Medical Records

[ukanonymous]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10646151/Patients-should-be-warned-before-NHS-shares-medical-records-doctors-say.html

How are we supposed to opt out?

[rockyracoon]

I will be keeping an eye on this and in 5 months time will be writing another letter to the surgery. I will not be beaten ;)

[emmie]

but if you thought that a prospective employer can just look on line, then how would anyone feel. Or if you have had mental health difficulties,
judged before you get a foot in the door.

[black_cat51]

1)if you'd actually read the article, you'd see it tells you how to opt out
2) unless you live in a tent, you will have received a leaflet, which is being delivered to every household in hte country
3) you can lead a horse to water .....

[whiskeryron]

// I'm not opting out - I'm in favour of the original proposal that my medical records will be available for research, and also be available at the click of a button wherever in the country I need medical attention.//
This is all fine & well with one very big exception, are you all aware that you cannot & will not be able to access your own personal medical records on line ?
I wish to be able to do this at home so that I have a record of all treatments & medication given out to me.

WR.

[emmie]

i have known about this for a long time, from the notices in the GP's surgery,

[rockyracoon]

Black cat, I have NOT received a leaflet.

[black_cat51]

then you will either be getting one soon or you got it but chucked it out with junk mail

[pixie373]

I haven't had a leaflet. And I've also had my records lost, about 20 years ago. The surgery cheerfully told me- it's strange, it's happened before, and always with young females. Hmmm.
But i don't have a problem with my records being used for research and statistics. I can't see how it will be a problem to me.

[emmie]

i once worked as a temp in a hospital, this was many years ago, and was horrified at the lackadaisical attitude of the staff to patients records.

[rockyracoon]

Same as me Pixie, no records before 26 years of age, all gone!

[2sp_]

Is this just happening in England?

[gness]

If you read the whole thread.....this scheme does not make our records available when we need attention elsewhere in the country at all.

It's well past January and I don't live in a tent and am too concerned about this to throw mail away.

GPs have no say about this and are very concerned about the secondary uses of our details. That is where problems are going to arise.

Research is going on without it being behind our backs. I am taking part in research at the moment. With my knowledge and consent.

[emmie]

actually the GPs are leading the charge against this, or so i have been reading.

[emmie]

that is the point, this is not for research specific. still it's everyone's choice, and if concerned then speak to your GP.

[boxtops]

Emmie, yes you are right. This is the DM article posted from a couple of weeks ago, GPs don't want it either. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2552651/GPs-revolt-patient-records-Growing-anger-NHS-plan-harvest-private-data.html

[emmie]

there are other articles on this, same sort of story. I did know about this quite a while ago, the posters are up in our surgery, and info came through the post...

[boxtops]

I'm surprised anyone hasn't at least got wind of it, what with the posters, flyers, stuff on the TV news, etc...

[emmie]

perhaps they are against it on the grounds of being sued, i wonder if they or anyone has thought of that. If your private info gets out, and gets you into bother, you could say well the GP said my details wouldn't be available, so sue them, oh

[jno]

the records will be anonymised before being sold on to the drug companies. However, it seems possible that they will be identifiable in some cases if people are determined enough.

I did get notification in the mail last month.

[emmie]

if hackers can get into the Pentagon and into top security in UK, then surely it won't be beyond someone to employ them to access the records.