SAR Guide to Obtain a copy of or view your patient records.

Why should you want to see them?

 

There are many reasons why you may want to obtain access to your medical records.

 

You may wish to make a complaint about how your healthcare was managed.

You may wish to make a complaint about how someone else's healthcare has been managed, for example a child for whom you have parental responsibility, or perhaps a relative.

You may wish to add new information to your health records if you consider that there have been mistakes or inaccuracies.

You may have moved abroad and need to pass your records to your new doctor.

You may be applying for residency in the United States and need your records for the application procedure.

You may simply wish to find out background information in relation to your healthcare.

 

The information contained within your medical records might help you to find out more about what happened and confirm factual details.

A how to by the ICO

http://www.ico.org.uk/for_the_public/personal_information

The NHS Guide to

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

NHS SAR/FOI guide plus form I received off my local NHS Trust - handy to know what address and documentation you have to supply. Also has fees.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=37717&d=1345612669 - SAR Guide PDF

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=37718&d=1345612674 - NHS Trust request form PDF

*Note* I had to request this form from my local NHS Trusts PALS - Patient Advice and Liaison Service. A quick phone call and they emailed it to me. Forms may/will differ from trust to trust so check local trust websites for how to obtain one and what you have to do.

To view or get a copy of your GP records send a SAR letter (see bottom of this post for sample) & address it F.A.O. the Practice Manager.

For NHS Hospital/Consultant records you have to look on the website for each trust you want the records off. Usually it's download/fill in a form, make a copy of the ID proof they want, send it to the trusts data controller and await contact from them for cost.

Costs can vary but the rules are £10 for electronically held records and up to £50 for anything held on paper. With NHS records if you still are a patient or have been within 30 days the fee is waved and it is free. You can also arrange to view you records for free and keep them updated by requesting copies of new letters as and when they are written etc.

Also keep an eye on the 40 day response window, be prepared to send a follow up letter if you feel that they have not sent everything. It usually takes a second letter as they tend to be lazy! Send all letters recorded signed for and print off when they were accepted.

I use this letter for electronic GP records and vary it depending on what I'm after

Access to Health Records under the Data Protection Act 1998 (Subject access request)

Patient’s authority consent form for release of health records (Manual or Computerised Health Records)

 

Date of request XX/XX/XXXX

To: Dr Foster - Puddle Lane Gloucester

From : Mr Speedfreek, 15 Milky Button Towers Lego Land, D.O.B. xx/xx/xx, Telephone xxxxxxxxx, NHS Number xxxxxxxxx

 

Please accept this as a formal request as above for a copy of all computerised health records held by yourselves relating to myself from xx/xx/xxxx to present day. If there are additional paper records please could you indicate what these are? If you redact any of my record please could you provide a summary of what you have redacted and a explanation of why you have done this?

I understand that a fee of £10 is chargeable for this request.

 

If required you can contact myself on the telephone number xxxx xxx xxxx. It has an answering service, so if I am unavailable please leave a message.

 

Yours faithfully

Thanks for this speedfreak