thewoodz

hi
popped to the doctor today and whilst there i enquired about having our medical records and the kids injection records to take.

kids injection records - no problem just push a button and hey presto!

however when i asked about the medical records there is a problem. if we leave the doctor they will keep the records until a new doctor requests them, if after a certain period this hasn't happened they are sent to the local H.A and archived in case they are needed in the future. i explained that we were hoping to move to oz and take them and was told this was not possible. however they would probably be able to photocopy them which "would cost a lot" and we could take the copies. now doctor's writing is bad enough (sorry any doctor's reading this a bit of a generalisation i know ) so a photocopy would probably be impossible.

How have others found this? Do you actually need your medical records?

regards nicky

biggy

Our docs wouldnt let us have ours either, but as we had nothing serious on them I didnt bother getting copies either.

We have been here 2 years and have been to the docs a couple of times and they didnt even ask for the records.

If there is anything major like ops etc then mite be worth gettin copies of those parts of the records

debilloyd

Our doc was very good and gave me a computer printout and let me see all the records and copy them from stuff that had not been computerised. However, after spending a couple of hours in the docs writing down all our records, nobody here is even interested in seeing them. I offered our doc our immunisation records to keep so that he knew who had had what vaccination but he just said it was better for me to keep them.

Black Knight1

Hi guys, this is Crikey! posting under the hubs log in! I have to tell you that you are legally entitled to a copy of your medical records and your doctor should be able to give you a print-out of the electronic records they have on the system which they can charge up to £10 for, i would advise you to get these before you leave the country if you can. If you want copies of the actual paper records then they can charge up to £50 pounds for this but no more. Sounds like they are being incredibly unhelpful and just not being arsed to press a button.

I would suggest you ask to speak to your practice manager and also check out this website which lays out your rights:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/03/51/94/04035194.pdf

It's a guidance document for health professionals about what to do with requests for medical records but if you scroll through the first couple of pages it tells you exactly how to apply for access whether you are in the uk or not and what the costs should be - all surgeries should adhere to this, and if they refuse to just go over their heads to your local primary care trust or health authority and make a complaint.

If you have any other problems or queries, come back to me, they can't refuse you access.

good luck guys!
Crikey! xxxx

loz

Your GP is obliged to provide you with a copy of your records (under the freedom of information act) and it usually cost about £10 admin fee plus a small amount (we were quoted 35p) per page of information. They did however say that the request must be in writing giving them permission to copy our records.
Stand your ground although the actual records are the property of the health authority the information contained is yours.

Loz x

Hutch

We got full records for all of us - very amusing reading they make too - all the way back to post-natal

TeresaG

Your GP is legally obliged to provide you with a copy of your medical records although they can charge for it. I'd go back to them and ask again. They are not allowed to refuse.

Mrs Rangersman

The doctor here hasn't been interested in previous records could say anything really they just believe you, immunisation record a must as need it for centrelink and for school the doctor here may have to decifer how it fits into Australian schedule and what may need updating as the schedules are different.

movetoperth

You'll find that yu wont be asked for your records here, you can visit a different surgery every time you need to see a doctor here you are not tied to one specific surgery and they will not ask for your records.

By all means get them if getting that snooty doctors receptionist to do some extra work makes you feel good but it's not an essential.

Lynn

thewoodz

hi all
thanks for your replies and thanks Crikey! for the link I can now go armed with all the correct info, smile sweetly and tell them
regards
nicky

wafc

I've just rang my doctors to enquire about this, the lady on the phone didn't know the answer so she put me on hold and then came back on saying "We can get you a copy of your records but we would need it in writing from you first and it will cost £50 for the records!!!"

Needless to say I wont be taking any medical records with me!! lol. Going from this thread it appears that they aren't required in any event.

seasprite

What about health insurance though and job applications? Some ask for medical details/access to records...?!

Ozzidoc

If a company wants access to medical records, they can write to "your doctor".

However, in oz, you do not necessarily have "a doctor" (because you don't have to be registered with one, and can be registered with 1/2 a dozen if you wish).

Usually you have to complete all of the details yourself, the thinking being that "it's your body/health, so you should know your own medical history".

foxall22

Hi,

I am 3 weeks away from being in WA and enquired to my docs about records.

She is v. nice and told me how the NHS works, and that you can't take your records etc, but she said that the service they do is a very detailed summary to take to your docs. I said 'how much notice do you need' and she said 'just a couple of days'.

So this week I ring to request the summary, get put through to the secretaries who charge £46. Grrr! And they had a big go at me for leaving it until the last minute. I told them about my GP being laid back about it and they said
"Well, with YOUR medical problems"

Nice. I'm pretty fit and well, just sometimes have to use catheters, which isn't really a big deal compared with many many others.

I'm fed up of this 'charge for anything'. I once asked them to sign stuff and they charged £20 a signature! I am a teacher always certifying stuff and I never never charge.

Rant over.

Gemma

TheAshleys

We got full records, going back to the day we were born ! Computer printouts, and photocopies of the handwritten stuff. Cost us £10 each as an admin charge.