Far-fetched, isn't it? After all, she's not long out. But Coronation Street's Gail McIntyre (played by Helen Worth) is on very thin ice at the moment. She's clearly breached patient confidentiality and completely abused her position of trust as a doctor's receptionist by breaking into Natasha's medical files and then telling not only her son Nick but all and sundry about her termination.
The new GP will be all over this like a bad rash when he finds out, and Gail will have to end up losing her job. I'm not certain if what she's done is technically a police matter, but I've a feeling it probably is, and if it was up to me I'd definitely press criminal charges and lock her up.
Blogger Tvor reckons Gail has finally morphed into Ivy Tilsley. I'd say, with bells on! She's got a face that would curdle milk - not unlike one or two of the doctor's receptionists at the surgery I go to, come to think of it - and is turning into the over-possessive mother from hell. At the same time I really enjoy watching her - in fact, I love how awful she's becoming, and am wondering what on earth she's going to do next. Definitely a character I love to hate.
8 comments:
I thought Gail's treatment of Natasha was really cold. When all three of them were in Gail's living room passing judgement on Natasha I just felt so sorry for her.
I can't see Gail going back to jail because of what she's done but I'm sure she will get the push from the GP surgery. No matter how she tries to justify it she has broken confidentially rules.
I'm sure she is like every mother with their firstborn son who can do no wrong, even when he does! Much the same as Ivy was with Brian.
No more jail, we had a lifetime of that with Joe's death. As awful as she can be, I love watching Gail. Yes, she was totally in the wrong with Natasha and has always had blinders on re: all her messed up kids. She should probably lose her job, let her sons support her for a bit, and then find something much much better (it would never happen, but she'd be a great admin at Underworld). She's only had dreadful things happen to her in the 10 years or so I've been watching; wonder how her character would grow if something nice actually happened.
I used to feel sorry for Gail when Ivy was on a crusade against her. I did feel bad for Natasha. She was stupid but she was desperate. She didn't deserve all this but if that had happened in real life, you would expect people to be pretty ticked off with her.
Gail losing her job is the least of her worries. In the circumstances that's a given anyway, whatever follows in addition to that.
No, what she's really got to worry about is the 1998 Data Protection Act, under which the remit of the confidentiality of patients Medical records comes under it's direct jurisdiction.
Anyone found guilty of committing offences for breaking this act of parliament can found liable and if proven guilty, can be sentenced to the following punishments:
For a first Offence the sentence can be up to 6 months in prison and up to £5,000 in fines.
For serial offenders of this act then for the second and third Offences the courts can impose custodial sentences of up to 5 years in prison and any size of fine (there is no limit whatsoever!)
If the victim (in this case Natasha) fails to recover, and dies, and it can be proven she took the overdose as a direct result of Gail accessing her private medical records illegally, and then disseminating them publicly for personal gain, Gail can easily go to jail for this first offence, particularly if the prosecution can illicit from Audrey and other family members their admission that they advised Gail that what she was doing was illegal, thus proving intentional criminal intent on Gail's part.
Banged up with Tracey again? Would bring a smile to Tina's face if nothing else :)
Nick has always been Gail's blue eyed boy, but since he moved back to Weatherfield, her interest in him is borderline incestuous.
Breaching patient confidentiality is a very serious matter, and I will be very disappointed if she doesn't at least lose her job.
I don't know how the law stands on this in the UK, but at the very least, Natasha should be able to sue her in court for it. But then it would mean even more people knowing about her abortion, so she probably won't want to do it.
I do think that the way Gail is has a lot to do with David's behaviour in the past, it's as if he is crying out to her for punishment, and she just won't give it to him.
Gail just HAS to lose her job at least but I suspect the introduction of Dr Matt and him being on her case is just the pre-cursor to this. I dislike Gail with a vengeance, what happened to the happy go lucky young girl? She is turned into a very bitter woman, exactly like her mother in law but Helen Worth plays her well, I also love to hate her! Boo! I think Julie should get her job at the surgery, there is mileage in this writers!
I'm surprised they took her back after her spell in the nick (no pun intended) - wouldn't they have got a replacement?
Interesting that according to an ad somewhere on this site, Helen Worth is now available for "public appearances, supermarket openings etc." And she said on The Michael Show that she hadn't signed a new contract yet, despite the existing one expiring in a few weeks time. Is it possible that they've suddenly made her completely heartless towards Natasha in a build up to the tram crash?
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