Would You Trust This Lot With Your Medical Records?

[237SJ]

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/aug/10/police-right-to-see-medical-records

[Canary42]

No.

[sunny-dave]

Hmmm - they have such a spotless record for only using data correctly and never, ever leaking anything ...

... possibly :(

[baza]

No, they cannot do the job they have now so what chance if they play Dr Kildare ?

[Svejk]

yes

[EDDIE51]

If you read the link the spokesman virtually admits 'saving police time and trouble is more important than people's privacy'

[douglas9401]

If you've done nothing wrong then you've nothing to fear etc etc.
It's not about medical records, it's all about power and they're the last lot you want with even more power.
Our justice secretary up here was all for, or at least not opposed to, the routine arming of police until his and their flimsy reasons for it happening were challenged and they backed down.
Just say no.

[jackthehat]

Hmmmm........As the police are expected to act as 'Social Workers of the last resort' I can see some merit to the proposals.

However, the track-records of the 'Authorities' when it comes to information-sharing and protecting the ways in which the information is used doesn't exactly fill me with confidence.

I think with proper deep consideration of appropriate information gathering, storage and sharing methods it may not be a bad idea.

[whiskeryron]

I believe that all medical records (if they have not already done so )are going to be available for medical personnel to access on the internet. I asked my practice nurse if I would be able to use the facility to keep a check on my own records & was told no, so if I cannot access my own med recs I do not think it is right that any other organisation except med personnel should be allowed to do so.

[Baldric]

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTJcvpEO2TBckuEUW1l2Qs2SYqAtyCn_8si9GW3Z_W9vnmuvEJ6

[ludwig]

It'd make the police's job easier if they could do anything they liked at any time to anyone without needing any kind of permission. That doesn't mean it'd be a good state of affairs though.

However, they will always keep pushing for extra powers, because they are quite reasonably always looking to make their job easier.

It's the same reason councils want ever increasing snooping abilities and the inland revenue wants direct access to everyone's bank account to help themselves as they see fit. It makes their job easier.

I'd be concerned about it.

[woofgang]

No no a thousand times no.

[Sly,Duck]

NO THANKS

[jno]

I agree with jth. Considering that every time an at-risk child dies the authorities are abused for breakdowns in communication and not sharing information properly, it seems people do think the right to privacy has some limits. IF an abused wife has been terrorised into not reporting the abuse to anyone but a doctor, is it in the public interest that the police should be told by the doctor? It might well be.

The devil's in the detail.What information, who decides to share it, how do they ensure data security...

[sp1814]

Yes. I would be happy, because I'm not in a group which could be described as 'vulnerable' and therefore I would not be concerned about my privacy being breached.

If I *were* in such a group, I would also be happy for my medical records to be accessed.

Say if at some point in the future, I developed a serious psychological illness (eg. schizophrenia) and was arrested by the police when I was off my meds. The police having access to my medical records could actually save me from self-injury or worse.

I think there may be the idea that the police will trawl through our records willy-nilly. I'm not convinced that it would be so easy. There would be protocols in place to ensure that the data was being stored and used appropriately (covered by the Data Protection Act).

So in balance...yes.

[DaisyNonna]

No.

[anotheoldgit]

These days it might be very useful for the Police to hold medical records, perhaps then they would be able to see how many of the crooks they have to deal with, are liable to have a heart attack when restrained.

They would also be able to know who were the real 'nutters' or just plain stupid.

[Sqad]

Unless things have changed over the years, the GP medical records are of little value...not worth the paper that they are written on...inaccurate and the only useful information are the Consultant's typed letterst to the GP.

So yes, if the police are under the impression that they would be helpful, it would be fine with me.

[woofgang]

squad its not the gp record they are talking about but the unified medical record which is planned to contain all records held on computer. i think its just a tad (!) arrogant to say that the only useful records are letters dictated by the consultant. do you not value any of the records kept by nurses, physios, OT's and do on?

[woofgang]

oh ok reread, you mean the only useful part of the gp record. i think that depends on the gp

[Sqad]

woofy as long as my thread has given you a chance to have a go at those "bloody arrogant Consultants" then my living shall not be in vain.....;-)