Do you have to pay for test results?

[Flory28]

Hello everyone, does everyone have to pay to get a copy of their thyroid blood test results? Everything seems such a battle! I am always cold so will ask for a copy on my next trip whether I have to pay or not. Thanks. Daphne

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

TLTracy

No, you shouldn't have to pay.

The General Data Protection Regulations and the Data Protection Act 2018 came into force in May this year (replacing the Data Protection Act 1998) and states there should be no charge in most cases:

bma.org.uk/advice/employmen...

Also, article in Pulse magazine (the magazine for doctors):

pulsetoday.co.uk/home/finan...

Thyroid UK's article here:

thyroiduk.org/tuk/NHS_Infor...

PS - I have deleted your duplicate post.

[shaws Administrator]

This is from Thyroiduk.org.uk

Extract from TUK:Do I Have to Pay for Accessing my Records?

Do I Have to Pay for Accessing my Records?

You can access your health records free of charge if:digital medical records

The records have been updated in the previous 40 days and

You don’t require a copy.

If the records have not been updated in the last 40 days and you don’t require a copy, the maximum charge is £10. This charge applies whether the records are stored:

on computer

partly on computer and partly in another form, for example, paper records such as letters or hand-written clinical notes, or images such as X-ray film

entirely in another form

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/NHS_In...

[Gambit62 in reply to shaws]

Shaws, this article predates the GDPR so probably needs updating.

Under GDPR organisations are not allowed to charge for responding to data subject access requests where as they were allowed to charge prior to the GDPR coming in to force at the end of May this year.

Have emailed them to ask them to review the page

[shaws Administrator]

My surgery charges 30p per sheet.

[Rmichelle]

Completely free of charge at mine 😀

[SlowDragon Administrator]

UK GP practices are supposed to offer online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

But, in reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results.

Allow couple of days and then go and pick up. They can no longer charge for printing out, as others have said, rules changed after May 25th 2018

[Framboise]

No you shouldn't have to pay, I've never been charged and these days I can access mine online, my GP's have posted all results going back 15 years. Prior to this I used to ask for them from the receptionist and was always given them free as long as the GP had already seen them. Occasionally they'd be in an envelope with a specialist's name on as if they were too secret or complicated for me to read, but keeping a list of my results was the only way I got any treatment in the end - I was able to show how things were altering over the years, which my GP hadn't checked.

The only thing my GPs once tried to charge me for were copies of various letters from consultants. I was handed a large envelope with a price written on the front. The receptionist didn't notice it, I didn't offer to pay it on the basis that letters about me should also be copied to me, and it has never been queried with me.

I hope your surgery has online records, but if not they may gear themselves up to it if enough patients ask.

[Flory28 in reply to Framboise]

Thank you for your help.

[MissGrace]

My Doctor grumbled and said something about ‘we are supposed to be a paperless surgery’ when I asked for a printout and did it reluctantly. Since he doesn’t put the results online for patient access it seems ironic that they claim to be ‘paperless’. Next time I went to pick up results, I took some A4 paper ready to offe to him for his printer. He saw it in my hand and did the print out without a grumble. Now I don’t even bother to see him, the receptionist prints it for me and I scan the print out to send to my private specialist (since when he requests them from the surgery they take ages to send anything!) In the end, they are YOUR results. My doctor likes to keep things to himself to feel more ‘god-like’, doesn’t work with me I’m afraid!

[Flory28]

Thank you. Your advice is appreciated.