Category: Doctors

New Prescribing Powers – GP-AI

February 18, 2023 / EDITOR / 0 Comments

www.GPAI.co.uk Domain For Sale!

New Prescribing Powers – GP-AI

New prescribing powers are being discussed to relieve the pressure on GPs.

Imagine how much time this would save if there was a GP AI app that could diagnose and prescribe medication.

I have given up on my own GP and do not bother with them other than write yearly letters which in the past two years have not been actioned although acknowledged. However, I still get my repeat medication and requests for annual reviews, which in my opinion are a waste of time if the general practitioner ignores your letter. If they claim to be so busy that they do not have time to read letters, then they should learn to speed read and I do not believe the excuse because they get letters from hospitals every day. Furthermore, not every patient bothers to write letters, it is just a lack of care and negligence on the part of the surgery that is to blame.

I am all for not speaking to anyone anyway, so learning that GPs will have new prescribing powers that could allow millions of patients to get medical help without having to see a GP, under government proposals, is basically music to my ears.

Regulators will be asked to consider extending responsibilities to thousands of medical assistants as part of efforts to radically reform healthcare (I hope this does not mean receptionists, your problem should only be discussed with a doctor or AI robot).

Ministers believe that the measures could reduce pressures on GP services, increasing the number of patients treated without seeing a doctor, while speeding up access for those who need to see one (again if they are implying receptionists, then they need to be medically trained to make diagnoses).

The ministers also hope that the changes would allow GPs to focus more time on the most complex cases and the elderly, reducing the number of patients ending up in A&E.

Prescriptions without seeing a GP under radical proposal (msn.com)

Virtual GP appointments are a form of ‘digital exclusion’, NHS chiefs admits (telegraph.co.uk)

It is about time that the NHS gets its act together and makes GP surgeries redundant.

AI can help doctors diagnose patients by analyzing patient data and providing insights and recommendations to healthcare professionals. With the help of machine learning algorithms, AI can be trained to identify patterns and anomalies in medical data, allowing it to make predictions and provide recommendations for diagnoses.

AI can analyze large amounts of patient data, such as medical images, lab results, and electronic health records, to provide more accurate and efficient diagnoses. For example, AI can help radiologists to analyze medical images, such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, to detect abnormalities that might be missed by human eyes.

AI can also help doctors to identify rare diseases that can be difficult to diagnose. By analyzing patient symptoms, medical history, and genetic data, AI can provide a more accurate diagnosis and recommend the most effective treatment options.

Overall, AI has the potential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of medical diagnoses, leading to better patient outcomes and reducing the workload for healthcare professionals. However, it’s important to note that AI should be used as a tool to support doctors, not to replace them.

GP AI apps are already a thing and they are likely to become more common in the future. GP AI apps are designed to provide patients with quick access to medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations, without the need for an in-person doctor’s visit. These apps use artificial intelligence to analyze patient data, such as symptoms, medical history, and test results, to provide personalized recommendations.

Some GP AI apps are already in use, such as Babylon Health and Ada Health. These apps ask patients a series of questions about their symptoms and medical history, and then provide a diagnosis or recommend a course of treatment. Some of these apps also have the ability to connect patients with healthcare professionals if further evaluation or treatment is needed.

GP AI apps have the potential to improve access to healthcare, especially for patients who live in remote areas or have difficulty accessing traditional healthcare services. They can also reduce the workload of healthcare professionals and help to free up their time for more complex cases.

However, it’s important to note that GP AI apps should be used as a supplement to, rather than a replacement for, in-person medical care. While AI can be helpful for diagnosing common conditions and providing treatment recommendations, it cannot replace the knowledge, experience, and human touch of a trained healthcare professional.

Conclusion –

A health professional could have www.GPAI.co.uk and implement it into their own online surgery, saving time on appointments, diagnosis, and prescribing medication.

GP practices are private businesses and can enter into commercial contracts with other businesses and provide services privately, but only to an extent that is not prohibited by the GMS contract.

We also have the code for an app that is being sold together as a package.

GP (Doctor) Negligence Evidence.

September 20, 2022 / EDITOR / 5 Comments

GP (Doctor) Negligence Evidence.

** This post is primarily for the UK. I have written several articles about my GP (Doctor) Negligence and Doctor-Patient Confidentiality in recent times. I am for my own records posting evidence they have only confirmed my letters have been put on the system but both times have not been actioned. Furthermore, I have been in communication with several people, not only relating to this particular surgery but others around the UK also encountering similar problems. I have now discovered why GP (Doctor) Surgeries are backlogged… read more…

Local doctors’ surgeries across the UK are either closing or their clinicians are retiring early.

The impact of the aftermath of the pandemic has caused a strain on doctors and other workers in local GP practices which have seen some “struggling to maintain regular services” which has meant some closing surgery doors to all but the most urgent cases.

Playing “Russian Roulette”, with people’s lives is what is happening as each day brings new absences. Those with overall responsibility for general practice, such as NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), have had “no backup plan”.

Doctors revolt over pension tax rules: What sparked the row? | This is Money

A survey carried out by the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) found that at least a third of doctors were planning to retire in the next five years, leaving 14,000 fewer GPs than are currently working.

Addressing the Health and Social Care Committee, retired GP Dr. Andrew Green said, “We need to accept that 10-minute appointments are not safe. The only way that you can run a 10-minute appointment surgery on time is by cutting corners.

“Therefore introduce a questionnaire to be filled out by patients who could then write about their ailments for the doctors to review” similar to what I have done, although my surgery is as helpful as a chocolate fire guard. A ten-minute appointment can then be reduced to two or can be done online using encryption software”

According to “herd immunity” policy, which has allowed the coronavirus to rip through the population in successive and ever-higher waves of infection, has placed intolerable burdens on NHS hospitals.

“This is all smoke and mirrors and I believe the herd immunity is working because most people would have received their vaccinations. I believe it is down to the doctors themselves not managing their time properly or insufficient staff quotas”.

This has produced a monumental backlog of those waiting for vital elective procedures, which now exceeds 6 million. In turn, this increases pressure on GPs, who must manage patients on excessively long waiting lists, with some people forced to live with excruciating pain or physically limiting conditions. UK doctor’s surgeries forced to close doors to all but urgent care needs – World Socialist Web Site (wsws.org)

However, more common reasons cited for wishing to depart included feeling exhausted, overworked, and underpaid, as well as having too little time to do their jobs to the desired standard.

Senior doctors in the NHS are reducing their hours, turning down extra work, and even retiring early to avoid being hit with huge tax bills on their pensions, a report reveals. NHS consultants ‘turning down work to avoid huge pension tax’ | NHS | The Guardian

The government’s enforced collapse of free universal healthcare services will be used by it to push for the further privatization of the sector.

“Just mark my words and won’t be long before our NHS collapses and we will have to have to have insurance or pay towards our healthcare”.

UK doctor’s surgeries forced to close doors to all but urgent care needs – World Socialist Web Site (wsws.org)

Doctor-Patient Confidentiality

My GP Surgery Negligence & My Mental Health.

EVIDENCE

Evidence of the emails I received to state my letters were logged on the system.

FINAL NOTES:

To recap I wrote a letter which I emailed last year 9 pages long and this year 15 pages long, it was put on the system and both times never actioned.

I have been told previously by my surgery if I do not like how things are run to change doctors (I am not the only one judging by the Google Reviews). It is easier said than done if you have social disconnection problems, run a business, and do not have time to register at a new surgery never mind the shortfall on the prescribed medication, whilst you wait for your registration to be approved and your medical records sent over.

The NHS are playing “Russian roulette”, put it this way my doctor’s surgery, in particular, most definitely is playing with people’s health.

If you are unhappy you should first address your practice manager or write to your head doctor failing that you can complain to the NHS (see links below).

I know I could take this further and I will one day, but at the moment I am dependent on my medication, albeit there is a shortage of Gaviscon.

NHS NEGLIGENCE COMPLAINTS

https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/you-and-your-gp/for-gp-patients/

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/how-to-complain-to-the-nhs/

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/Patient-advice-and-liaison-services-(PALS)/LocationSearch/363

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/Clinical-Commissioning-Group/LocationSearch/1

https://www.cqc.org.uk/contact-us/how-complain/complain-about-use-mental-health-act

https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/

https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications/my-expectations-raising-concerns-and-complaints

HOW TO COMPLAIN

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/how-to-complain-to-the-nhs/

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/Patient-advice-and-liaison-services-(PALS)/LocationSearch/363

(Recommended)

https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/

#nhs #doctorssurgeries #generalpractitioners #dutyofcare #doctorspractice #negligence

Micro-dosing Psilocybin Mushrooms.

July 20, 2022 / EDITOR / 0 Comments

Micro-dosing Psilocybin Mushrooms improve mental health after one month.

Suffering from mental health issues for over 30 years now and being prescribed the same medication year in and year out without any significant improvement one must look at alternative ways to heal.

I suffer from anxiety, stress, depression, panic attacks, social disconnection, and OCD.

The NHS has failed me because month after month my symptoms do not improve, and I must resort to self-help to get through certain days.

I have never explored or ever taken psychedelic drugs and it was only by watching a documentary on Netflix “How to change your mind” that I started to realize there are diverse ways to treat my disorder.

Psilocybin Mushrooms.

Psilocybin mushrooms: commonly known as magic mushrooms, mushrooms, are a polyphyletic informal group of fungi that contain psilocybin which turns into psilocin upon ingestion. Biological genera containing psilocybin mushrooms include Copelandia, Gymnopilus, Inocybe, Panaeolus, Pholiotina, Pluteus, and Psilocybe. Wikipedia

The study published in Nature: Scientific Reports has observed significant benefits to mood and mental health after one month of micro-dosing psilocybin mushrooms.

Mushroom microdoses saw greater improvements across the DASS domains of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. The study found that the microdose cognitive efficacy was higher performing in people aged under 55.

The study looked at 1133 people over the course of two years. All subjects were over 18 years old, able to read in English, and had access to an iPhone iOS device where participants recorded their results. Scientific Reports is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal published online by Nature Portfolio.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindseybartlett/2022/07/05/microdosing-psilocybin-mushrooms-improves-mood-and-mental-health-after-one-month-new-study-finds/?sh=1ad13aff1ab4

The study was conducted by a team of experts in the fields of psychology and mycology: Joseph M. Rootman, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada; Maggie Kiraga, an employee of Quantified Citizen Technologies. Pamela Kryskow, a member of the clinical advisory board of Numinus Wellness, co-founder of MycoMedica Life Sciences, and on the Scientific & Medical Advisory Board; Kalin Harvey; Paul Stamets, who founded Fungi Perfecti, LLC; Eesmyal Santos-Brault; Kim P. C. Kuypers; and Zach Walsh, a member of the Advisory Board of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Canada and MycoMedica Life Sciences.

The reason GPs are not willing to advise or prescribe holistic medicine is that it would cost the Big Pharma Industry big bucks. If people could cure themselves after a month of using natural plant-made drugs the pharma companies would soon feel the pinch. I wrote previously what your doctor won’t tell you.

I have concluded my own doctor is as useful as a chocolate fire guard.

Even if my doctor could not prescribe ‘Microdosing Psilocybin Mushrooms’ she could have at least told me about it and recommended where I should go to get it. According to the UK, it is still not legal and a petition was made but coincidently because of a General Election in November 2019 it was closed, well all I can say is someone should restart it again: https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/260806

All I know is that Imperial College London is doing research into the benefits and negative effects of psilocybin and other psychedelic compounds. I only say this as I reside in the UK but other parts of the world will have other studies, where you need to do your own research to find out who is doing it closer to your area.

In the most rigorous trial to date assessing the therapeutic potential of a ‘psychedelic’ compound, researchers compared two sessions of psilocybin therapy with a six-week course of a leading antidepressant (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor called escitalopram) in 59 people with moderate-to-severe depression.

The results, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that while depression scores were reduced in both groups, the reductions occurred more quickly in the psilocybin group and were greater in magnitude.

Editors Thoughts.

As a consequence, I blame the NHS and the powers that be for not giving me the right support and ultimately making my condition worse.

Similar to abortions, who has the right to say what you do with your body?

It is your body and how you treat is your business and no one else’s unless you are out of control.

What a person consumes is on them if they are of sound mind. Why make alcohol and cigarettes legal when they cause, liver failure or cancer. The reason why is because ‘Big Pharma’ relies on you becoming unwell. Whilst if everyone was cured they would not be laughing all the way to the bank.

The Journal of Psychopharmacology published a follow-up earlier this year to this widely-publicized study from Johns Hopkins Medicine that found psilocybin may continue to help people with depression up to one year later.

People treated with psilocybin – named ‘COMP360’ by its developers, COMPASS Pathways PLC – showed marked improvements across a range of subjective measures, including in their ability to feel pleasure, and express emotions, greater reductions in anxiety and suicidal ideation, and increased feelings of wellbeing.

Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, Head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial, who designed and led the study, said: “These results comparing two doses of psilocybin therapy with 43 daily doses of one of the best performing SSRI antidepressants help contextualize psilocybin’s promise as a potential mental health treatment. Remission rates were twice as high in the psilocybin group than in the escitalopram group.

“One of the most important aspects of this work is that people can clearly see the promise of properly delivered psilocybin therapy by viewing it compared with a more familiar, established treatment in the same study. Psilocybin performed very favorably in this head-to-head.”

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/219413/magic-mushroom-compound-performs-well-antidepressant/

As suggested by the Imperial College London / Thomas Angus; Psilocybin capsules: warn that while the initial findings are encouraging, patients with depression should not attempt to self-medicate with psilocybin. However, I will be writing to anyone that is doing clinical trials with the view of volunteering.

I am therefore going to be on the lookout for clinical trials in my area, we can only wait and see. I could have been cured years ago, instead of being kept as a lab rat.

#magicmushroons #microdosing #psilocybinmushrooms #psychedelics

What Doctors Won’t Tell You.

July 4, 2022 / EDITOR / 2 Comments

What Doctors Won’t Tell You.

Most of us when we fall ill, trust our local medical practitioners to get the best remedies and advice. However one has to look at the fact that Doctors’ surgeries are small businesses and the revenue they receive, is from the drugs they prescribe, so it would make no sense to send a patient away and to offer holistic medicine. Pharmaceutical companies are not going to allow your doctor to promote alternative medicine for obvious reasons.

https://www.patrickholford.com/advice/how-gps-are-paid-to-prescribe-ineffective-drugs/

https://www.propublica.org/article/doctors-prescribe-more-of-a-drug-if-they-receive-money-from-a-pharma-company-tied-to-it

The pharmaceutical industry totaled 1.27 trillion US Dollars in 2020 and is responsible for the research, development, production, and distribution of medications. The market has experienced significant growth during the past two decades, and pharma revenues worldwide.

https://www.statista.com/topics/1764/global-pharmaceutical-industry/#dossierKeyfigures

https://www.statista.com/statistics/263102/pharmaceutical-market-worldwide-revenue-since-2001/

An alternative would be to try holistic medication and if that did not work then resort to seeing your doctor. Holistic medicine aims to improve health and wellness through the body, mind, and soul. Usually, holistic medicine combines traditional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

(Disclaimer – You must visit your doctor if you have a serious condition and you should not put off something that if caught quickly can be treated. If you are seriously unwell you should visit your local doctor as soon as possible and not delay your recovery by trying to cure it yourself). Holistic medicine is for people like me who have been on medication for 30 years and find it has little benefit so will look for alternative medicine, whilst still continuing to take the prescribed medication, until a cure is found).

https://www.healthline.com/health/holistic-doctor

Note From The Editor

I have recently read that Blueberries have medicinal properties: Blueberries can help heart health, bone strength, skin health, blood pressure, diabetes management, cancer prevention, and mental health.

https://vashiva.com/dr-shiva-live-blueberries-heart-health-does-your-doctor-know/

People who use blood thinners, such as warfarin, should speak to their medical practitioner before increasing their intake of blueberries, as the high vitamin K content can affect blood clotting.

I am all for improving mental health and when I have been prescribed medication for the last 30 years that has little to no effect I have to look at alternative solutions. I am definitely going to include blueberries in my diet from now on: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287710

Other Drugs and Multiple Sclerosis.

By coincidence, a drug I have previously written about “Lemtrada Alemtuzumab” for example is an infusion that my daughter is taking this week for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and the cost to the NHS (UK) is $158,000, followed by $60,000 increments for each treatment: https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/lemtrada-economics-ms-treatments One needs to read the “Important Safety Information” in the popup of the website to comprehend my concerns in the “Cymru Marketing” article I wrote.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/30/individual-nhs-doctors-receiving-100000-per-year-from-drugs-firm/

https://www.abpi.org.uk/reputation/disclosure-uk

https://marketingagency.cymrumarketing.com/2019/10/15/lemtrada-alemtuzumab-sanofi-genzyme/

https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/lemtrada-alemtuzumab-updated-restrictions-and-strengthened-monitoring-requirements-following-review-of-serious-cardiovascular-and-immune-mediated-reactions

Dr.SHIVA Ayyadurai, MIT Ph.D

To learn more about Dr.SHIVA Ayyadurai, MIT Ph.D. – Inventor of Email, Systems Scientist, engineer, educator – presents a CytoSolvert Health visit:

https://vashiva.com/join/

https://vashiva.com/dr-shiva-live-how-pumpkin-seeds-support-cardiovascular-health-a-cytosolve-analysis/

https://vashiva.com/dr-shiva-live-blueberries-heart-health-does-your-doctor-know/

https://vashiva.com/join/#freebook-m

https://truthfreedomhealth.com/

#holisticmedicine #bigpharma #lemtrada #alemtuzumabsafety #doctorpayouts #alternativemedicine #pharmaceuticals

Anxiety Phoning Your GP

November 4, 2021 / EDITOR / 6 Comments

Anxiety Phoning Your GP.

Many of us worry about speaking to our GP at the best of times and it is more difficult especially if we have mental health and anxiety issues.

However, doing nothing about your ailments and bottling things up can make things worse. It’s better to seek help early rather than let it fester into something worse. That way you can start receiving the treatment you need to set you on the road to recovery.

“GPs are normally the first port of call for physical and mental health concerns. However, for someone like myself who suffers from anxiety, it can be overwhelming physically having a conversation about what you are thinking or feeling with your GP or practice nurse, someone you may hardly know.

Whatever way you decide about communicating with your GP they will want to speak with you even if you appoint a friend or family member to speak on your behalf (data protection), they will still want to speak with you.

Mind Charity has put together a guide with some tips on how to prepare for your appointment and make the most of the short time you get with them. Find out more at www.mind.org.uk/findthewords.”

Speaking to your GP or practice nurse should be your first step to getting help. However, if you are anxious it might be an idea to contact your GP via email or snail mail. However, this can be passed to the practice manager, for everyone to see and read. In fact, I wrote such an email to my GP last May 2021 and the practice manager and cluster pharmacist both confirmed they read my letter which was not addressed to them yet my GP has not bothered to respond to my letter at all.

Navigating Anxiety When Phoning Your GP: Seeking Help Amidst the Struggle”

For many individuals, the simple act of picking up the phone to make a doctor’s appointment can be a daunting task. This anxiety can stem from various sources, including the fear of the unknown, concerns about health, or the anticipation of discussing personal medical issues. While it’s normal to feel a bit nervous about contacting your GP, it’s essential to recognize and manage this anxiety to ensure you receive the care and support you need. In this article, we’ll explore the common causes of anxiety when phoning your GP and provide practical strategies to overcome these obstacles.

Understanding the Causes of Anxiety

Fear of Judgment: One of the most common reasons people experience anxiety when phoning their GP is the fear of being judged. Many individuals worry that their symptoms or concerns might be dismissed, or they might be perceived as overreacting.
Uncertainty: Not knowing what to expect during the call or at the doctor’s appointment can be anxiety-inducing. You may be concerned about what questions will be asked, what tests might be ordered, or what the diagnosis might be.
Health Anxiety: If you’re already struggling with health-related anxiety, contacting your GP can exacerbate your worries. You might fear the worst-case scenario or anticipate bad news.
Communication Worries: Some people find it challenging to communicate their symptoms or concerns effectively. They worry about stumbling over their words or not being able to convey their feelings accurately.
Phone Anxiety: In today’s digital age, many individuals experience anxiety when making phone calls, known as telephonophobia. The fear of talking to someone over the phone can be overwhelming, especially when discussing personal health matters.

Strategies to Overcome Anxiety When Phoning Your GP

Prepare in Advance: Write down your symptoms, concerns, and any questions you have before calling your GP. Having a list can help you stay organized and ensure you don’t forget anything during the call.
Choose a Calm Environment: Find a quiet and comfortable space to make the call where you can concentrate without distractions.
Practice Deep Breathing: Deep breathing exercises can help calm your nerves. Take a few deep breaths before and during the call to relax.
Focus on the Facts: Remember that your GP is a medical professional whose primary goal is to help you. Stick to the facts, describe your symptoms clearly, and avoid making assumptions about your condition.
Seek Support: If you’re struggling with anxiety, consider asking a friend or family member to make the call on your behalf or be present during the conversation for emotional support.
Discuss Your Anxiety: Don’t hesitate to let the receptionist or nurse know that you’re feeling anxious when you call. They are likely trained to handle these situations with care and can offer guidance.
Consider Telehealth: Many healthcare providers now offer telehealth appointments, which allow you to consult with your GP via video call or chat. This can be a more comfortable option if you have phone anxiety.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): If your anxiety is persistent and debilitating, consider seeking therapy, such as CBT, to address the underlying causes and develop coping strategies.

Conclusion

Anxiety when phoning your GP is a common experience, (especially if you are met with rude, insensitive receptionists, who are judgemental and unprofessional), however, it shouldn’t prevent you from seeking the healthcare you need.

By understanding the causes of your anxiety and implementing practical strategies, you can navigate the process more smoothly. Remember that your GP is there to help you, and addressing your health concerns is essential for your well-being.

Don’t let anxiety hold you back from taking the first step toward better health. The only time I will be speaking to my GP once I muster the courage to phone them to raise my complaint will be through court and suing them for negligence.

If you are not successful after complaining to the practice manager you should contact the NHS Ombudsman: https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications/my-expectations-raising-concerns-and-complaints Failing that you should contact editors and journalists that are willing to write your story.

Editors Personal Perspective.

What is concerning is I do need medical attention as some of my symptoms have escalated, but I cannot bring myself to phone the GP Surgery as I feel I will lose my rag with them. Furthermore, I have social disconnection issues and cannot interact with anyone other than my family and online.

Doctor-Patient Confidentiality

June 14, 2021 / EDITOR / 5 Comments

Confidentiality:

Good practice in handling patient information

I am starting off on a rant.

It used to be whatever you said to your GP would not be repeated to anyone else, unless it warranted it, such as if the person was in some way in danger of harming themselves or if they needed medical care and support.

However as times have changed with information being passed around on the internet and emails being hacked, there was no secure way of sending an email to this particular surgery which is concerning in itself.

Apparently and this in particular aimed at my own GP, so cannot vouch for any other surgeries, that whatever you told your doctor, could also be accessed by other staff at the surgery. But in my case, my data was accessed by the adjoining pharmacy inside the building of the surgery.

I am all for data security and privacy and what I choose to share online about my illnesses may not be necessarily be everything I want to divulge publicly, hence may keep some information private, but obviously, as I have found out two people have now gained access to my letter and I have not had a response back from the doctor, which is very alarming.

So my question is does the Doctor actually know the letter exists or do I just have the word from the practice manager? What if my letter was printed off and passed around I have no guarantee that it wasn’t?

However, I was due a medication follow-up review today and although I had emailed the Doctor directly on the 25th of May 2021 I later found out this particular doctor is no longer at the practice and I had to forward my email to the practice manager on the 27th.

The practice manager acknowledged the email and said that I needed to make an appointment with my GP over certain things I had written in the letter. The practice manager also told me over the phone that my medical data can be accessed by all the staff in the surgery but to not worry as they had all signed non-disclosure agreements. 🤢

What a 🐊 of💩 so you are telling me that someone could read this information and then go home and repeat it to their friends/partner or spouse? A nondisclosure agreement is not worth the paper it is written on as there are no guarantees that your information will not be shared. A person could simply say I read this about a certain individual and there would be absolutely no proof that the said person did or did not share the information. There are absolutely no guarantees whats so ever that what is written would not be repeated or talked about during the lunch breaks or pillow talk.

To think that the surgery thinks people are stupid or gullible is beyond belief that they would be sucked into their garbage of an excuse that all staff at the surgery can gain access to your medical records, but cannot disclose any information because of non-disclosure agreement they had signed.🤬😡 Talk to the hand ✋.

What if a patient had some embarrassing ailment (I am not talking about myself btw) 😂🤣 (seriously though it is not a laughing matter) and was riddled with STD’s and everyone in the surgery including the pharmacist got to read their medical notes?

The principle of the matter is unprofessional and unethical. The patient should not have to be forced to tell the receptionist what is wrong with them as in the case of this particular surgery.

According to best practices but this is for England and not Wales only the bare minimum should be accessed but the pharmacist today confirmed she had read my letter which I quote her saying “it was very thorough and detailed and that is what they prefer”.

She asked about my medication and told me to take it at regular intervals. One of the prescription drugs is a sleeping tablet and within 30 minutes I am zonked out, so if I took it at regular times it would interfere with my life because I cannot go to sleep every night at an exact time.

This was going over her head and she was not interested in anything I had to say. She was trying to teach me to how to suck eggs as if I needed a 30-year-old to tell me what to do and in the ideal world where I did not have such an unpredictable job, I would possibly be a good girl and go to sleep the same time every night, but my lifestyle does not permit me. I even told her my job is not a 9 to 5 and sometimes I could be working at 3 am in the morning.

Now wait for this, I said, considering she had read my letter what did she suggest about this one problem I had and this is laughable by her response, she only told me to phone the GP. 😡

Although my time could be better spent than phoning and then waiting on someone to get back to me, I will be phoning the GP just so that I can speak to them for comment and get to the bottom of how my medical records have been shared.

So tell me if I had written a letter nearly a month ago to the GP you would think the Doctor(s) would have the decency to reply. Their lame excuse will be they are too busy to respond to emails.

I get a thousand plus emails a day and still find time to respond.

I think it is downright rude and unprofessional to ignore a letter that every tom dick and harry has read but does not get a response from the doctor to which the letter was addressed in the first place.

So what the hell was the reason for the pharmacist to access my medical records to ask if me if I smoke or take alcohol and then not give me any advice at all, what a waste of time and resources and my time (which not relevant in the eyes of the NHS, they can waste your time but you cannot waste theirs).

She then said she would book me in for another annual review, why though? If they get email updates from me why speak to me?

I responded unless there was anything I needed I would be perfectly capable to email or phone the GP myself and did not need an annual review (omitting the part that her phone call was a waste of my precious time).

I am fuming how my medical file has no privacy protection. 🤬😡

https://www.guidelinesinpractice.co.uk/your-practice/all-healthcare-staff-have-a-duty-of-confidentiality/352639.article

https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/confidentiality/disclosures-for-the-protection-of-patients-and-others

I have mentioned this surgery before on a marketing blog I also run and have been told if I make waves I could be struck off their register yet I depend on my medication.

They also have said to me that they (the NHS) quote “do not have an obligation to help me if they do not want to”.

So if you are savvy to know about my other blog just search for GP Surgery Cardiff. Sorry, no links given.

Confidentiality is not absolute

Confidentiality is an important ethical and legal duty for doctors, however, it is not guaranteed and is not absolute. Your doctor may be able to disclose personal information without breaching his/her duties of confidentiality under certain circumstances, such as when the disclosure is of overall benefit to a patient who lacks the capacity to consent.

https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.j636

https://www.medicalprotection.org/uk/articles/junior-doctor-confidentiality

Breaking Confidentiality.

Patient confidentiality can be defined as: ‘The law whereby a doctor or medical practitioner cannot reveal anything said to them by their patients during consultation or treatment.”

Confidentiality is something that is protected, by law, by a myriad of legislation including the Data Protection Act 1998, The Computer Misuse Act 1990and The NHS Confidentiality Code of Practice.

Protecting Your Information Your Choice

(This is applicable for England NOT Wales).

https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/manage-your-choice/

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/sharing-your-health-records/

Further Reading.

https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/confidentiality/using-and-disclosing-patient-information-for-direct-care

https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/ethics/confidentiality-and-health-records/sharing-local-electronic-patient-records-for-direct-patient-care

https://patient.info/news-and-features/how-the-nhs-handles-your-data

https://www.patients-association.org.uk/

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-data-guardian

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9661639/So-access-medical-records.html

How to Complain

Your first port of call should be to complain to the GP practice, you should send them a recorded signed for formal letter or email, failing that you have three options as in the links below, but in my experience of other things I have complained about in the past you run the risk of being removed from the surgery and their response is very biased as they will protect themselves, so do take this into consideration and always have another surgery lined up just in case of the worst-case scenario, remember also if you get kicked out of your surgery another surgery may not accept you based on how much trouble you make, as surgery (a) may put notes for surgery (b) to read, hence it is good practice to also request all your data from surgery (a) before approaching surgery (b).

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/how-to-complain-to-the-nhs/

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/Patient-advice-and-liaison-services-(PALS)/LocationSearch/363 (Recommended)

https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/

#patient #patientdoctorconfidentiality #medicalrecords #gdpr #ico #medicalrecordsbreach