medical access from GP

[islandlass]

Have patients a right to have a copy of their medical records - asking on behalf of someone who is having trouble getting his.

Thank you in advance,

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

In the UK patients have a legal right to their medical records. Some GP practices have online access, not all.

NHS website: nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-...

A Subject Access Request may be necessary.

Check out the many posts by member DJR1 about this subject:

healthunlocked.com/user/DJR1

[islandlass in reply to SeasideSusie]

Brilliant - have copied and forwarded to him - many thanks Seaside Susie

[humanbean]

This is a very useful link from the Information Commissioner's Office :

ico.org.uk/your-data-matter...

Turning a verbal request for copies of medical records or test results into a written Subject Access Request is a good idea. Legally a verbal request is enough, but having it written and the request being very specific and keeping copies of what you wrote and when it was delivered (preferably by hand) means that the surgery can't try and weasel out of it, or pretend that the request was never made or they never received it.

Please note that doctors are allowed to remove some or all parts of your medical record from your view if they want to claim it will harm the patient's mental health. The problem is that this is an unverifiable claim by doctors. They can remove what they want and the patient won't have the access to find out if what the doctor does is justifiable.

In terms of online access to medical records and test results in England several members of the forum have found that if they query test results e.g. "my TSH is high in range can I have an increase in my Levo prescription" those queried test results often vanish from view, and sometimes all test results vanish from view. So the entire system is open to abuse by doctors and NHS staff.

If you get access to any health records always, always make sure to take copies at the earliest opportunity, so that you have a copy if they vanish.

[islandlass]

No wonder this poor chap is having problems - have forwarded this to him. What a cheek - cannot win - bring back the old one man band GP who cared for the whole family and was dearly loved by them . Sure there were some mavericks but one could get them sorted out, where to start would be more of a question today it seems.

Thank you Humanbean, much appreciated.

[serenfach]

Before you even hint at there being a problem with your GP practice, or hospital, get your notes. As soon as they find out you are going to make a complaint, stuff will be removed from your file.

I now just ask for my notes on a regular basis. I used to get asked why and I always said they are mine. Now I just get given them.

I have noticed that there are far less personal comments on my notes now, so somewhere there is a warning to the medical team to watch what they put down.

[islandlass]

sadly they are now under investigation for a serious situation and have taken him off their list without warning. What times we live in! Will pass this on as well, he now does not know how he stands re GP cover. Thank you for the information.