Recorded consultation information for patients

If you are reading this, you’ve probably had a phone or video call with a GP where you were asked for permission for the call to be recorded. Hopefully this page answers any questions you might have.

Why would the doctor want a recording of the call?

The GP you spoke to is required to submit recordings of 13 consultations as part of an exam called the Recorded Consultation Assessment. This is an important exam that the doctor has to undertake in the final stage of their training as a GP. The doctor might also want to get feedback from their supervisor about the consultation, and identify opportunities for improvement.

Do I have to consent to recording to have the consultation?

No, it’s completely up to you and the care you receive will not be affected by your decision.

If you are having a video consultation with your doctor then our system will continue regardless of whether you consent to recording or not. If you are having a phone call consultation and you opt not to have the consultation recorded, then you will be asked to hang up so the doctor can call you back.

What if I change my mind and want the recording deleted?

Yes. If you consented to have the call recorded and then want change your mind, that’s absolutely fine. The recording can be deleted at any time.

If you had a video call with the doctor, you’ll be given a chance to change your mind about recording immediately after the call. If you decide to change your mind at a later date, please contact your GP Practice and let them know that you want the recording to be deleted.

If you had a phone call with the doctor and you want the recording to be deleted, please contact your GP Practice and the doctor will be able to delete the recording.

Who can access the recording?

Everyone who might view or listen to the recording is either a GP or a GP Examiner. The following people will have access to the recording…

• The doctor you had the consultation with.
• The doctor’s supervisor (who is also a GP), if the doctor chooses to share it with them.
• Two examiners (GPs or GP Examiners) who have been employed by the Royal College of General Practitioners as assessors for the Recorded Consultation Assessment, if the doctor submits the consultation for their exam.
• In rare cases, additional examiners if there is a requirement for additional assessment of the consultation.
• Occasionally Trainee Programme Directors and Educationalists supporting the GP may need to view the consultation for teaching purposes.

How will the recording be stored?

The recordings are securely encrypted and stored on servers located in the UK and Ireland. We use AES-256 encryption which is one of the strongest mechanisms available.

We ensure that all data to and from our system is encrypted using TLS 1.2 which prevents anyone reading or tampering with the data while it is in transit. We have procedures and security features in place to keep your data secure once we receive it.

FourteenFish is ISO 27001 certified and audited by the British Assessment Bureau on an annual basis. This means that someone impartial and outside of our organisation evaluates our security management procedures.

All recording recordings will be deleted after 6 months at the latest. If the doctor uses the recording in their exam, then the recording will be deleted once it has been assessed.

Any questions?

Please contact us and we will be able to help.

This page was last updated on 1 October 2020.