SomersetGirl

Does anyone know if there is a requirement to take your Medical/Dental records with you when you go back to the UK? Would the GP and Dentist need you to have them in order to accept you as a new patient, I wonder?

Bevm

I don't think so.

I brought back records of blood tests I have to have regularly, thinking my UK doctor would want a long view, but he wasn't really interested. Still, I was glad to have them so I could see how things are over time.

Dentists always say that old x-rays aren't much use, and they'll do a new patient exam anyway.

So, no, you don't need them to be expected, but you may want to get some just so you have them if anything odd comes up. For example, you might have a test that seems off, but you might be able to show that it's been that way for years without any problem.

Bev

SomersetGirl

Thanks so much Bev. That's one thing crossed of my list. Much appreciated.
Denise

Pollyana

Just to add - they can't insist on them because some places, such as Australia, don't keep one definitive set of medical records. There are just scatttered notes shared between many doctors as there is no requirement to visit the same one every time

northernbird

Nobody was interested when we moved back to the UK. The only things that were of interest were my children's immunisation records.

HighTide

If you are on any medications you may want to just have your GP in Canada list them and the reason they are prescribed. My GP did ask for this but as far as other bloodwork etc. like Bev said they seem to like to do their own tests.

Bevm

That's a good point. I know someone who was on an unusual medicine, and she brought a letter from her doctor explaining why. It helped.

Bev

Shazban

Good question. I had just assumed that I'd need them. I've already requested the kids' medical records but hadn't asked for the dental records yet. I don't think I'll bother since the UK side won't be too interested. Save meself the bother thanks

Beedubya

I too had no records of note...........

DDL

No requirement, but I would say a person's medical history may indicate good reasons to bring some records over.

As a breast cancer survivor, I brought back the most succinct pathology reports from the date of my initial diagnosis, through my treatment, and then my last few mammogram reports.

My husband has diabetes and high blood pressure and a history of some heart issues. Again, just brought back the most succinct written records.

I scanned everything and saved onto an external hard drive (where we had scanned all our important papers and photographs) - and also onto a jump drive.

Also before we left, I scanned information of the medications we take that contained our doseage amounts and we brought these with us to our initial GP appointment.

bedfordgirl

we moved back to the uk. No we didn,t need our records. Just went to the local doctors who fixed us up with an NHS number. Brilliant

Bluegrass Lass

Interesting question. I'm a USC about to move to Scotland to join my OH. I have several conditions, and was wondering what kind of records to bring. Specifically, I have a lifelong auto-immune disorder and was wondering if I should bring records of my tests and results. I would have though these would be important to a dr over there, but now I'm wondering. Surely I wouldn't be forced to go through testing to be re-diagnosed or would it be assumed I was diagnosed correctly by my US docs?

DDL

Anything pertaining to an existing condition is important no matter what some of these people are saying. True, it's not required, but it just makes sense. Like you say, why would you want to start all over again with testing to determine your condition, etc.

As I said, being a breast cancer survivor, I certainly didn't want to bring over my entire medical file, so I went through everything and scanned in just the most crucial papers: my last set of blood test results (so they'd have a base to work from); the pathology reports from my mammograms (so they could track my history in case something ever shows up again); and I also brought over a copy of the prescription that I take (so they would know how to match it to meds over here).

Go through your paperwork and decide what's important. Am sure your current doctor would be more than happy to advise.

Beedubya

I should have been clearer in saying that I had no medical records to speak about.........

DDL

I knew that, Barb and you guys who don't have any medical records of note to bring with you are very fortunate!