Accessing your medical record

All patients, or their properly authorised third parties, are able to request access to their medical records, and most people are able to find the information they need on the NHS App.  If you would like Online Access set up for yourself or your proxy, please complete the form here 

If you would like a copy of your medical record, please complete the form below or contact us to make your request.  You don’t have to give a reason for wanting to see your record and there is no charge for this service. 

Request a copy of your medical record online

We aim to respond to you within 28 days, however, if we need additional information in order to complete the request, it may take longer.

Please let us know if you:

• want all or just part of your health record
• would like your record to be given to you in a specific format that meets your needs, and we will endeavour to accommodate your request

The report we send you will contain:

• A summary of any current and past conditions or diagnosis
• Notes from your consultations
• Details of your current and past medications
• Historical records, including those from previous GP surgeries where you were a patient
• Letters and documents we have received from third parties

It will not usually contain:

• Full hospital records – we do not hold these and you will need to request them from the relevant hospital
• Information about cancelled appointments or audit trails showing time changes
• Reminder messages, for example about upcoming appointments or reminders to book appointments
• Data lists where your anonymised details are held temporarily; for example where we create a list of all patients eligible for a specific service
• Contact with the practice which is not part of your medical record; for example where we have had contact with you as a supplier of goods or services

Information which identifies third parties or their personal details will be redacted in accordance with GDPR.

We have an obligation under the GDPR and DPA 2018 to ensure that any information is provided only to the patient or their authorised third party, and so where you request information to be sent to an address or email address we do not hold on file for you, we may ask for proof of identity.

Children and young people under 18

Where a child is competent, they are entitled to access their medical record and where that is the case, their consent must be sought before a parent or other third party can be given access to the record.

Children over 16 years are presumed to be competent. Children under 16 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must demonstrate that they have sufficient understanding in order to make a request. However, children who are aged 12 or over are generally expected to have the competence to give or withhold their consent to the release of information from their medical records.  Where, in the view of an appropriate health professional, a child lacks competency, we, as the data controller of the medical record are entitled to refuse the request.

Solicitors

Patients can authorise a solicitor acting on their behalf to request their medical record. We must have your written consent before releasing your medical records to your solicitor and that consent must cover the nature and extent of the information to be disclosed for example, past medical history, and who might have access to it as part of legal proceedings. Where there is any doubt, we will contact you before disclosing the information. 

Information that should not be disclosed

The GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 provides for a number of exemptions. If we are unable to disclose information to you, we will inform you.

Records of deceased patients

In some circumstances, the law allows you to see records of a patient that has died as long as they were made after 1st November 1991.

Records are usually only kept for three years after death though in England and Wales GP records are generally retained for 10 years after the patient’s death before they are destroyed.

Who can access records of deceased patients?

You can only see that person’s records if you are their personal representative, administrator or executor.

You won’t be able to see the records of someone who made it clear that they didn’t want other people to see their records after their death.

Accessing records of deceased patients

Before we provide access to these records, you will be asked for:

• proof of your identity
• proof of your relationship to the person who has died

Viewing records of deceased patients

You won’t be able to see information that could:

• cause serious harm to your or someone else’s physical or mental health
• identify another person (except members of NHS staff who have treated the patient), unless that person gives their permission
• if you have a claim as a result of that person’s death, you can only see information that is relevant to the claim.

Hospital Records

You need to contact the relevant hospital in order to see your hospital record. 

Inaccurate information

If you think that information in your health record is incorrect, or you need to update your personal details (name, address, phone number), please contact us. In some circumstances we are unable to amend the information on your record and if that is the case we will explain the reasons to you.  If after that explanation, you are unhappy with our decision, you can formally request that the information be amended under the NHS complaints procedure.