Roly

Hi, we would like to take our UK medical records with us to Australia, we
asked our doctor today for them but were denied on the grounds that they
belong to the secretary of state? Mnnn. any body know more about this
subject? - Roly

yafm

Do a search on the other forum. YThere were lots of replies to this question and the fact that they have to supply photo copies of your information (but it costs)

Cath

On Tue, 1 Apr 2003 13:34:24 +0100, "Roly"
wrote:

    >Hi, we would like to take our UK medical records with us to Australia, we
    >asked our doctor today for them but were denied on the grounds that they
    >belong to the secretary of state? Mnnn. any body know more about this
    >subject? - Roly

Is there any reason why they won't give you a full photocopy set of
all your records?

When I moved from California to NZ, all my records had to be
photocopied as per Californian law, the originals must stay with the
medical insurers/doctors etc. I was also able to obtain copies of
x-rays.

In all cases, I had to pay.

Cath

Paul

I thought you could require (not request - require) a copy under the terms
of the data protection act. Probably you cannot have the originals, but they
cannot refuse to do copies, although they can charge a fee for doing them.

Paul

"Roly" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi, we would like to take our UK medical records with us to Australia, we
    > asked our doctor today for them but were denied on the grounds that they
    > belong to the secretary of state? Mnnn. any body know more about this
    > subject? - Roly

glenn_somers

They do belong to the Secretary of State but you have a right to obtain coppied of any information held on you. If you quote the Data Protection Act and the the Access to Health Records Act. It should speed things up.

You have to apply in writing and they may charge you up to £50 to photocopy your records - which is good of them !!!

Cheers

Roly

Thanks Paul, that pretty much what I thought, any Ideas about where I can
get more info on this subject? - Roly



"Paul" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I thought you could require (not request - require) a copy under the terms
    > of the data protection act. Probably you cannot have the originals, but
they
    > cannot refuse to do copies, although they can charge a fee for doing them.
    > Paul
    > "Roly" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Hi, we would like to take our UK medical records with us to Australia,
we
    > > asked our doctor today for them but were denied on the grounds that they
    > > belong to the secretary of state? Mnnn. any body know more about this
    > > subject? - Roly
    > >
    > >

moosifer

The Data Protection act provides that you are allowed to obtain copies of all records that are held about you by someone for a fixed fee of £10.

Worth a punt?

BritboyNZ

The Access to Health Records Act has now mostly been repealed & now only applies to accessing the medical records of the deceased. It is the Data Protection Act 1998 which now governs access to personal information, including medical records.

The £10 fee only relates to information stored about you in 'automated' form (ie on computer). If you were to request all information held about you by your bank, the maximum the bank can charge for this is £10 as it will all be held electronically. Medical records are a different matter, as in most cases they are still held in manual (ie paper) form. The maximum you can be charged for access to manual records is £50. This is due to change to £10, although the government hasn't got round to doing it yet. (suprise suprise).

More info at: www.dataprotection.gov.uk/dpr/dpdoc.nsf (click on Compliance Advice & then click on Access to Health Records at the bottom)

Hope that helps

Russ.

andie

is it £50 per person???? hope not theres 6 0f us.

BritboyNZ

Without looking at the DPA in great detail, I'd say yes...however if you explained your situation I imagine your GP/health clinic would come to a compromise....true, the records are the property of the state, BUT they contain your records (ie your information). It's not going to cost them £300 in time/copy charges to copy your medicals.

If they absolutely insisted on charging £300, I'd get stroppy - go to the top of the local NHS trust, get your MP involved, maybe the local paper...I dont think public opinion would be on their side if a health authority was charging £300 for your own information!!!

All the best,

Russ

Pip

I know you can get copies of hospital medical notes but so far I have not
tried to get copies of my doctors ones. For hospital ones just phone up the
relevant hospital and ask to be put through to the department who deals with
the records department. Then just explain to the person what you are after.

I ended up getting part of my notes (all that I wanted though) a big brown
manila folder and that cost me £10. They will send you a form first to sign
to release the notes and that's it. Although part of the form made me laugh
as it asks if you plan to use the information you are getting for the
purposes of suing the hospital, he he he. Like you would tell them if you
where, they would probably lose your notes to cover themselves

"Roly" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi, we would like to take our UK medical records with us to Australia, we
    > asked our doctor today for them but were denied on the grounds that they
    > belong to the secretary of state? Mnnn. any body know more about this
    > subject? - Roly