I am writing to surgery to request my medical records. Surgery website asks for information pertaining to your ID but also the time frame you require .
Can I not ask for my complete medical records?
Im tryin to figure out how far back I have been low in b12 and iron or any link.
I have some bloods results from 2008 showing low ferritin 29ug/L (20-400) and b12 161 ngL (160-1000) folate 8.1ug/L (>3.0). I also have letter from GP mentioning the low level and that an antinuclear antibody test was also weakly positive. he suggested I repeat of the antibody to check celiac which returned again at weakly positive. Nothing was done!. I was on a therapuetic trial of thyroxine because of symptoms and my results were borderline. This didnt have much effect so it was stopped after about 18 months I thimk. No one attributed theses symptoms to low b12 and ferritin.
I disticntly remember being iron deficient in pregnancy and both iron and b12 during and after my third, but those three children are now in their thirties! (Ive had two more since).
Is this too far back to request?
Has anyone else requested their medical records? Did you ask for all or just a time line?
Thanks in advance.
Written by
Debsaf
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Yes, I can view them online. Initially I could only access the last few weeks. I asked to see more and more appeared. But they're disappointing as they only give the bare bones, no letters, Dr notes other than prescriptions given or there's a one word description of a long discussion (eg a nurse/skin specialist had told me I had moles that were pre-cancerous and needed to be removed, but the record only says 'moles' and nothing else), no images of scans, and there's so much of it it's really hard to find the thing you're looking for.
I'll be interested to hear what happens and what you get access to. My surgery does have a disclaimer which is that they don't want you to see anything which might be distressing, and initially when I asked to see the record I was told it could only be on the premises and under supervision. However, when I eventually began using online services this bare bones record was made available.
Not allowed to charge more than 10 GBP's. Could be 50 GBP's for the whole lot. There was a post about charges recently on Thyroid UK - but cannot put my finger on it at present. You do not have to give a reason. Ring the surgery and request all results with ranges and tell them you will collect within 48 hours ! They are legally yours - Data Protection.
I know, mine's a small and very caring surgery, probably due to close in a couple of years unfortunately, so I have to assume they're trying to act in the patient's best interests.
I think some parts of the record are still on paper (does someone have to scan all these? logistical nightmare) and parts are digitised. I don't know how scans are presented but I know if I ask the doctor can look at them on screen.
There seem to be 'code words' that are used for the record (eg after a long discussion there'll be a one word summary such as 'migraine') and I still don't know how to get to the part about what was actually discussed in the session, but I do know it may be a slightly different version of the discussion, I was told that today. That's what I'd actually like to look at.
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