SAR for med records but nothing yet

FannyAdamski

Hello, I was unsure of where to post this, but since it's about my attempt to obtain medical records in relation to benefits, I thought I'd try here. My apologies if I shouldn't have posted this here.

On 24 February of this year I sent an email to an NHS Trust under whose care I have previously been in order to make a Subject Access Request for my medical records. Shortly afterwards I received a reply informing me that my request could take up to 90 days to be 'processed' (not fulfilled), due to the size and complexity of the records that they hold. Fair enough - so I have waited. But I still have not received my medical records, nor any further communication from them.  I'd really appreciate some advice from anybody here with knowlege and experience of making SARs about how I should now proceed. Should I continue to wait, or should I act now to somehow escalate my request, and if so how?

Many thanks in advance,

FA

marcia_

FannyAdamski said:

Hello, I was unsure of where to post this, but since it's about my attempt to obtain medical records in relation to benefits, I thought I'd try here. My apologies if I shouldn't have posted this here.

On 24 February of this year I sent an email to an NHS Trust under whose care I have previously been in order to make a Subject Access Request for my medical records. Shortly afterwards I received a reply informing me that my request could take up to 90 days to be 'processed' (not fulfilled), due to the size and complexity of the records that they hold. Fair enough - so I have waited. But I still have not received my medical records, nor any further communication from them.  I'd really appreciate some advice from anybody here with knowlege and experience of making SARs about how I should now proceed. Should I continue to wait, or should I act now to somehow escalate my request, and if so how?

Many thanks in advance,

FA

 I have had the same issues applying for my records in relation to a CICA Claim.
 I would contact them preferably by email, they might have a specific email for complaints, so you have it in writing that you wish to raise a complaint as they have not processed your claim and tell them you intend to complain to the information commissioner if they do not send your information in x no of days.

https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

peteuk

If youve asked for your whole records  they need to be checked which will take time.  If youve asked for your whole records with regards a certain illness or diagnosis then they need to extract the info from your notes.

These can be redacted and even your request refused.  

FannyAdamski

peteuk said:

If youve asked for your whole records  they need to be checked which will take time.  If youve asked for your whole records with regards a certain illness or diagnosis then they need to extract the info from your notes.

These can be redacted and even your request refused.  

Thanks for your response Pete. I asked for my medical records without specifying anything in particular - so my whole medical records. I understand and appreciate that the process takes time, which is why I have waited. But as I understand it there is a legal time frame within which they have to either fulfill a SAR or communicate their refusal/inability to do so, and why, to the person making the request. I think they have gone over the time frame in my case.

FannyAdamski

marcia_ said:

FannyAdamski said:

Hello, I was unsure of where to post this, but since it's about my attempt to obtain medical records in relation to benefits, I thought I'd try here. My apologies if I shouldn't have posted this here.

On 24 February of this year I sent an email to an NHS Trust under whose care I have previously been in order to make a Subject Access Request for my medical records. Shortly afterwards I received a reply informing me that my request could take up to 90 days to be 'processed' (not fulfilled), due to the size and complexity of the records that they hold. Fair enough - so I have waited. But I still have not received my medical records, nor any further communication from them.  I'd really appreciate some advice from anybody here with knowlege and experience of making SARs about how I should now proceed. Should I continue to wait, or should I act now to somehow escalate my request, and if so how?

Many thanks in advance,

FA

 I have had the same issues applying for my records in relation to a CICA Claim.
 I would contact them preferably by email, they might have a specific email for complaints, so you have it in writing that you wish to raise a complaint as they have not processed your claim and tell them you intend to complain to the information commissioner if they do not send your information in x no of days.

https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Hello Marcia, 

Thank you very much for your reply and the ICO link. I think I'll send the NHS Trust a polite email reminding them of my SAR back in Feb, with my original email attached, and give them an opportunity to respond. If there's still no joy after another month or so I'll take it to the ICO.

I really hope you received your records and that your CICA claim was sorted. I'm very sorry you went through that. 

FA