NHS fee for copy of lab results

[ThatNameTaken]

My GP surgery is charging me £15 for a copy of my lab results. (I asked for copies going back to 2015, when I started feeling unwell.) I said ok, it then thought I’d check online, and apparently the maximum fee is £10 for hard copies of information that is held electronically. I would have thought lab results fall into this category. Should I challenge this £15 they’re asking for?

P.s. I did search the forum for an answer, but the most recent posts I could find were 3 years old, and I thought the answer might have changed in the meantime.

Many thanks!

[Clutter]

ThatNameTaken,

The practice can charge up to £10 for electronic summary record only and up to £50 for electronic summary and paper records which includes test results and hospital letters. This can be the entire medical record held by your GP.

[ThatNameTaken in reply to Clutter]

Thanks. Not sure what is meant by electronic summary record. But you’re saying they could charge me as much as £50 for this?

[Clutter in reply to ThatNameTaken]

ThatNameTaken,

Yup, my practice charged £50 for my entire electronic summary and manual (paper) records from when I joined the practice, so £15 seems good but if you can get your test results online why pay anything at all?

[ThatNameTaken in reply to Clutter]

They’ve already made the printout as I requested, so I’ll pay it this time, but going forward will definitely do it online!

[Maybe21]

I can access all my blood results held by my GP online using Patient Access. I had take take proof of ID to the practice manager and they then set it up . It’s the same one that you request repeat prescriptions on line . My GP suggested that I accessed my results on line when I asked for a copy of my blood results which he gave to me at that time free of charge .

[ThatNameTaken in reply to Maybe21]

This sounds interesting. I’ll ask when I go in to pick up my printouts. I just checked and they don’t offer online registration at my GP practice.

[Nanaedake in reply to ThatNameTaken]

If you are in England, all GP surgeries need to offer online blood test results from 2015 onwards so I would ask your GP receptionist to give you a password so that you can log in online to your blood test results. If she doesn't understand then ask to speak to the practice manager. You might have to complete a form and evidence your identity.

nhs.uk/chq/pages/1309.aspx?...

emishealth.com/media/1537/0...

[Hillwoman in reply to Nanaedake]

Many GP practices still don't provide this.

[Hidden in reply to Hillwoman]

My online access does not include blood results, but neither do they charge now, for printouts (it used to be 30p per page).

[Glover17]

My practice only charged me £10 for my records going back as far as 2010 and all referral letters to (paper copies)

[ThatNameTaken]

So I’ve got my printouts, and when looking through them , they are incomplete. Not all results are included. Now I have to go back and complain. I asked for results of all my blood tests. I feel like they already see me as a time waster and a hypochondriac.

Oh and I also got my private test results back from Blue Horizon. Their test indicates positive thyroid antibodies, which of course my GP wouldn’t even test for, because my TSH is ‘in range’.

[MajorTom]

Sorry to hear you didn't get all your results but glad you now know you have auto antibodies.

Sadly printouts are being used as an extra earner at my GPs - £2 per sheet and they only print single sided. The online system has been in use for 2 years for prescriptions and appointments but they won't make test results available despite requests.