diff --git a/lambdas/services/bulk_upload_metadata_service.py b/lambdas/services/bulk_upload_metadata_service.py
index a4c55b72b..4a31120a1 100644
--- a/lambdas/services/bulk_upload_metadata_service.py
+++ b/lambdas/services/bulk_upload_metadata_service.py
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ def csv_to_staging_metadata(csv_file_path: str) -> list[StagingMetadata]:
         logger.info("Parsing bulk upload metadata")
 
         patients = {}
-        with open(csv_file_path, mode="r") as csv_file_handler:
+        with open(
+            csv_file_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8", errors="replace"
+        ) as csv_file_handler:
             csv_reader: Iterable[dict] = csv.DictReader(csv_file_handler)
             for row in csv_reader:
                 file_metadata = MetadataFile.model_validate(row)
diff --git a/lambdas/tests/unit/utils/test_lloyd_george_validator.py b/lambdas/tests/unit/utils/test_lloyd_george_validator.py
index f6ab44300..9019ae3b0 100644
--- a/lambdas/tests/unit/utils/test_lloyd_george_validator.py
+++ b/lambdas/tests/unit/utils/test_lloyd_george_validator.py
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ def test_validate_name_with_wrong_first_name(mocker, mock_pds_patient):
         validate_patient_name_using_full_name_history(
             lg_file_patient_name, mock_pds_patient
         )
-    assert mock_validate_name.call_count == 2
+    assert mock_validate_name.call_count == 3
 
 
 def test_validate_name_with_wrong_family_name(mocker, mock_pds_patient):
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ def test_validate_name_with_wrong_family_name(mocker, mock_pds_patient):
         validate_patient_name_using_full_name_history(
             lg_file_patient_name, mock_pds_patient
         )
-    assert mock_validate_name.call_count == 2
+    assert mock_validate_name.call_count == 3
 
 
 def test_validate_name_with_historical_name(mocker, mock_pds_patient):
diff --git a/lambdas/utils/lloyd_george_validator.py b/lambdas/utils/lloyd_george_validator.py
index 805696173..d44ff154c 100644
--- a/lambdas/utils/lloyd_george_validator.py
+++ b/lambdas/utils/lloyd_george_validator.py
@@ -190,8 +190,6 @@ def validate_patient_name_using_full_name_history(
     )
 
     for name in pds_patient_details.name:
-        if name.use == "usual":
-            continue
         historic_first_name_in_pds: str = name.given[0]
         historic_family_name_in_pds = name.family
         if validate_patient_name(