Requesting medical records: A guide for patients and families
Over the years, the UK has taken steps to ensure that everyone can access their medical records. Having a copy of your medical records can help you to understand what you’ve been diagnosed and treated for, as well as making it easier to keeping track of tests, results, and the timings of these.
Accessing your records isn’t always easy though, as information may be held by different people and organisations, including your GP, consultants, and other therapists.
To support you and your family, we’ve partnered with Shine Cancer Support to outline below common questions you may have regarding how to access your records and what you’re legally entitled to.
We’re proud to announce that we recently relaunched our partnership with Shine and look forward to continuing to work closely with the charity to ensure that those going through a cancer diagnosis or treatment, as well as their loved ones, get the support they need.
What records can I access?
Every person has a right to apply to view their medical records. This applies to all existing records across both NHS and private healthcare providers and includes any information about your health as recorded by a healthcare professional.
Your records can be provided electronically or on paper and should cover opinions, letters of referral or discharge, test results, inpatient records, X-ray images and even tissue samples. They must be provided to you free of charge.
Why would I need to see my medical records?
You may want to read notes following GP or hospital appointments, view your test results, prepare for appointments, remind yourself of medical advice that has been provided or check and order medications.
You may also want to review your medical records, if you feel a certain treatment you’ve received has been incorrect, the level of care you received wasn’t what you expected, or you feel that you or a loved one has suffered negligent medical treatment. Reviewing your medical records can be a good place to start to address any concerns you may have as they will contain details of the treatment and procedures you’ve been through.
How would my records be helpful?
Reviewing your medical records is a useful exercise to assist your understanding of your physical and mental health and wellbeing. They can provide the background information for any surgery you’ve had, and may prompt you to ask your healthcare provider further clarification.
They can also be useful if you’re seeing a new doctor. In many cases, records are not shared between NHS bodies so having access to your records means that you can share accurate information about your diagnoses and treatments with any new medical professionals.
Reviewing someone else’s medical records following their death may assist in finding out the treatment they received before they died. It may also assist in understanding their overall health and details of their passing if the death is subject to an inquest procedure.
A higher transparency of healthcare records leads to patients having better knowledge of their health, as well as a higher understanding of the treatment they receive, allowing them to manage their health as effectively as possible.
How do I request my records?
You can request a copy of your records either verbally or in writing, although we advise you always follow up a verbal request with a written request. This request should be made direct to the organisation that has been responsible for your treatment for example your GP surgery or NHS Trust responsible for the hospital where you’ve had treatment. If you’re requesting records relating to private medical treatment, the request should be made directly to your doctor, therapist or counsellor.
Not all hospitals/NHS Trusts have the same process for requesting records, so it’s a good idea to have a look on their website for specific guidance on how to request records from that particular organisation.
If you can’t find the information you are looking for, the hospital’s PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) should be able to assist you.
Records should be provided within one month of your request, in line with data protection regulations.
You may also be able to view your NHS GP records or hospital records through the NHS app or an app specific to that hospital, if they offer this service. This may not provide access to all of your records, so if you can’t find the information you’re looking for on the app, you can make a request as set out above.
Can I apply for other people’s records?
If you have parental responsibility for a child under 16, you can apply for a copy of their records. For children over 16 and adults, the person the records belong to must provide written consent for you to apply for their records on their behalf.
If you’d like to apply for a deceased person’s records, you must explain and evidence to the healthcare provider that you are the executor or the administrator of their estate.
What if I disagree with the records?
You’re entitled to have any personal data rectified. If you find any errors in your records, you should notify the person who provided you with the records which need rectifying. They should update them within one to two months.
If the healthcare provider decides not to amend your records, they must explain their reasons to you and remind you of your right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
If you have issues obtaining your medical records or you would like to discuss your case further, please speak with a member of our medical negligence team.
