Medical Records
Aug 6th 2004, 1:19 am
#16
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: melbourne, eastern suburbs
Posts: 128
Originally posted by bundy
Posted this the other day....
Don't think there are any rules on this, but the more you take, the better. Immunisation records would certainly be a good place to start. If any of you are currently on any medication or receiving any treatment, having your notes will ease the transfer of care when you're in Oz.
You have a couple of options for obtaining your notes:
Firstly, your GP has to provide copies if you ask, but you will have to pay. I used to work in a doctors surgery and believe me, photocopy someone's notes take forever and it hard work, hence the payment!
Secondly, you can ask your GP (usually by putting something in writing to the Practice Manager) for a simple print out of your on-screen record. This will list medications, dates of treatment, dates of immunisation, height, weight, BP etc etc. Basic medical summary in effect and enough for most doctors to get a good idea of your medical history.
If you have had hospital treatment, you can also get hold of your hospital notes by applying to your local health authority.
Hope that helps!
Posted this the other day....
Don't think there are any rules on this, but the more you take, the better. Immunisation records would certainly be a good place to start. If any of you are currently on any medication or receiving any treatment, having your notes will ease the transfer of care when you're in Oz.
You have a couple of options for obtaining your notes:
Firstly, your GP has to provide copies if you ask, but you will have to pay. I used to work in a doctors surgery and believe me, photocopy someone's notes take forever and it hard work, hence the payment!
Secondly, you can ask your GP (usually by putting something in writing to the Practice Manager) for a simple print out of your on-screen record. This will list medications, dates of treatment, dates of immunisation, height, weight, BP etc etc. Basic medical summary in effect and enough for most doctors to get a good idea of your medical history.
If you have had hospital treatment, you can also get hold of your hospital notes by applying to your local health authority.
Hope that helps!
Thanks everyone, i will find out how much it cost, especially as there are four in the family
:scared:
Aug 6th 2004, 1:27 am
#17
Tupperware's #1 fan
Joined: May 2004
Location: Crawley West Sussex
Posts: 2,315
I have just spoken to a very nice man at west sussex health authority and he has given me a very usefull piece of information.
The maximum charge any different authority can charge for copies of your medical notes is £50
The act to quote is
Data protection act 1998, section 7, fees and misc provisions reg 2001.
The maximum charge any different authority can charge for copies of your medical notes is £50
The act to quote is
Data protection act 1998, section 7, fees and misc provisions reg 2001.
Aug 6th 2004, 2:47 am
#19
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,861
Stand up for your rights, you are entitled to a copy of the records.
A small word of advice - when you get the records, check they all relate to you! I had a hospital discharge form for a totally different person in mine - she was aged 27 , having her tonsils removed.......I was aged 6 at the time! I also had the results of a biopsy my mum had done when I was 14 - when I told her she said there was loads of trouble at the time as the hospital said they'd sent the results, but the surgery couldn't find them. No wonder, they'd been filed in the wrong notes.
A small word of advice - when you get the records, check they all relate to you! I had a hospital discharge form for a totally different person in mine - she was aged 27 , having her tonsils removed.......I was aged 6 at the time! I also had the results of a biopsy my mum had done when I was 14 - when I told her she said there was loads of trouble at the time as the hospital said they'd sent the results, but the surgery couldn't find them. No wonder, they'd been filed in the wrong notes.
Aug 6th 2004, 5:29 am
#20
PENNINE ELECTRICAL
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Was Wakefield, Now Bayside,Capalaba, Brisbane since 2004
Posts: 376
Re: Medical Records
Originally posted by little miss c
Do I have to get our medical records from our GP to take to Aus when we go?
Things I need to do keep popping up in my head
trying not to panic:scared:
Do I have to get our medical records from our GP to take to Aus when we go?
Things I need to do keep popping up in my head
trying not to panic:scared:
Hi we are only taking copies of our 6 year old daughters medical notes.
£30.00 we were charged and that was after we had to write in to the practise manager who then authorised it......
Leanne
Aug 6th 2004, 8:58 am
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2002
Location: brisbane
Posts: 1,020
Hi
I had the same problem ,until i told them to go and look up the policy on Data protection.You can have your records and if you have the info held on computer there is a maximum charge of £10 per person .If however you you want the info that has not been inputted they can charge more.My computer printout cost me £18.50 for a family of four.
Get arsey with them ,or assertive
donna
I had the same problem ,until i told them to go and look up the policy on Data protection.You can have your records and if you have the info held on computer there is a maximum charge of £10 per person .If however you you want the info that has not been inputted they can charge more.My computer printout cost me £18.50 for a family of four.
Get arsey with them ,or assertive
donna
Aug 8th 2004, 12:49 pm
#22
(It's not my real name)
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Ilukapool. WA
Posts: 12,468
Re: Medical Records
This one keeps coming up time and time again.
You don't need to bring your medical records, they are not needed, they are not wanted. Doctors in Australia don't have registers of patients with all the accompanying paperwork like in the UK.
You want to go and see the doctor, just pick one you like the sound of and make an appointment.
Kids immunisation records, yes, bring those, they are important but don't waste your time arguing about your UK medical records.
You don't need to bring your medical records, they are not needed, they are not wanted. Doctors in Australia don't have registers of patients with all the accompanying paperwork like in the UK.
You want to go and see the doctor, just pick one you like the sound of and make an appointment.
Kids immunisation records, yes, bring those, they are important but don't waste your time arguing about your UK medical records.
Aug 8th 2004, 4:58 pm
#23
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Medical Records
Originally Posted by renth
This one keeps coming up time and time again.
You don't need to bring your medical records, they are not needed, they are not wanted. Doctors in Australia don't have registers of patients with all the accompanying paperwork like in the UK.
You want to go and see the doctor, just pick one you like the sound of and make an appointment.
Kids immunisation records, yes, bring those, they are important but don't waste your time arguing about your UK medical records.
You don't need to bring your medical records, they are not needed, they are not wanted. Doctors in Australia don't have registers of patients with all the accompanying paperwork like in the UK.
You want to go and see the doctor, just pick one you like the sound of and make an appointment.
Kids immunisation records, yes, bring those, they are important but don't waste your time arguing about your UK medical records.
When we were living in Sydney, we would go to one of 4 local Doctors, so even if they kept records, each would only have 25% of the total !!
Up here in QLD we are only using one Doctor, and the only record they seem to keep, is a record of Prescriptions issued.
Have any Migrants already here, actually got their new Doctors to read any old Medical Notes ?
Aug 8th 2004, 5:01 pm
#24
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Medical Records
Originally Posted by ABCDiamond
Have any Migrants already here, actually got their new Doctors to read any old Medical Notes ?
Aug 8th 2004, 8:43 pm
#25
She's a bird, you know
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 7,655
Re: Medical Records
Originally Posted by owieb
Nope, they're not interested from what I can gather. We didn't bring any with us, but none of the doctors we have visited have ever asked about them.
Couldn't bear the thought of having to start from scratch with all my thyroid testing, so I'll be taking my notes
Aug 8th 2004, 11:13 pm
#26
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Medical Records
Originally Posted by bundy
But surely if you have an existing medical condition, they'll need to know what treatment you've had/are having?
Couldn't bear the thought of having to start from scratch with all my thyroid testing, so I'll be taking my notes
Couldn't bear the thought of having to start from scratch with all my thyroid testing, so I'll be taking my notes
I guess if you do have something that is important then take it with you, but i wouldn't bother paying to have an entire medical history photocopied.
Be interesting to see if people who have existing conditions have taken medical records with them.
Last edited by owieb; Aug 8th 2004 at 11:15 pm.
Aug 8th 2004, 11:16 pm
#27
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,360
Re: Medical Records
Originally Posted by bundy
But surely if you have an existing medical condition, they'll need to know what treatment you've had/are having?
Couldn't bear the thought of having to start from scratch with all my thyroid testing, so I'll be taking my notes
Couldn't bear the thought of having to start from scratch with all my thyroid testing, so I'll be taking my notes
Do I just need some sort of letter from the GP detailing the medication I need?
Aug 8th 2004, 11:16 pm
#28
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 600
Re: Medical Records
Originally Posted by bundy
But surely if you have an existing medical condition, they'll need to know what treatment you've had/are having?
Couldn't bear the thought of having to start from scratch with all my thyroid testing, so I'll be taking my notes
Couldn't bear the thought of having to start from scratch with all my thyroid testing, so I'll be taking my notes
The doctor may not want a whole folder full of your medical history but a printout of recent treatment may well help if you have a recurring problem. The more info the doctor has the easier the diagnosis.
A previous posting referred to wrong info ie someone elses medical info mixed in with yours.
When my daughter emigrated to Aus she asked us, after a couple of years if we could send her medical printout from our doctor's surgery. We asked for it on her behalf, with a signed letter from her. They printed it out, we left it in the sealed envelope and posted it to our daughter. When it arrived in Aus it was a full medical history of my wife's!!!
Potentially embarrassing to say the least.
Aug 9th 2004, 2:29 am
#29
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Brisbane - Thornlands
Posts: 385
Re: Medical Records
I think I'd go for the printout as its sometimes hard to remember the dates etc of when and how we've had things done. Wouldn't this be useful for us when completed insurance or medical cover forms?
The entire 'note taking' thing seems to make those taking them panic at the thought of someone wanting to read them. Its like its a big secret and its about you!
Tracey
The entire 'note taking' thing seems to make those taking them panic at the thought of someone wanting to read them. Its like its a big secret and its about you!
Tracey
