question re medical records and employer!

[HonoriaGlossop]

Asking for a friend (honest!) who is in hospital and likely to be signed off work for about four weeks.

Thing is the injury was something sustained while this silly person friend was drunk and behaving stupidly in an uninhibited way!

Does the employer have any right to see medical records? I know they do at interview stage sometimes ask you to sign something to give them access, or did I dream that?

Or will it just be that the Dr signs off with a simple statement of what the injury is and the employer will just get that and nothing else?

Hoping someone can help, said friend is rather concerned re new-ish job, only been in it a couple of months.

TIA.

[HonoriaGlossop]

I'm working so will be in and out to check any replies so apologies in advance if I don't get straight back.

Ta

[WanderingTrolley]

I think that the employer cannot see your friend's medical records without the friend's consent, and the friend can say how much of the medical record the employer can see.

Medical records act 1988, I think.

Hope your drinking partner friend is better soon.

[Oblomov]

Letter from employer often goes to GP, I think.
So unless friend tells GP... I was pissed, swinging from the chandlier and then ....
it is unlikely GP will know, right ? Gp will just know that bone broken or whatever.

[HonoriaGlossop]

wow wasn't expecting anyone this early, you are a star WT

That is reassuring to hear, thanks for that! I might not tell the idiot friend for a while though, let them stew, time they grew up and didn't get so paralytic tipsy

[HonoriaGlossop]

oh that's not QUITE so good Ob! Injury involved paramedics taking said person up to casualty so I am guessing some drunken explanations went on

Oh dear. Oh well. their own fault, anyway.

[Oblomov]

Yes, so ambulance men will know that friend was quite "intoxicated", but will that be written down on the actual hospital records ? I don't know.
Plus, as I said, I think, normal proceedure(dh had to do this for one of his employees, who has a terminal illness,and dh took HR advice and was told to contact Gp, to confirm man was fit to work, becaue man wanted to continue) anyway, the point is, the HR firm advised dh that it is the norm to write to Gp first, on most medical matters.
So if Gp is friendly, I am sure there is a way that these things can be phrased. Best your friend goes and has a chat with friendly Gp, once they have sobbered up !!!!

[WanderingTrolley]

GP can't disclose without pisshead's friend's consent. I'd ask for blood alcohol levels to be removed from details given to employer.

[HonoriaGlossop]

oh thanks everso much you two.

I will advise a chat with the GP at the first available opportunity!

[flowerybeanbag]

HG it's likely there is something in your friend's contract about this. One question, is your friend going to be receiving any occupational sick pay, or just SSP?

Obviously if an employer is expected to fork out paid sick leave, they will want to know why, and will write to the GP, with written permission from your friend for GP to disclose details, to establish what's wrong and to try and get a prognosis about when he/she will be fit to work.

I wouldn't imagine that the GP would find it necessary to explain in a letter how the injury took place though, but definitely a chat first might be a good idea.

[Emprexia]

WT is right.. her employer will need her written permission before they can have access to her medical records.