I went to see my Dr about the blood card issue

by purrpurr 40 Replies latest watchtower medical

  • purrpurr
    purrpurr

    I booked a double appointment so that she wouldn't be rushed. I explained that I'd been brought up in the JW's and woken up to what a load of shite it was. I explained that they have changed the blood card and that the elders in the Cong are being told to effectively force people into signing it. That copies are to be taken and held by different people and that this card will give them the right to my medical records and to refuse blood in my behalf. I told her I didn't want this to happen and that I was trying to resist signing it but that I would be put under immense pressure to give in.

    She already knew about disfellowshipping and how this has a stranglehold over the JW's. I asked her if I was forced to sign this card how could I overwrite it? I had already written her a letter refuting everything the blood card says and requesting that all this is kept confidential.

    She thought it was pretty crap of the JW's to be forcing people to sign this thing against their own wishes. She also thought that there was a legal issue there as regards human rights but acknowledged that to fight with that issue would expose me. She suggested taking the angle of not allowing them access to my medical records would be best. The letter that I wrote will be scanned and put into my electronic notes. It will be filed in a secret file with an alert that in the event of a blood transfusion being needed there was a letter on file that must be read. I gave her permission to file this on EKIS - which is the electronic medical records system in the UK. This means that if I am taken into hospital anywhere the drs will be able to see this letter. She is also going to record in my notes the conversation we had about it.

    I also gave her permission without using my personal details to tell her fellow drs and medical colleges about this issue. I said the more people in the medical profession that know about this the better and she agreed. She also suggested that possibly this could be a way to get dirt on members, if the JW's are allowed to look at people's medical records they could dig up stuff to punish them about? I agreed it was very possible.

    All in all it went well. I've also notified a non JW relative whose in my confidence about this that should such a situation arise that they are to fight my corner and physically remove my parents, the JW's and the HLC from me so that the DR's can give me any treatment I need. I've written them an email outling all this, asked them to print it and to privately give it to the drs.

  • purrpurr
    purrpurr
    I forgot to add, she said that in her experience jw's were very racist. I agreed and added that they were also homophobic and sexist. I told her about the sisters when teaching having to wear a head covering when a penis in room. She thought it was ridiculous and said sarcastically "of course bow to the penis(!) It's like going back to the dark ages?!!"
  • tiki
    tiki
    Excellent! I think you handled this magnificently! I just really don't get how they can think they have a right to dictate personal medical choices. Its totally unethical.
  • purrpurr
    purrpurr
    I really think if every member on here went to their Dr and explained what the GB are doing then word amongst the medical community would get out there and would effectively void what the GB are trying to do.
  • TheOldHippie
    TheOldHippie

    "forcing people to sign this thing against their own wishes"

    That is not exactly true, is it? I have not signed a card in my whole life, and nobody has objected or commented.

  • sir82
    sir82

    "forcing people to sign this thing against their own wishes"

    That is not exactly true, is it? I have not signed a card in my whole life, and nobody has objected or commented.

    "Coerced" is probably the better term.

    TOH, you apparently have been lucky, er, fortunate, enough to be in a country and/or congregation with a far more liberal outlook.

    Other JWs, unfortunately, belong to congregations with elders who are far more zealous in enforcing JW dogma. It is extraordinarily easy to imagine many elders placing extreme pressure on congregation members to sign and hand over such a document.
  • Room 215
    Room 215

    I say screw 'em; the only power they have over you is what you hand over to them.

    If they df you, consider it a favor.

  • purrpurr
    purrpurr
    TOH, I explained that they force members by the extreme pressure they put members under and the constant threat of being disfellowshiped
  • GoneAwol
    GoneAwol

    Purrpurr, have a look at my post from the other day, let me know what you think..ta

    ...In the interest of clarity, both my wife and daughter are registered nurses in the Uk.

    To access medical records is a lengthy drawn out process, mostly because everything at the moment is being slowly transferred from paper to electronic. (system 1 or EMIS)

    The max charge to access paper from NHS is £50. Electronic, if yours have been fully transferred, is £10. You have to pay this to get access. It can be more if practise is GMC or private. They can charge what they want.

    Who you then give it to is up to you. (Why would you?)

    If however you have no interest in looking at your own records, but still give permission on a jw/hlc form for them to gain access, it is ONLY access to immediate care notes, not the whole med file. ( ie a car crash victim.) The hlc would also have to pay the above costs to have a written copy.

    No health professional is allowed to distribute your med info electronically without a power of attorney in place.

    The hlc would not be allowed access to all records unless they went through legal channels. They would have to have a VERY good reason to obtain all your records even with your consent, eg power of attorney.

    So, its not as simple as just signing over an nhs number and they have everything about you on tap.

    If there is something to this letter, it would be interesting to say in the least how it pans out.

    Hope the info is useful.

  • Darkknight757
    Darkknight757
    Is this a UK thing only? I have heard nothing of this new blood card here in the states. I still have Elder privilege on JW.ORG and I have yet to see this letter or form.

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