getting medical records

[LoLo]

Hi, not strictly moneysaving but I need to know how to get hold of my medical records. I have moved doctors and want information that would have been from when I was with my previous doctors surgery, would my new doctors have been forwarded this or not? Also do I have to pay to get this information? Thanks.

[kittykirsty]

I would have thought that your new doctors would have been forwarded your info on from the previous ones. When i signed up with the doctor i had to give previous doc details, i think that is so they can get your records.

I think, although i'm not entirely sure, that you should be able to request a copy of your records in line with the Freedom of Information Act. In which case you might be asked to pay around £10 administration fee for them to provide you with this info

[sparklymessygirl]

This link might be useful

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HealthAndWellBeing/HealthServices/ManagingYourHealthcare/DG_10036450

Sparkly

[Tiff]

Hi hun,
Your medical records should follow you through your life so that any medical professional can get a picture of your health and history.

As has been said, you can request to see them under the Data Protection Act. You must write to your currebt gp and request a copy of your records. There is a fee. It can be more than £10 in some circumstances, I think.

Please note that you won't be able to change anything on the records. If that is what you want, you must follow an official procedure/review that decides on whether it is legal to do so. Jope this helps hun.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

[LondonDiva]

*You are entitled to access your medical records from whoever has them under the Data protection Act

*Your new GP will have all your GP notes and hospital summaries - the transfer to the new practice takes about 6 weeks if everything runs smoothly. The hospitals will have full hospital info, so you'll need to apply directly to a hospital for them.

*On application, the practice / hospital can charge you up to £10 to view or for a copy up to £50 for cost of copying and time.

*Before you access the records, the practice / hospital should go through the notes & check if there is anything in there that you should not see (3rd party stuff / information given in confidence - so record that mrs H had an abortion would not be included in notes to next of kin if practice belive Mrs H would not have wanted them to know). They can take this out if they think it's appropriate and do not have to tell you about it, but would always have notes to justify the exclusion of notes. In most cases, where the requester is the patient, they review the information and will let it through.

*Most practices will then offer an appointment for you to go through the notes with you. It is considered good practice for someone to be there to explain the abbreviations of the text - but the amount of people who read something sisnister into being offered an appointment so the GP/Manager can be there with you is scary.

*they try to minimise altering / changing of records as much as possible. You can only ask that they alter the records for factual errors (Mrs X gave birth to a girl on 3 May, when actually Mrs X gave birth to a boy on 6 June). If there's something in the records you disagree with (they think you have mental health problems & you disagree) you can add a note to the specific bit you disagreee with stating why.