Query about GP's and Medical Records

[blackqueen65]

Does anyone know if your new GP has to put your previous paper records onto their electronic system. I transferred to a new surgery in Oct 2012 and the new surgery don't look at my previous records for reference. I just wondered if they are obligated to put them onto their system and if so how long they are given to do this?

Thanks in advance

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I am pretty sure they are not!

After all, that would involve digitising maybe 90 or 100 years of records for some people. The cost and difficulty would be ridiculous for the marginal benefit to many patients.

This is, indeed, one of the big advantages of digital records - transfer can be more or less instant and complete. (Yes - I know the downsides as well!)

But there might be a time window for which they are supposed to do a transfer to digital?

Rod

[blackqueen65 in reply to helvella]

Thanks Rod, I have tried phoning around but nobody seems to be able to tell me so I would assume they probably don't have to.

[poing]

My medical records have only been summarised in my electronic health record at my current GP surgery.

It notes major medical things from my past, like when I had my thumb sewn back on and a referral to gynae. A few words on each and that's it. Everything else dates from when I joined the current surgery.

I've been a patient here for five years, which isn't so long ago really, and so I reckon they must have had electronic records before then... but maybe the record systems weren't compatible between the old surgery and the new? I don't think they recognised the importance of stuff like interoperability between software systems for a quite a while - and even now I think they have trouble achieving it.

Somehow, I can't see them updating electronic records by hand.

[blackqueen65 in reply to poing]

Thanks Poing I think you are probably right.