aspx?...

Is this the bit you were looking at ?

[jbthyro in reply to Marz]

Yes, thank you Marz! that is just what I was after. brilliant.

[Coastwalker in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz, have printed this off

[VulpusVulpus]

I'm pretty sure that denying you (your father) these results, they've breeched the DPA.

No ifs or buts. They cannot stop you having acces to them. There is no "we cannot give you these". They can ask you to fill out a form, they can say "no problem, the GP just has to sign it off". But they cannot deny you. In doing so, they have broken the law.

I would be having serious talk with your dad's practice manager right now.