Disclosure of pateint confidentiality

heretolearn_2

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Sexandyoungpeople/Pages/Willtheytellmyparents.aspx

As she is 16, they absolutely should not have sent you any information. They are breaking their own confidentiality rules.

If I were her, I'd complain like mad!

This could have been disastrous for her - luckily she has a great mum and supportive family, but that may not have been the case. But that's besides the point that she is entitled to confidentiality on medical matters now.

If she were under 16 they can still only do this if they feel she does not understand the issues properly, and even then it's just an attempt to persuade the child to tell. The child is still entitled to confidentiality if they wish it, unless there are strong reasons to believe its against their interest, for example in suspected abuse cases.

Only when under 14 do they have the right to contact somone else, and that is not necessarily the family.

But 16+ - absolute confidentiality, no two ways about it.

These are their own rules, and they have broken them.

Tinks32

miss_independent wrote: »

Wow Tinks what a shock! But you sound like a great Mum, so I'm sure with your support DD will be fine.

Thank you miss_independent for your advice and kind words. I am not going to read or reply to any other answers as I am sure this post is going to turn nasty (because of a select few).

I am biased but i am so proud of my daughter, she has had a tough decision to make and has got through it with her sanity intact. I just want her to be happy in life:)

Amanda65

I am sure that her choice has been difficult and emotional but lovely to hear that BPAS and her boyfriend have supported her and I am sure that, despite the shock of how you found out, she will be very grateful to have you on-side to support her as well.

I don't for one moment condone breaches in confidentiality and have to confess did not think of the repercussions of abusive families etc. - I just felt that maybe right at this moment wasn't the time to be concentrating on fighting the hospital when you daughter would need you. Apologies if I came across as critical.

Tish_P

Eek! That must have been a shocking way to find out. So glad you are supporting your daughter in her decision, she is lucky to have you.

I think it's worth notifying the hospital, maybe not from a perspective of complaining but to let them know some of their procedures need checking. As others have pointed out above, that kind of letter could have put a less fortunate child in serious danger.

FBaby

There is no clear rule a to when a child is considered an adult under the nhs. However considering her age and the reason for the appointment they should have asked her who communication should be addressed to. If she clearly indicated that our should go to her only, then they have a committed a serious fault. She should complain to the trust.

I had the opposite problem. My daughter had a lesson removed and tested for malignancy. She didn't know anything about it yet wrote to her with the results. She was only 12! Thankfully the results were clear and I intercepted the letter guessing what it was. What really got to me is that even after complaining they did it again although this time it was only about a change of appointment.

heartbreak_star

Glad you're all being supportive of her. Good luck - even if you don't complain as such maybe a letter explaining that even though you were OK with it, someone else might not have been...

HBS x

74jax

Tinks32 wrote: »

I opened a letter that was addressed to me as parent or guardian of Miss (my daughters name). It was a letter for a hospital scan (baby):eek:
She is 16, but working so is no longer a child, i get no benefits for her. She specifically said she needed the letter to be addressed to her as she hadn't decided what she was going to do.
I feel very angry for her that she was let down by the hospital, does anyone know which procedure she has for complaining?

I don't feel this thread should turn nasty, and I hope it doesn't.

I have to be completely honest as my heart was in mouth when I read the post.

I would feel completely the opposite to how you are taking this, I think you are being very level headed and I would have gone in guns blazing. I'm sure I would have calmed down, but believe me I wouldn't be feeling let down for my daughter beacause they had addressed an envelope wrong :rotfl:something completely different.

That said, inr eply to your question, I would have your daughter contact the department she was at and complain. I'm guessing she spoke to someone regarding this, who should be able to point her in the right direction of what went wrong.

Treevo

If you need to decide whether to complain, imagine if the same letter was sent to the parents of a girl with abusive parents.

The hospital had no right breaching your daughter's privacy like this. No right at all.

hardpressed

When I worked for the NHS a breach of confidentallity was a sackable offence. You daughter should complain to the hospital management, there is no excuse.

harrys_nan

Sending you and your daughter very bigs hugs, with a mum like you sound she will be fine whater she has decided.
Wish all mums/parents were like you xx