How to find out what NHS have on me?

Poq

I went to the doctor a few times while at university, had a few bloodwork done, some flu times, and a few other things.

I'd like to get a list of all the info that the NHS have on me.

Where do I request that?

(Freedom of information act, no?)

I just want to have my medical history at hand.

Cooper18

Nothing to do with FOI. You're medical notes are just that - yours. You'll have to ask each department for them though, there isn't one big database that will have everything. Start with your GP and work from there. And be warned, it doesn't happen in a hurry.

Poq

Cooper18 wrote: »

Nothing to do with FOI. You're medical notes are just that - yours. You'll have to ask each department for them though, there isn't one big database that will have everything. Start with your GP and work from there. And be warned, it doesn't happen in a hurry.

I've been doing most of my medical stuff in Sweden actually, and I lived in a different city in the UK at uni.

It's pretty far from where I am now (London).

I haven't re-registered (since I've been happy going to Sweden -- nothing has been urgent and I'm in good health, just checkups and stuff).



Damn... can I request over the phone and get stuff mailed to me?

Also, I didn't have one GP, but a bunch of people -- and the NHS center would decided which person to put me with whenever I needed something. (Uni system I bet)

j.e.j.

Here's some info:
http://www.nhsmedicalrecords.org.uk/medicalrecords.php

In the past I've asked the GP surgery for copies of medical records. Be warned, they charge for it. I think I paid about a tenner, but depending on how many pages there are for them to copy it can be much more expensive than that.

Poq

Wow, bast-rds! They charge?!



"Do I have a right to directly inspect my records?

No, although it is permitted if the 'data controller', usually your General Practitioner (GP) or the health authority, agrees."


...so they aren't my records then?

coldstreamalways

Poq, who do you think pays for the time, paper, ink and overheads if you decide you want to see your records? It's not a charity!!

Cooper18

Of course they're your records, who else do you think they're about?! But the GP or other doctor who wrote them owns them too. You won't have a problem getting them if you ask (and can prove who you are, so you won't get them with a phone call) unless they contain information which may be detrimental to you - provided youre not a detained mental health patient you should be ok!

And yes, it'll cost. Time and resources aren't free.

Pimpmyride

I beleive that your medical records actually 'belong to the NHS, so they aren't yours to keep/destroy....you can have a copy of them for a charge but this will just be a COPY.

I suppose its something to do with public health protection - imagine if there were crazy people out there with infectious diseases who want to go spreading about and want their previous records destroyed so they couldnt be found out?!

welshdent

You can only be allowed a copy because the practitioner that made them may need them to defend themselves one day. As such, that original copy must be retained.

Mojisola

Our practice charges £10 for a copy of what's on the computer. If you want photocopies of earlier notes which are still on paper, you get charged per page.

Fire_Fox

Poq wrote: »

I've been doing most of my medical stuff in Sweden actually, and I lived in a different city in the UK at uni.

It's pretty far from where I am now (London).

I haven't re-registered (since I've been happy going to Sweden -- nothing has been urgent and I'm in good health, just checkups and stuff).

Damn... can I request over the phone and get stuff mailed to me?

Also, I didn't have one GP, but a bunch of people -- and the NHS center would decided which person to put me with whenever I needed something. (Uni system I bet)

No you cannot get it by telephone, otherwise people would be impersonating each other all over the place and gaining access to confidential medical information! :eek:

Your best bet is to register at a GP practice where you live, your medical notes will be forwarded by your last GP practice, then request access. Each time you change practice your notes should be forwarded, so your notes from primary care should all be in one place. You should be registered anyway, Sweden is not going to offer an emergency call out at night!

Then you would also need to apply for your notes at any hospitals you have been treated at, tho the key information should be on your primary care notes anyway because hospitals write to GPs.

Poq wrote: »

Wow, bast-rds! They charge?!

"Do I have a right to directly inspect my records?

No, although it is permitted if the 'data controller', usually your General Practitioner (GP) or the health authority, agrees."


...so they aren't my records then?

Sometimes they might make a clinical decision that it is in the patient's best interests not to see the medical notes. They also have to ensure you cannot destroy or alter the notes.
"There are certain exceptions to this right. These are the most important:
Access may be refused if healthcare professionals believe that information in the records would be likely to cause serious harm to the patient or to another person ...."

Of course they charge, you are asking for a photocopies or printouts of an entire file.