angiescarr

How do you ask for your medical records from your old doctor in England. Anyone done this?

Fred James

You can but when you show them to your Spanish doctor he will ignore them - its the "not invented here" syndrome.

At best he will prescribe the drugs you were on in the UK but don't bank on it.

They are even worse about reports/prescriptions from a private doctor/specialist. Our doctor at the health centre even has a large notice on his door to that effect.

Rosemary

As you have been here for a while your records should by rights be at the local FHSA office. Initially write to your doctor but be prepared for him to say that he does not have them so make sure that you ask him how you go about gaining access to your records.

However, as Fred said the Spanish medics are not interested. In fact on more than one occasion Graham had a blood test done at the surgery in the morning, sent for analysis at the hospital and the results phoned through because they were terrible and so he was sent straight in and they would not accept their own results and re-did the test, stupid waste of time and resources.

Rosemary

spainrico

I seem to remember when I enquired (12 yrs ago) being told that they were not mine to take! I have no idea what current NHS rules may be now.

pwwm

They belong to the Government so that is correct, normaly depending on the GP they will do a print out of the relative stuff they have on you, but there is usually a fee.
Same when I worked for a group practice on Oxfordshire, if anyone wanted to see their notes they could only do it in the presence of a nurse or GP.

battlezone123

I am not leaving Spain but I would like a copy of my medical records held by my Spanish GP. Is this possible?

Pocaloca

It certainly is in Andalucia, there is a poster showing patients rights in our consultorio, you have a right to see all your records and to change your doctor without giving a reason. Probably the same in Galicia?

Pocaloca

Not always. Depends on the doctor.

And "he" might be a "she".

angiescarr

Good answers. About what I suspected.
I've been asking my doctor for a year for a smear test here and the date has never come. So I went to the local hospital and asked them. they said Oh no. if it's just routine you ask your doctor. I said I have...twice and she's filled out the forms and said I'd get a phone call. No phone call. No record of my 2 requests on the system. So, she said. Not here unless you have a previous history. Well I have...and I said so... That's why I was chasing the appointment up! So she said. Not here unless you have your medical records. Go back to your doctor. I said No. I'd done that twice and no appointment came. Eventually she took a copy of my european health card. (not my proper health card (some 'output figures' going on here I suspect). and agreed to ring my doctor.
Next day I got a call surprisingly early and said indeed I had asked for an appointment back in October (actually that was the second request) and my doctor would request one again. So. We shall see! I'll give it a week and then bug my doctor again. Really poor though. They seem great on emergencies but v poor on 'well woman' services.

Rosemary

They tend to do reactive health care much better than proactive.

Rosemary

ionie

See here:
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1309.aspx?categoryid=68

distressed

I requested a copy of my medical report from GP in Uk,it had to be collected by a nominated person and paid for{£50}I also collected a copy CD of my last MRI scan from a uk hospital{£27 inc pp}uk postage only,