How dare they!

I've just learned that High Street pharmacies such as Boots, Tesco and Superdrug are to be given access to people's confidential medical records !!

Plans have been drawn up by health officials and will be implimented this autumn, WITHOUT consulting patients.
This beggars belief !
This government thinks that it is perfectly okay to send sensitive information to supermarkets but in a small town like mine I certainly don't want people that I know working behind the counter in Boots telling their friends what my illnesses are, and their friends telling others, pretty soon everyone will know my health problems which are meant to be highly confidential !!. What about those poor people who are being treated for mental health problems? Or even those who may have had an abortion, or treated for an unmentionable disease !! No, this is absolutely scandelous and a gross invasion of my privacy. There is nothing I can do about it either as unlike the last threat where they were going to put our medical records onto a central computer, we were at least invited to say whether we wished to have our records put on there or not. I was on that phone toot sweet to say under no circumstances were my records to be put onto that computer, but this time we are not even going to be allowed to object !

Do you mind this happening? because I certainly do !

Please discuss .........

Re: How dare they!

Facts/Links to this please

Re: How dare they!

I quite understand your point of view Mary but I have no objection myself.

Re: How dare they!

Information is easily shared about us all now, especially with internet use
I don't like it but we'd be fighting a lost cause

Re: How dare they!

http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/h...077899.article


A spokesman for NHS England said: “Pharmacies and pharmacists can only use information for the offering of clinical service to patients. They are bound by the same terms of service and regulations as with their access to any other information. Pharmacists are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Society and must comply with the Data Protection Act.”

Re: How dare they!

I think this might be it ..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/heal...l-records.html

This bit seems to be the nub of it.

Summary care records are held on all NHS patients, unless they specifically opt out.

The data from them will be sent on to all pharmacies, starting this autumn, but pharmacists have to ask patient’s for “permission to view” the record during any encounter

Latest figures show such records are held on 96 per cent of patients in England.

They include all medication prescribed over the last six to 12 months, and any personal information, such as diagnoses or patient preferences added to the file by GPs.

The scheme is a forerunner to a controversial, and much delayed, national scheme which will see fuller details from GP consultations held on a central database, unless patients opt out.

Re: How dare they!

I can see some good in the idea - at least a patient can opt out

Re: How dare they!

Reading back, I am sure this is only for the Pharmacist and not the staff.
I often go to my pharmacist with problems so I guess he must know a lot about my medical background.

Re: How dare they!

Hi Solo, yet again... not ofay with links etc as quite computer illiterate. Just been reading it on page 45 of today's Daily Mail in the new Dr Max column. Must admit I seem to recall hearing it already on a news channel last week but was in such a hurry for an appointment and in the middle of switching the tv off so didn't really let it sink in. Truthfully, I cannot believe it myself that this is true and is going to be implemented. I will try and see if I can find out more information myself.
If anyone else finds any other link I would be grateful.

LOL...even whilst typing the above I see Morticia and others already on the ball with knowledge, Well done super sleuths. Surprised one NHS official is saying one can opt out and yet Doctor Max Pemberton's article states "without consulting patients". mmm, wonder who's right and who's wrong?

Re: How dare they!

My guess is what will be made available is details of a persons medication to enable prescriptions to be checked as a safeguard against getting the wrong medication.

They are welcome to look at my 'records' I don't think they will learn much

Some time ago I joined my doctors online service , it is great for booking repeat prescriptions and appointments.
I recently went online for a repeat prescription and a little message popped up to say my records were now available to view .
I eagerly went to look and found they contained a message dating from 1977 saying I was allergic to shellfish (I am not ) and the details of my current medication and that was all.