Accessing your Medical Records how long and format

luminated

I wonder if anyone has ever made a formal request for their medical records from their GP. How long it took to get them, the cost and what format they took.

I see from the NHS web site (link below) they say it can take 40 days but the government suggest (to Doctors) that 21 days is more acceptable. I see the most they can charge is £50.

Any experiences would be good to hear?


http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1309.aspx?categoryid=68&subcategoryid=160

Careful_with_that_Axe

I made an informal request during a docs appointment so I could show evidence of falls and resulting injuries for DLA Tribunal. I think they were ready a couple of days later iirc and, as she forgot to mention there would be a charge for them, I got them FOC. Just printed A4 sheets showing details of all appointments and medications including meds review, test results and hospital letters etc.
Very useful.
Could you discuss with your GP why you want them and ask face to face?

luminated

I have been given a DLA award but wish to appeal for a higher level and perhaps a longer period.

The surgery staff, and the doctors, have been excellent and I sat with the Practice Manager going through my records with the odd copy FOC.

However now I need to appeal and as I have been ill for so many years I really need to get together the hard evidence about the numerous Doctors I have seen but nearly all in the early days of my illness.

Thanks for your fast reply and your experiences/advice :T

[Deleted User]

at many gps the notes are now all on computer and can be had by requesting a disc with them all on usually for a tenner

luminated

woodbine wrote: »

at many gps the notes are now all on computer and can be had by requesting a disc with them all on usually for a tenner

Thanks for that and I hope so.

I know the Practice Manager and one of her assistants (very small surgery about 100 yards away) but I need to go back over 30 years ago to really get all the stuff I feel I need. I feel sorry for them as I know it would be a mix of PC generated but due to age may involve a fair bit of photocopying (I think).

CouponWoman

luminated wrote: »

Thanks for that and I hope so.

I know the Practice Manager and one of her assistants (very small surgery about 100 yards away) but I need to go back over 30 years ago to really get all the stuff I feel I need. I feel sorry for them as I know it would be a mix of PC generated but due to age may involve a fair bit of photocopying (I think).

Just be aware that it is extremely unlikely that the Appeal Tribunal will be interested in your medical evidence from 30 years ago.

Its what is wrong with you now that matters and how your current illnessess affect you.

good luck with your tribunal.

luminated

CouponWoman wrote: »

Just be aware that it is extremely unlikely that the Appeal Tribunal will be interested in your medical evidence from 30 years ago.

Its what is wrong with you now that matters and how your current illnessess affect you.

good luck with your tribunal.

My conditions include ME/CFS for which the only consultant diagnosis's were that length of time ago. I have separate problems which have been consultants 5/6 years ago and 10 years ago.

My GP is adamant there is no point in seeing another consultant as there is nothing they can do more than the treatment he is giving me now. So hence why I feel the need to get everything I can even going back a long time ago.

Thanks for your reply.

Careful_with_that_Axe

Sounds like you have a practice/doctor who is sympathetic. Would it be feasible to get the doctor to do a letter for you to provide as evidence at Tribunal which summarises what you want covered? I would think the panel would be more sympathetically inclined with current summarised information than old records. I had a Welfare Rights Officer to help me with the Appeal and, even though I had evidence of falls going back many years on the copies of my medical records, he flat out told me that anything longer than 18 months ago wouldn't be considered suitable evidence. That being said, the panel may read it but may then disregard it.

luminated

Careful_with_that_Axe wrote: »

Sounds like you have a practice/doctor who is sympathetic. Would it be feasible to get the doctor to do a letter for you to provide as evidence at Tribunal which summarises what you want covered? I would think the panel would be more sympathetically inclined with current summarised information than old records. I had a Welfare Rights Officer to help me with the Appeal and, even though I had evidence of falls going back many years on the copies of my medical records, he flat out told me that anything longer than 18 months ago wouldn't be considered suitable evidence. That being said, the panel may read it but may then disregard it.

Thanks so much for your excellent advice. Yes indeed what you say makes sense and is the best thing I can do. I know that old medical information is probably a waste of time but when I am preparing a case I tend to go overboard covering ALL eventualities.

So I will ask my GP in due course and stopping worrying at thisp point of time as I am only two weeks in after submitting my GL24 form.

Thanks again you are a star :A

Invalidation

luminated wrote: »

Thanks for that and I hope so.

I know the Practice Manager and one of her assistants (very small surgery about 100 yards away) but I need to go back over 30 years ago to really get all the stuff I feel I need. I feel sorry for them as I know it would be a mix of PC generated but due to age may involve a fair bit of photocopying (I think).

You wont get it because it doesnt exist. I recently contacted my GP for copies of medical records scans etc, and was told they only had the most basic of records going back around 7 years.
I had a PILE of scans, X Rays and Discograms taken around 18 years ago and they are all gone. I contacted the Hospital and they said they dont keep any records longer than 10 years.

If you check online you will see its NHS policy not to keep records further back than around 10 years.

luminated

Thanks Invalidation

Useful thinking. When I sat in the surgery, going through some old records, I did see stuff for when I was 19 (now early 60's) but it was notes rather than test results. I guess those who are 19 today have more chance of their fuller records being kept because of todays technology. If it is used ......