RETIRED SCIENTIST HANDCUFFED BY POLICE FOR ASKING FOR MEDICAL NOTES

Medical notes request prompts Police to  'arrest' 67 year old lady  in handcuffs

Retired bio-medical scientist Mary Kerswell said she found the whole experience unbelievable.  But sadly in today's Police State this type of  treatment of harmless vulnerable elderly ladies is standard practise  police officers  say.

 

A 67-year-old retired scientist was escorted handcuffed from a doctor's surgery in Bedfordshire on Thursday for demanding a copy of her medical notes.

Mary Kerswell found her records held by Biggleswade Health Centre contained information about another patient.
She complained and was told mistakes were corrected but wanted to see them.
When she failed to get the full record she staged a sit-in and police were called. The practice is to contact her to discuss the events and her concerns.
Mrs Kerswell was called by the surgery in October because her kidney condition demanded an urgent urine test.

It was unbelievable. The reception staff really handled it badly”

Mary Kerswell Patient

She told them she was perfectly healthy but the surgery was adamant her records showed she was a heavy smoker suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, a kidney condition, had had a hysterectomy and a double hip replacement.

Her daughter Helen Wilson said: "My mum is very healthy with just a bit of glaucoma. Shockingly she's never had a cigarette in her life and never had a hysterectomy, everything's fully intact."
Escorted out Mrs Kerswell received a three-page summary from her medical notes but went to the surgery to ask for the full document which she knew was 43 pages long.
"I paid a £10 fee and had told the practice manager I was hard of hearing and she said they would send a text when they would phone me.
"A week later they had not contacted me so I went to the practice and asked but they said the manager was not available so I told them I would wait.
"A police community support officer came and asked me to leave. I said I had paid £10 for a copy of my medical records and would wait till they gave it to me.
"I was then handcuffed and escorted out. I was told later that I was de-arrested so I must have been arrested.
"It was unbelievable. The reception staff really handled it badly.
"The medical staff were not involved and I have only had courteous treatment from them so I have no gripe with them.
"I still have not had the notes though."
Police said Mrs Kerswell had been handcuffed as this was standard practice. Officers had been called to the practice in Saffron Road over reports of a breach of the peace.
Contacting her later  
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