Access to Medical Records Update and International Survey

[DJR1]

Many people are interested in access to their medical records so they can manage their health particularly so with long term conditions like thyroid problems. The U.K. is sadly far behind many countries in the world in embracing access to our information.

NHS England has made mandatory requirements in their contract with GP but the resistance and refusal to give access is widespread. The proposed auto switch on to prospective access was delayed again having failed initially on 1 December 2021 and subsequently again on 1 April 2022. I have no further information on this and although there are reports in the medical press this may happen in July I have no confidence the obstacles will be overcome.

For those of us living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland there are contractual differences. I have many contacts from people in Scotland and Wales expressing frustration at the lack of access and interest.

This morning I caught a post on Twitter about an International survey on medical record access. Maria Hagglund is a hugely respected researcher and speaker on medical record access and this type of work shines a spotlight on countries like the U.K. who have poor adoption of international practices.

Please if you want your say fill in the survey, it gives room for a lot of comment. It appears that not many policy makers are listening in the U.K. so reaching out to the global community and highlighting our issues might create pressure to create some change.

The link to the survey is here

plymouthpsychology.fra1.qua...

I will post the results of the research in due course.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I have done the survey. It is quite simple to do and didn't take long.

[nightingale-56]

I have completed survey. It only took about 5 minutes. I don't know how helpful I have been.

[DJR1 in reply to nightingale-56]

Thank you we need to make our voices heard. The public are not asked about their interest or access to their records so it’s a good opportunity to give a true picture in the U.K.

[humanbean]

I have completed the survey.

[Zephyrbear]

I have completed the survey, but when it came to the “would you like to share the information” link, clicking on it took me to a page which said I’d already completed the survey and I couldn’t go back.