work checking on hospital appointment

[danroll]

If I have a hospital appointment and require time off work, and i have an appointment card to present to my manager. can he then call the hospital and verify i was there?

or is there some kind of law or regulation preventing them from doing this?

thanks

[Ankou]

if they want information relating to a specific patient written consent is needed.

[China Doll]

They can ask for a clinic appointment lette (just shows date and time). If you don't have one then phone the secretary/pa to ask. Easy to obtain.

[sophie_1003]

I think they could try but the hospital would refuse stating patient confidentiality

[tamborine]

Show your employer your appointment card from hospital......make sure you turn up and dont waste hospital time that could have been taken by another.

Employers are surely busy enuf without wasting hospital time chasing employees.

[bushbaby_de]

When this happened to me, the hospital contacted me to ask if I consented them giving that information to my employer. Of course your employer can check up on you, after all you might be lying and skiiving off!

[saxy_jag]

As Sophie said, the hospital must respect your confidentiality. Your employer would have to ask for your records in writing and you would need to give your written consent. Employers have a right to make sure their employees aren't skiving and so they're entitled to check whether you've attended hospital as you said. However, they're only entitled to relevant information - in this case probably a letter or memo to say that you were there at a given time, and possibly the department/consultant details. To ask for details of your condition or any other personal information would be out of order and such information most likely refused.

[another-view]

Why wouldn't you want them to know? Do you have something to hide?
Anyone could say they had a hospital appointment then spend the afternoon down the pub.