Requesting a full thyroidectomy report 🤔

[birkie]

Hi everyone ❤️

Just a quick question, are we as patients allowed to see our report on our thyroidectomy? I'm asking this as I've been talking to a parathyroid surgeon on the parathyroid Web site, he asked about my thyroid report as it would be beneficial to any other endo/surgeon to see if anything was mentioned about my parathyroid glands, like we're they in situe, we're they visible to him ect.. I said the only thing I received was, "wound clean, no horseness, eating/drinking normally, larynx nerve appears to be unaffected, given Thyroxine 175mg" ....ive just rang the surgeons secretary to ask how I go about requiring the report, she as said we do not give reports out, I then told her I was hoping to see an endocrinologist soon and this information would be of value to him, she just said the endo would be able to retrieve the report on his computer, is she correct because it's not been my experience, specialists I've seen have said plenty of times, "I can seem to find that report ms whitehead 😤 I would really like the thyroidectomy report in my files I'm taking to the endo appointment🤷‍♀️

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

You have the same rights as all your other medical records.

You need to make a Subject Access Request - at least you know who the secretary is!

The problem is that in the halfway house we have reached, some doctors can see the reports made by other doctors but it is difficult to know in advance what they will be able to see. It varies across the UK.

[Batty1]

I have access to all of my surgical reports and test/doctor notes and I find unless Im specifically asked by the doctor Im seeing to bring a copy of the surgery paperwork they usually don’t care…. Is this good practice NO but thats what they do.

[PurpleNails Administrator]

If the operation was recent usually a formal request aren't necessary and you can contact the department directly for copies. They are usually accommodating & will post to you. Older records need a subject request and the hospital will likely have a form for you to complete.

Last year I tracked down a particular record from 7 years previously.

Firstly see if it hospital webpage lists a health records department / library. Often a person or department with email & address is listed. If not found, I would try the switchboard and ask it there’s a health records department.

I was emailed a application form. Which I sent back with 2 forms of ID and a witness signature.

Some question on the form might be for example.

Yes/No Are you applying to view the health

records only and do not require copies?

Yes/No Do you require copies of written

documentation only

i.e. correspondence/clinical written notes?

Yes/No Do you require test results i.e. blood

results, scan/x-ray reports, etc.?

Yes/No Do you require any charts resulting

from an in-patient stay i.e. blood

pressure, feeding, cannula monitoring, fluid

balance?

Yes/No Do you require operation notes

(following a surgical procedure)

including anaesthetic and recovery

notes?

Yes/No Do you require copies of any radiology

images i.e. x-rays, scans etc.?

If the record is small they may be able to email copies back but if the record is longer they will post it to you.

[birkie in reply to PurpleNails]

Hi purpleNails❤️

The records manager said I could request them via the Web site as my thyroidectomy was done in 2019..but as I said to her I never received any paperwork on the thyroidectomy report it was all electronic, it came via my email on my phone, I saw my uptake scan report which said "large uptake in both thyroid lobes, then it said thyrotoxicosis, I could only have these reports/results on my phone for 30 days, unfortunately I lost them as I didn't know to transfer them to another device to store them🤦‍♀️I saw the thyroid scan, but I can't remember seeing anything on my actual surgery, and there is nothing in my paperwork I have in my records on what happened during surgery, the surgeon who responded to me asked what my parathyroid glands looked like as I'm having trouble with raised calcium and parathyroid hormone, I said I have no idea 🤷‍♀️ that's why he requested I get the report, so I think it must be an electronic report as their is no paperwork on it, 🤷‍♀️

[PurpleNails Administrator in reply to birkie]

Perhaps ask for your entire records & state please post paper copies? They you’ll have them & won’t get lost electronically?

My records were all at one hospital so I guess it’s a little more difficult if there are more hospital involved. There might not be any detail, or much of a report in relation to the surgery. Doctors tend to note as little a possible.

[birkie in reply to PurpleNails]

Hi purpleNails❤️I asked for my medical records going bk to 2002...its strange as some seem to be missing 🤷‍♀️ but when I asked for the thyroidectomy report to be sent via paper she said "ho unfortunately we don't like sending out paper copies as it costs a lot in postage 🤦‍♀️ honest that's what she said 🙄... So I can only hope if my endo appointment comes before I get the thyroidectomy report my endo might be able to pull it of ICE as the records manager said he could🤷‍♀️